Tribunal of Dr. Michael Webberley

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The misconduct hearing in relation to Dr Michael Webberley (husband of Dr Helen Webberley who together are understood to have founded GenderGP) began in March 2022.  The allegations against MW are summarised here and copied below. We understand that ‘Dr A’ referred to below is Dr Helen Webberley.

The tribunal will inquire into the allegation that, between April 2017 and June 2019, Dr Webberley failed to provide good clinical care to 25 patients. It is alleged that Dr Webberley’s failings related variously to consultation, history taking, examination, diagnosis, prescribing, communication, follow up, informed consent, assessment, working with colleagues, working within the limits of his expertise and working within guidance. It is also alleged that a number of patient consent forms contained information that was untrue and that Dr Webberley’s actions were dishonest.

It is further alleged that until 2019, alongside Dr A, Dr Webberley operated and controlled the company known as Gender GP, which was set up in such a way as to avoid the regulatory framework of the UK. It is alleged that in November 2018, Dr A was made subject to an interim order of suspension meaning that there were no practising GPs working for Gender GP. It is alleged that following this Dr Webberley retained the name of his company as Gender GP and that his conduct was dishonest.

Facts stage

There were 89 charges relating to 25 patients. Dr. Michael Webberley was found to have failed to provide good clinical care to all 25 patients, including 18 male patients who were seeking testosterone prescriptions. While working at Gender GP, he failed to provide good clinical care, conduct proper tests and gain consent from seven patients who reported gender distress, including a 9 year old girl and a 17 year old boy who later took their own life. 6 of the 7 charges relating to operating Gender GP were found proved.

Key Points of Determination on the Facts - Tweet Thread

Full Text of MPTS Determination on Facts (305 pages)

Further material will be forthcoming.

Impairment stage

Live-tweet thread from public session on impairment

Summary

Dr Michael Webberley’s fitness to practice was found to be impaired by reason of misconduct. The tribunal found that Dr Webberley's conduct in this case amounted to a catalogue of failings. These failings were numerous and wide ranging in the provision of care to 24 patients and spanned approximately 2 years.

The findings related to two different cohorts of patients, the androgen patients and the transgender patients. With regards to the transgender patients, a number of them were vulnerable by reason of their age and/or their mental health. The Tribunal considered that all of the patients were exposed to a real or a potential risk of harm.

The Tribunal considered that Dr Webberley’s failure to appreciate his own inability and lack of competence to provide good clinical care to his patients, and his apparent intention to continue to treat this patients, in all the circumstances, demonstrated a profound lack of insight. The Tribunal concluded that in the absence of any expression of regret and/or remorse, insight and/or remediation, Dr. Webberley is liable in the future to put patients at risk, bring the medical profession into disrepute, breach fundamental tenets of the profession and act dishonestly.

Sanctions stage

Full text here of determination on sanctions.

The Medical Practice Tribunal has determined to erase Dr Michael Webberley from the Medical Register and also to impose an immediate order of suspension on his registration to cover the 28-day appeal period. The Tribunal has taken account its findings at stage 1 and stage 2, all the evidence before it, the Sanctions Guidance and the overarching objective.

The case involved findings of failure to provide good clinical care in relation to 24 patients over a sustained period of approximately 2 years. The facts proved covered a wide range of failures in the provision of care to these patients, as identified in the Tribunal’s finding on impairment.

The Tribunal determined that, in all the circumstances of this case, and for all the reasons set out above, having balanced the interest of the doctor and the public, erasing Dr Webberley’s name from the Medical Register is the only appropriate sanction in order to meet the overarching objective which is to protect patients, maintain public confidence in the medical profession and uphold proper professional standards.