The UK's top expert on transsexualism is facing a possible multimillion pound claim for damages from six of his former patients who allege he provided them with "rushed and negligent treatment".
One of the six patients was misdiagnosed by the consultant psychiatrist Dr Russell Reid, and the others were fast-tracked into sex-changing treatments in breach of medical guidance, the solicitor handling the proposed group claim, Peter Maughan, alleged today.
"At least one was the wrong diagnosis, and their current psychiatrist confirms that," claimed the solicitor.
Three of the six patients are also involved in a separate General Medical Council (GMC) inquiry into Dr Reid, which will rule this week upon whether he is guilty of serious professional misconduct.
Mr Maughan said an overall figure for claimed damages had yet to be estimated. Mr Maughan said: "Some lives have been completely destroyed. It's hard to put a figure on that."
But one patient involved in the action, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she was looking for compensation in the region of £500,000 for alleged physical and psychological harm caused by undergoing genital surgery and sex hormone treatment.
Another of the patients, Claudia, said she was given sex-changing hormones and referred for genital surgery after a single appointment with Dr Reid. She claimed she was "rushed" into a sex change and that it had been "devastating" for her.
Mr Maughan said no court proceedings had yet been issued but the particulars of the claims and counsels' advice were ready.
The proposed legal action comes as the GMC disciplinary committee ruled on Dr Reid, in a case that has lasted three years. The inquiry found the consultant psychiatrist had given five patients hormones too soon and had referred them for genital surgery without an adequate assessment of their health or proof that they were transsexuals. A verdict and any penalty - which could see Dr Reid struck off the medical register - will be delivered later this week.
Mr Maughan said the GMC case was not relevant to his clients' case but acknowledged that its outcome would be "influential on any judge".
Dr Reid faces charges of serious professional misconduct at the GMC relating to his treatment of five former patients, referred to only as B, C, D, E and F.
It is alleged that he rushed into prescribing patients sex-changing hormones and in some cases surgery, thereby breaching guidelines for the treatment of gender identity disorders.
Dr Reid admits prescribing Patient D hormones against the advice of a second opinion provided by another psychiatrist. Patient D was later sectioned and, after a diagnosis and treatment for manic depression, no longer wanted to change sex.
Patient E alleges that Dr Reid suggested he work as an escort to fund his gender reassignment. Patients B and C now regret changing sex; the former has returned to living as a man and the latter now feels trapped between sexes.
Dr Reid denies acting against his patients' best interests and breaching guidelines set by the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association.
The guidelines are "flexible directions", which are not legally binding and may be modified to suit individual patients. But they are widely regarded by doctors as the minimum standards of care patients should receive.
Dr Reid's defence team also claims the complaint against him is motivated by a history of bad blood between him and psychiatrists at the main NHS gender clinic at Charing Cross hospital, west London, who brought the case to the GMC. His QC told the hearing that many patients dissatisfied with Charing Cross had switched to seeing Dr Reid.
Dr Reid also has wide support among the transsexual community. A blog set up by some of his former patients - many of whom call him "Uncle Russell" - has received hundreds of messages of support.
