Thursday 26 May 2022 11:31 AM Doctor is struck off for prescribing sex change drugs via private 'online ... trends now

Thursday 26 May 2022 11:31 AM Doctor is struck off for prescribing sex change drugs via private 'online ... trends now
Thursday 26 May 2022 11:31 AM Doctor is struck off for prescribing sex change drugs via private 'online ... trends now

Thursday 26 May 2022 11:31 AM Doctor is struck off for prescribing sex change drugs via private 'online ... trends now

A consultant physician has been stuck off for wrongly prescribing sex-change treatments to seven transgender patients - one who was aged just nine and another a teenager who took their own life few months later.

Dr Michael Webberley, who spent 34 years working for the NHS, provided puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones via GenderGP, an online gender clinic which he ran with his GP wife Dr Helen Webberley.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel found there had been a 'catalogue of failings' in relation to his care of the seven patients between February 2017 and June 2019.

In several cases, he'd taken care of the patients after restrictions had been placed on his wife's practice.

But several doctors raised concerns about his treatment with the GMC (General Medical Council) and he was later suspended.

With all seven patients, he provided treatment that wasn't clinically indicated or had been prescribed without adequate tests, examinations or assessments.

He'd reached diagnoses of gender dysphoria - 'a sense of unease a person may have because of mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity', according to the NHS - based on inadequate information and failed to gain informed consent from patients.

The tribunal also found he had acted 'outside the limits of his expertise' as a consultant gastroenterologist and had failed to establish multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs).

Dr Michael Webberley, 55, wrongly prescribed sex-change treatments to seven transgender patients, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel has found

Dr Michael Webberley, 55, wrongly prescribed sex-change treatments to seven transgender patients, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel has found

Dr Michael Webberley, who spent 34 years working for the NHS, provided puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones via GenderGP, an online gender clinic which he ran with his GP wife Dr Helen Webberley (couple pictured together)

Dr Michael Webberley, who spent 34 years working for the NHS, provided puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones via GenderGP, an online gender clinic which he ran with his GP wife Dr Helen Webberley (couple pictured together)

The tribunal heard about one nine-year-old patient - know as Patient V - who'd been born a biological girl but identified as a boy.

Dr Webberley diagnosed the patient as suffering from gender dysphoria based on a questionnaire that was 'inadequate for the assessment of a minor' and without performing an adequate mental or physical examination.

He then prescribed puberty blockers - which pause the physical changes of puberty - off-licence and without considering alternative treatments or adequately assessing the balance between the risks and benefits.

A 17-year-patient - known as Patient W - was transitioning from female to male and first contacted Dr Webberley in June 2018.

The patient had become unhappy at the long waiting lists for NHS treatment and said in an email that they wanted to transition as soon as possible as it would have a 'massively positive impact' on their mental health.

'I have been waiting to go on hormones so long now and it means so much to me,' they added. 'I am so happy it is finally happening.'

But Dr Webberley diagnosed Patient W as gender dysphoric without checking information with their GP.

The tribunal also found that he prescribed testosterone when it wasn't clinically indicated and without establishing whether the risks were lower than the risks to the patient's mental and physical health.

Patient W had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and had 'complex' and long-standing mental health issues but it 'did not appear' that Dr Webberley was aware of them

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