Two GPs who were suspended for giving puberty-blocking drugs to gender-confused children have relocated abroad to continue their practices, in what has been branded a “dangerous loophole” in regulation.
Helen and Mike Webberley ran an unlicensed gender identity clinic from their home in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, and are currently banned from working in the UK.
In separate cases, they were each suspended by the General Medical Council (GMC), and have reportedly moved to Spain in order to continue dispensing drugs to children as young as twelve.
‘Dangerous loophole’
The Webberleys initially applied for a licence from Health Inspectorate Wales, but when they were refused, they continued to operate their private clinic ‘GenderGP’ regardless.
They claim to have around 1,600 patients, most of whom are adults, but were reported to the GMC over their treatment of children.
As company director of the clinic, Helen Webberley was convicted of illegally providing healthcare services under the Care Standards Act last year. The judge ruled she had committed the offence through “consent, connivance or neglect”.
Her patients were passed on to husband Mike, who continued offering treatments instead.
‘Abuse’
One case brought to the GMC involved a girl at the onset of puberty who was given puberty blockers to stop breast development.
Another child was given sex-change hormones at the clinic despite his severe mental distress. These were later confiscated by the patient’s psychiatric nurse, who reported Mike Webberley to the GMC.
MP for Monmouth David Davies said: “Sex-change hormones have permanent consequences and handing them out to children is wrong. The Government should investigate how to stop what amounts to an abuse of children.”