Abergavenny GP defends service for transgender patients

A GP prosecuted for failing to register her online advice services for transgender patients with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales has defended her actions.

Dr Helen Webberley was fined £12,000 by a district judge who called the offence "serious".

Her company was also fined for failing to register with the regulator.

The Abergavenny GP started a private service for transgender patients online in 2015, and said she has treated thousands of patients in that time because waits for NHS services are so long.

But a complaint was made to the General Medical Council after she prescribed cross-gender hormones to a 12-year-old child.

The inspectorate said unregistered healthcare services posed a risk to patient safety as they were not subject to the same level of scrutiny as registered services.

Dr Webberley said her team's work had helped vulnerable people and she urged the health authorities to understand what she was trying to do.