AC-2024-LON-001142 - [2025] EWHC 2015 (Admin)

This claim relates to decisions taken by the Care Quality Commission (“CQC”) regarding the registration and assessment of Gender Plus Healthcare Limited (a private gender dysphoria clinic), which is the first interested party in these proceedings (“IP1”). The case brought by the two claimants (“C1” and “C2”) is concerned with treatment provided by IP1 to 16 and 17 year olds involving the prescription of hormones, referred to either as “cross-sex hormones” or “gender-affirming hormones”; for the purposes of this judgment, I have referred to this as “the hormone treatment”.

The hormone treatment in issue involves the prescription of masculinising or feminising hormones (oestrogen; testosterone), introducing irreversible changes to the patient’s body. There are strongly held views about this treatment and an expert panel is due to report to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its use for those under 18. At present, however, the treatment provided by IP1 to 16 and 17 year olds is permitted by law, and the issue I am required to determine is not whether that is correct, but whether specific decisions made by the CQC are irrational and/or unlawful.