Home / Health / Hormone Clinic Faces Scrutiny Over Treatment of Teens
Hormone Clinic Faces Scrutiny Over Treatment of Teens
31 Jul
Summary
- CQC inspected and registered Gender Plus clinic
- Clinic follows NHS guidance on hormone interventions
- Clinic's procedures were reviewed by CQC inspectors
As of July 31, 2025, the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic, established by Dr. Aidan Kelly and led by nurse consultant Paul Carruthers, has come under scrutiny for its treatment of 16- to 17-year-olds with hormones. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had previously inspected and registered the clinic, and the review stressed the need for "extreme caution" when using hormones for this age group.
The CQC's inspection and registration of the Gender Plus clinic had not taken this into account, according to two women who alleged this. However, the clinic maintains that it follows the NHS guidance, which requires all young people recommended for hormone interventions to have their decision reviewed and endorsed by a national multi-disciplinary team.
In the ruling, Mrs. Justice Eady stated that the CQC's scrutiny of the clinic's processes and compliance with regulatory requirements was thorough and focused on patient safety. While the question of whether the CQC adequately considered the NHS's "particular, and changing, approach" was important, the judge ultimately concluded that the criticisms were about the clinic's internal structure and "focused on issues of form rather than substance."
