A doctor who ran an unlicensed transgender clinic which gave sex-change hormones to children as young as 12 has vowed to clear her name as she's set to face a medical tribunal.
Dr Helen Webberley, who founded online clinic Gender GP, also defended her treatment of young patients, saying the UK lags behind other countries in the care offered to children seeking gender reassignment.
The 52-year-old, who is currently barred from practising, will appear at a Medical Practitioners Service (MPTS) misconduct hearing starting on Monday.
The most serious charges concern her alleged failure to provide good clinical care to three child patients and inappropriately prescribing to two other patients.
Dr Webberley is also accused of attempting to avoid regulations after she was convicted in 2018 for illegally running Gender GP and treating 1,600 transgender patients and gender dysphoric children from her home in Wales.
A court heard she gave hormones to children as young as 12 after the youngsters were denied treatment on the NHS.
Dr Helen Webberley will face a medical tribunal on Monday accused of failing to provide good clinical care to three child patients and inappropriately prescribing to two other patients
A judge said there was a 'clear refusal to follow the law' while regulator Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) said she posed a risk to patient safety.
Dr Webberley says she's waited 'a long time' to answer allegations after the General Medical Council (GMC) began investigating her in 2017 following complaints from NHS doctors.
Restrictions were initially placed on her practice but she was then handed a suspension in November 2018 and hasn't worked as a doctor since.
'It's been incredibly frustrating,' she said.
'But I hope now we've reached the final hearing they will look at the evidence clearly and professionally and in a calm, unbiased way bearing in mind we are talking about the care of transgender people.
'Certainly, professionally for me, I need to clear my name but also for the organisation I founded.'
Gender GP's website says it works with an international multi-disciplinary team to provide care for trans and gender non-conforming patients.
Private treatment is available although it can collaborate with UK doctors and health providers to secure NHS funding for patients.
But the treatment of young patients, which also includes the use of puberty blockers, has proved controversial.
Pictured: Dr Helen Webberley ran a private transgender clinic from her home until 2018 when she was convicted of running it illegally
Dr Webberley admitted it was 'emotive' issue but denied it was impossible - as some critics claim - for young children to make informed consent for treatment.
Many trans
