Top doc rushed patients into sex change surgery

Oct 26 2006

One of Britain's top psychiatrists has been brought before the General Medical Council (GMC) over allegations about his fitness to practice.

Dr. Russell Reid, a consultant psychiatrist and a specialist on gender identity disorder, has been accused by both patients and colleagues, of serious professional misconduct and of breaching international guidelines on the treatment of gender disorders.

A panel of the GMC have heard from patients about bitter regret and confusion after undergoing gender reassignment surgery recommended by Dr. Reid.

Patient 'B' says Reid had been too nice and encouraged him to seek male-to-female gender reassignment surgery, but he was now confused about his sexuality and unable to cope.

The remarks came on the seventh day of a thirty-day disciplinary which has heard allegations that Dr. Reid, 63, from West London, rushed five patients into irreversible hormone treatments and gender reassignment surgery in breach of international guidelines.

During his time working at a private London clinic from 1988 to 2003, Dr. Reid is also alleged to have told patients that they could pay for surgery by working as escorts and continued to treat a paedophile after it emerged the patient had concealed his conviction for gross indecency against a 15-year-old boy.

Patient B, who now identifies as male, underwent surgery in 1989 to reconstruct his penile tissue into a vagina but was initially prescribed hormone treatment a year earlier by the psychiatrist at the first consultation.

Patient B blames Dr. Reid for his unhappiness and gender confusion, claiming he had failed to investigate his history of severe depression, which included attempting to kill himself in a car crash, before approving the sex change.

Dr. Reid, who had a private gender clinic in west London until his retirement in February, has denied charges of inappropriate care in relation to the patients and has denied acting contrary to guidance given in the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association standards of care.

He has also denied a charge of serious professional misconduct.