Thread by @StoatlyL

Hectic 10 days with a family member in hospital. Then I planned to go to Hyde Park on Sunday - but had bad weather on the road to London.

So I diverted straight to Manchester - and failed to get on line to let my friends know (many apologies). I promise to get my phone sorted.

It's been a fascinating this week reporting for @tribunaltweets at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal re Gender GP founder Dr Helen Webberley's fitness to practice following her conviction for operating a service without registration & GPs, UCLH & GIDS complaints to the GMC.

Webberley talks here about listening & being told a story, not clinical assessments.

Details of assessments & baseline medical blood tests are noticeably absent from the Gender GP papers in the evidence I've heard from Drs on cases of 3 pre-teen children express.co.uk/news/uk/146762…

The Tribunal proceedings are reported daily @tribunaltweets by volunteers with little commentary.

It is very challenging as we don't have medical or legal backgrounds, access to the papers being referred to or even the correct names of the witnesses.

The QCs representing Webberley & the GMC read out bundle references, dates, letters, patient records, drugs, names & acroynyms very fast.

Sometimes there are long conversations abt legal issues which are opaque to the laywoman. Scheduling witnesses and Trib time is challenging.

I am struck by the absolute mess and awful impact on the children and families involved. The mothers believe that GnRHa and testosterone will alleviate the distress of their young daughters - bought into the transformation happy ever after lie.

Families struggle with the absence of biological reality, the failure of NHS specialist support and finances - paying for consultations, medication and tests they believe are essential. The GPs are trying to do the right thing. The children are distressed.

The politicians, the NHS & the Dept of Health have dragged ther feet because dealing with the aggressive pro medical transition lobby has felt too difficult ... It is a huge medical scandal costing the physical & mental health of children, young people & vulnerable adults.