Health Secretary Wes Streeting has condemned the General Medical Council (GMC) after it emerged that doctors who change gender can have their past wrongdoings erased from public records.
The revelation came following a Telegraph investigation which found the medical watchdog wipes the public disciplinary history of doctors who change their gender identities.
The practice means medics could potentially exploit the system by changing their gender identity to hide previous disciplinary issues. Streeting called the situation "extremely concerning" and said it "should not have been allowed to happen."
The GMC maintains a public register allowing people to check if doctors have faced restrictions, suspensions or been struck off. However, when doctors request to change their "gender status" on GMC records, they can do so without providing supporting evidence.
The Health Secretary has condemned the findings
Getty/PA
These medics are given a new registration and GMC number, with all public links between their old and new identities completely erased. This means any historical misdemeanours, including previous suspensions, are wiped from publicly accessible records.
The system also prevents female patients who specifically request a female doctor from discovering if their doctor was born male.
It comes as trans doctor, Dr Beth Upton, is currently involved in an employment tribunal against NHS Fife. The case centres on a complaint by nurse Sandie Peggie, who claims she experienced unlawful harassment.
Peggie alleges she was forced to share a changing room at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, with Dr Upton, who was born male but insisted on using the women's changing room.
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Dr Beth Upton arrives at an employment tribunal at Caledonian House, in DundeePA
Sandie Peggie claimed she faced harassment as the result of being forced to share female changing rooms with Dr Upton
PAThe GMC has confirmed Dr Upton is among the 62 doctors who have received new registrations under different GMC numbers. There is no suggestion that Dr Upton has faced any disciplinary action.
The GMC has revealed that 62 doctors in total have been issued new registration numbers after changing their gender identity.
Under normal circumstances, suspensions of more than three months remain on GMC records for 15 years, while shorter suspensions stay for 10 years.
The regulator stated: "If a doctor had received a historical sanction prior to transitioning, this information would not be available on their new public-facing record on the medical register."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned that diversity drives in the health service have gone too farGB NEWSThe GMC was unable to confirm whether any of the 62 doctors who received new numbers had faced suspensions under their previous identities.
On Thursday night, the Health Secretary demanded immediate changes from the regulator.
"It is completely within the power of the GMC to find a workaround for this that means transparency for patients, as well as protections in the Equality Act, are preserved," Streeting told The Telegraph.
