He must provide the GMC with a record of his treatments of any patients with
gender identity disorders such as transsexualism every three months.
The disciplinary panel ruled that Dr Reid must no longer prescribe patients
with sex-changing hormones at the first appointment, nor without a firm
diagnosis that they are transsexual or a proper psychiatric assessment.
The panel determined that the consultant psychiatrist was too quick to provide
patients with hormones and to refer them for genital surgery.
"The panel considers that the seriousness of your misconduct lies in your lack
of caution in initiating hormonal and surgical gender reassignment treatment in
these patients without more careful and through investigation and assessment,"
said John Shaw, the panel chairman.
"The panel therefore determined that your misconduct was serious, and that you
are guilty of serious professional misconduct."
Mr Shaw said Patient D, who mistakenly believed she was transsexual as a result
of suffering from manic depression, only narrowly avoid an "unnecessary
mastectomy" as a result of Dr Reid ignoring the second opinion of another
psychiatrist that treatment should proceed with caution.
The panel chairman added that Patient C, a convicted paedophile, was still
uncertain about his gender identity after having a sex change. The
male-to-female transsexual has returned to living as a man and wants surgery to
try to reverse his gender reassignment.
Mr Shaw said that although patients B, E and F remained in their reassigned
gender roles and appeared not to have suffered harm, Dr Reid's treatment of
them "fell well short of the standard of care to which [they] were entitled."
But the panel decided against striking Dr Reid off or suspending him because it
did not consider "it would be in the public interest to deprive the
[transsexual community] of an experienced and otherwise well-respected doctor."
Mr Shaw said: "[The panel] determined that it would be proportionate and
sufficient, in the public interest as well as your own interest if you were to
return to practice under strict conditions."
Speaking afterwards, Dr James Barrett, one of four NHS psychiatrists who
brought the complaints against Dr Reid, said: "I'm pleased that it was felt
that it amounted to serious professional misconduct. And I'm pleased that
conditions to his practice were imposed for a year that mean he will operate in
line with good practice."
But a former patient of Dr Reid, not involved in the GMC case, said she was
"disgusted" with the verdict.
Claudia, who regrets changing sex, is one of six former patients bringing a
separate legal claim for damages against Dr Reid. She said the decision not to
strike Dr Reid off was "absolutely scandalous".
"I'm deeply disappointed with the GMC ruling," she said. "If this had been
about another group of people - not transsexuals - I think there would have
been a much tougher sentence. Everything that has been taken from me - both
physically and in the broadest human sense - can never be recovered."
However, Charles Kane, another former patient of Dr Reid, said he was glad the
"kind-hearted" psychiatrist was not struck off.
Mr Kane, who complained to the GMC about Dr Reid but did not participate in the
hearing, said: "I am happy with the verdict because with these conditions he
cannot really treat anybody else the way he treated me."
Mr Kane had surgery to reverse his sex change in 2004. "I really believe that
Dr Reid and the general public should view gender reassignment and sex change
very seriously and this is a warning to doctors and patients not to rush into
it," he said.
However, he added: "I think generally he [Dr Reid] is a kind-hearted doctor and
he didn't really mean to be malicious to the patient. Most of the patients came
here to support him because of this quality in him. He is a caring, almost
father-figure."
The ruling came after a three-year investigation into Dr Reid, who the GMC
earlier this week said had treated the five patients inappropriately, against
their best interests and contrary to international guidelines on the treatment
of transsexuals.
The disciplinary panel said he had provided the patients with hormones and
referred them for genital surgery without an adequate assessment of their
health or proof that they were transsexuals.
He was found to have repeatedly breached guidelines set by the Harry Benjamin
International Gender Dysphoria Association, regarded as the minimum standards
for the treatment of transsexuals.
Despite the verdict, Dr Reid continues to command wide support in the
transsexual community, many of whom regard him as their saviour. A blog set up
by his supporters attracted more than 250 messages in his defence.
