One of the United Kingdom's foremost experts on gender identity disorder has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council. The GMC's fitness to practise committee found that consultant psychiatrist Russell Reid had hurried patients into sex change operations, but he avoided being struck off.
Dr Reid, 63, who is currently retired, will instead have strict conditions placed on his work should he take up practice again. He must regularly inform the GMC of any patients he is treating and may not provide hormone treatment to any patient on a first appointment. He may not prescribe hormones to any patient who lacks a firm diagnosis that is backed by physical and psychiatric assessments, and he must always inform the patient's GP of any treatment.
The complaints against Dr Reid were lodged by a former patient and by four psychiatrists from the Charing Cross gender clinic, where Dr Reid worked until 1990. He later moved to Hillingdon Hospital, north London, and also worked from a private clinic in Earls Court.
The former patient, Charles Kane, said that Dr Reid's diagnosis of transsexuality was wrong and regrets the operation that made him a woman. He has since undergone penis reconstruction surgery.
The GMC's case against Dr Reid alleged misconduct in the treatment of five anonymous patients, referred to as patients B to F. In all five cases Dr Reid's treatment was found to have been inappropriate, not in the patient's best interests, and contrary to international medical guidance. An accusation by patient E that Dr Reid had urged her to work as a prostitute to fund her treatment was found to be not proved.
Although the UK has no formal guidelines on the treatment of gender dysphoria, specialists follow the standards of care of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association. The association, of which Dr Reid was a founding member, is named after a pioneer in the field.
Dr Reid was found to have breached these guidelines by prescribing hormones before accurately diagnosing the patient's gender disorder and comorbid psychiatric conditions. He was also found to have breached GMC guidance by failing to notify patients' GPs before starting treatment.
Patient D testified that she had manic depression at the time of her consultation with Dr Reid and had decided after watching a television documentary that she needed a sex change. She also became convinced that she was Jesus and thus needed to be a man. Dr Reid referred her for a double mastectomy, but before the operation could be performed she was sectioned because she had been found wandering the streets naked. She was given a diagnosis of manic depression. After treatment she abandoned plans for a sex change.
Emerging from the hearing, a smiling Dr Reid told reporters: “It could have been worse.” He refused further comment.
A group of his supporters and former patients waited outside the hearing, and several sent testimonials to the GMC praising his dedication to his work. One of those expressing relief that Dr Reid had not been struck off was the original complainant, Charles Kane, who described him as “a kind hearted father figure.”
Mr Kane added: “I am happy with the verdict, because with these conditions [attached to his work] he cannot really treat anybody else the way he treated me.”
New recommendations for the treatment of gender dysphoria are currently being drafted under the guidance of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.