Psychologist Who Questioned Puberty Blockers Terminated by Queensland Health

A clinical psychologist who raised concerns about the use of puberty blockers to treat children with gender dysphoria has been sacked by Queensland Health, despite the state government ordering an independent review into the use of the drugs.

Jillian Spencer, a psychiatrist at the Queensland Children’s Hospital, was stood down in April 2023 after arguing that children experiencing gender confusion deserve thorough psychological assessments rather than immediate medical interventions.

Now, a month before the review is due to deliver its report and before the industrial relations court has adjudicated on her status as a whistleblower, she has been issued with a termination notice.

The 59-page letter from the hospital’s director of clinical services lists occasions where she allegedly broke the code of conduct by speaking to media and at public meetings.

“I hold significant concerns regarding your ability to work with any other colleagues or any other office within the Hospital Health Service when considering the allegations against you,” the director wrote.

“Taking this into consideration, at this time, I am not satisfied that it is appropriate for you to return to any workplace.”

Prior to the termination, Spencer says the hospital sent her four separate “show cause” letters accusing her of breaching the code of conduct.

Spencer responded on social media with a video of her leaping into a pool, captioned, “I‘ve got 14 days to convince QLD’s Health Minister @TimNichollsMP to stop the Queensland Children’s Hospital from firing me for speaking up to protect children from gender interventions. Mr Nicholls, I’m in deep water and I need a rescue.”

During her suspension, Spencer remained a vocal critic of the over-use of puberty blockers, and ran for president-elect of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), losing to Angelo Virgona.

In announcing the puberty blocker review, Queensland Minister for Health Tim Nicholls said “clinical governance issues in Cairns” relating to the prescription of both puberty blockers and “gender-affirming hormones” had “raised serious concerns about the provision of Stage 1 and Stage 2 hormone therapy to patients under the age of 18 in Queensland’s public health system.”

In the meantime, the Queensland government has placed a moratorium on hormone therapy, including puberty blockers, for children under 18 with gender dysphoria. It will remain in effect until at least 2026.

As of June 2024, Queensland Children’s Gender Service (QCGS) had 547 children and adolescents actively receiving care.

Shortly after, federal Health Minister Mark Butler directed the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to review the Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents.

Strong Response to Spencer’s Termination

Since the termination became public, several organisations have called for Spencer’s reinstatement.

Family First expressed outrage and said she had been “punished for speaking the truth” on what it called “arguably the greatest medical scandal of our time.”

The party’s national director, Lyle Shelton, said it was a disgrace that the Crisafulli government, after almost a year in power, has failed to act.

“What is the point of electing a so-called conservative government if it can’t even protect whistleblowers like Dr. Spencer?” he asked.

A petition with over 6,700 signatures is currently before the Queensland Parliament seeking Spencer’s reinstatement, and the Australian Medical Professionals Society (AMPS) and Nurses Professional Association of Australia (NPAS) have penned a joint letter (pdf) to Queensland ministers, the Director-General of Queensland Health, and the Health Ombudsman making a similar demand.

The Australian Doctors Federation has also expressed concerns about the case, saying Spencer’s situation “raises serious questions about the independence of medical decision making, being a reminder that good clinical practice must determine what is in the best interests of the patient.”

“It is essential for good medicine and societal well-being that there is open and unbigoted debate about the merits or otherwise of relevant treatment protocols, and that medical decision-making be guided by evidence rather than bias or ideology,” the Federation said.

The Human Rights Law Alliance has also backed Spencer, assisting with her legal cases, and says the Queensland government’s decision to freeze the prescription of puberty blockers for under-18s has “vindicated” her.

“The Queensland government’s decision sends a clear message that a more cautious and evidence-based approach to gender-confused children is needed,” the HRLA said in a statement.

“This follows growing international concern over the long-term impact of puberty blockers, with countries like Sweden, Finland, and the UK pulling back on their use for children. France has warned against the risks of over-medicalising gender dysphoria in young people. [And] U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order pulling any funding or support for institutions that provide puberty blockers.”

A spokesperson for Nicholls told The Epoch Times that he was unable to comment on “an ongoing employment matter.”