British LGBT+ groups have received a surge in calls and emails from transgender children and their parents following a court ruling this week that will force doctors to get a judge’s approval before prescribing puberty-blocking drugs to under-16s. The High Court ruled on Tuesday that it was unlikely that children under 16 could give informed consent to treatment with the drugs – prompting NHS England to update its guidelines to require prior court authorisation. Calls to a helpline run by Manchester-based LGBT Foundation trebled compared to the same week last year, a spokeswoman said on Friday, while Mermaids – which offers support to trans children and their families – saw a 60% rise in emails. “People are literally panicking,” said Mermaids Chief Executive Susie Green. “We’re just trying to keep on top of it, to keep our service users in a position where they feel informed … because people are so distressed and upset.”