Doctor from Abergavenny faces tribunal over care of patients at her transgender clinic

Dr Helen Webberley has appeared at a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service. Credit: GenderGP

A doctor from Abergavenny has appeared at a tribunal accused of failing to provide good clinical care to patients at her online transgender clinic.

Dr Helen Webberley, founder of GenderGP, was charged by the General Medical Council (GMC) after offering hormonal treatment to children.

On its website, GenderGP is described as an online health and wellbeing clinic which serves transgender people of all ages across the world.

The GMC charges against Dr Webberley include failure to provide good clinical care to three child patients before prescribing testosterone treatment, and in one case, puberty blocker treatment.

In total there are 29 charges brought against Dr Webberley, which include accusations that she failed to obtain adequate medical histories and arrange adequate examinations before making the prescriptions.

The GMC have also charged her with failing to adhere to professional guidelines, acting outside of her competence as a GP with a special interest in gender dysphoria, and lying about being a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

She had previously been fined £12,000 in 2018, convicted of running a medical agency without being registered.

Ian Stern QC, representing Dr Webberley, said she admitted charges relating to her conviction in 2018 and admitted submitting a signed witness statement to the Interim Orders Tribunal which stated she had been a member of the RCGP since 1996.

He said she did not admit any of the other charges and there was no admission in relation to an impairment to her fitness to practise.

Simon Jackson QC, representing the GMC, said Dr Webberley had set herself up as an online GP with a "special interest" in the provision of medical care to transgender patients on a private basis.

Mr Jackson told the hearing the GMC did not take issue with Dr Webberley's role as an advocate for improving treatment for transgender patients, but said she did not have the competence required for the role of "lead clinician" and should have restricted her role to the context of a multi-disciplinary team.

He added: "The GMC observe such forceful advocacy should not be permitted to influence a doctor's prescribing practices."

Mr Jackson is due to continue opening the GMC's case on Wednesday and the tribunal is expected to last until 15 October.