Doctors who change gender are being issued new registration details that ‘scrub’ their public disciplinary history from the record, it was last night claimed.
Patients are usually able to search the General Medical Council’s (GMC) official register using their clinician’s name and number.
But it has now emerged that trans doctors are given new numbers, which means future patients are unable to find details listed under their previous identity.
The revelation came after concerns were raised that trans medic Dr Beth Upton – who is currently at the centre of an employment tribunal – had been given a new registration number, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The GMC said Dr Upton is one of 62 to have been given a new registration with a different GMC number – which is the equivalent of a doctor’s professional fingerprint.
It appears on all of their paperwork including training, appraisals, prescriptions, revalidation and complaints.
Dr Upton’s previous male identity is still on the medical register but there are no external links with her new entry visible to the public. The old entry says her registration to be a doctor was ‘relinquished’ in April 2023, with no visible reference to this on her current record. There is no suggestion Dr Upton has previously faced disciplinary action.
The GMC does not require doctors to ‘provide any evidence of your change in gender status’, which means a female patient who requests a female doctor will not know if their medic was born male.
A GMC spokesman said: ‘If a doctor received a historical sanction [i.e. the suspension is no longer in place] prior to transitioning, this information would not be available on their new public-facing record on the register.’
These sanctions could include formal warnings and upheld suspensions – which are usually visible on the public record for years.
However, the GMC stressed that there is no risk a doctor who is struck off could change their gender and re-register.
Helen Joyce, of the gender-critical charity Sex Matters, slammed the decision to hand out new registrations.
She said: ‘There are extremely serious implications for the GMC issuing new numbers – essentially new identities. There are a whole host of personal, religious or cultural reasons for a woman to want to be seen by a biological female doctor. Patients have the right to say they only want to see a doctor of one sex.
‘You can’t present as a woman ‘on paper’ and expect patients to sort this out at the rough end of the process in the consultation room.’
The GMC insisted that the records of doctors before and after their transition are linked internally.
It said the lack of public links between records are ‘because there are clear legal protections afforded to individuals who transition’ and that it ‘relates to the disclosure of their personal information’.
Sarah Vine, a KC at Doughty Street Chambers, said: ‘There is a strong public interest in knowing a doctor’s disciplinary history. It’s very hard to argue that a doctor’s privacy can override that.’
The registration backlash comes amid an employment tribunal brought by nurse Sandie Peggie, who was suspended in January 2024 after objecting to Dr Upton using a female changing room.
A hearing has been scheduled by NHS Fife into allegations of misconduct against Ms Peggie, which include claims that she ‘misgendered’ Dr Upton. The GMC was contacted for comment.