Queensland Children’s Hospital bars doctor over trans rights claims

A child psychiatrist has been told she can’t return to work at the Queensland Children’s Hospital after she accused colleagues of becoming transgender activists.

Queensland Children's Hospital formerly known as Lady Cilento

A child psychiatrist has been told she can’t return to work at the Queensland Children’s Hospital after she accused colleagues of becoming transgender activists and using mentally ill children in a “transpride” promotion.

The hospital’s director of clinical services wrote to Dr Jillian Spencer this week to tell the outspoken psychiatrist it was not appropriate for her to return to “any workplace”, a confidential letter obtained by The Courier-Mail has revealed.

It comes after Dr Spencer told a forum at NSW Parliament House that she was reprimanded and later suspended for speaking out against transgender activism she said was inappropriate.

“I enjoyed pulling down the transgender pride flags in the mental health waiting room,” she told the forum.

“Walking past those damn transpride flags every day and talking to people wearing the rainbow lanyards and pronoun badges was de-spiriting. Listening to clinicians carefully using a child’s preferred pronouns when discussing cases with me generated disconnection from my workmates.”

In his letter, Mr Tait said it was alleged Dr Spencer engaged in conduct that “reflected seriously and adversely on the Children’s Hospital and Health Service and your colleagues by making disparaging comments that you know to be untrue”.

Mr Tait said he had considered an alternative working arrangement to allow Dr Spencer to work remotely or from home. However, he changed his mind.

Dr Jillian Spencer, Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

“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,” he wrote.

He said he had a statutory duty to ensure the health and safety of staff and patients.

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

Dr Spencer said she already had to endure the pain of three other show cause notices that the hospital had issued against her.

“I guess they want to have another go at firing me,” she said.

“My speech was all about the pain and fear they caused to me by inappropriately removing me from clinical duties, and then suspending me.

“It has had a massive impact on my life and continues to threaten my medical registration.

“I poured all my heart and soul into the speech to explain what it was like to go through this.”

Dr Spencer wrote to the Director-General of Queensland Health Dr David Rosengren asking for an apology and to be reinstated. He did not respond.

Dr Rosengren declined an interview request and would not answer questions.

Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls declined to be interviewed and would not answer questions.

Originally published as Queensland Children’s Hospital bars doctor over trans rights claims