The General Medical Council (GMC) has told a Christian doctor that his opposition to preferred pronouns does not affect his fitness to practice. 

Dr David Mackereth referred himself to the GMC after losing a legal challenge against his dismissal by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over his views.

He served as a health and disability assessor for the DWP but was dismissed after saying during a training session that, as a Bible-believing Christian, he would not in good conscience be able to refer to clients by their chosen gender identity or pronouns. 

He launched a legal claim for religious discrimination, which he lost at Employment Tribunal. This verdict was partially overturned at appeal but his sacking by the DWP was upheld both by the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. 

Following this outcome, Dr Mackereth referred himself to the GMC asking them to determine whether his fitness to practice was impaired due to his Christian and 'gender-critical' beliefs.

He received a letter from the GMC this week confirming that it had no intention of removing or restricting his registration. 

"Although your views might be considered contentious, we haven't seen evidence to suggest that patient safety is at risk from the information provided nor that your fitness to practise is impaired," the GMC said. 

"It is clear that you have a strong view on this subject and we are informed this is deeply rooted in your religion. Doctors are of course entitled to their views and this in itself wouldn't be an issue requiring any regulatory action to be taken by the GMC.

"This would only become an issue for us should there be information to indicate that these views impact patient safety and or care."

The GMC said it had reached this conclusion after "carefully" assessing information about Dr Mackereth's case, including the decisions of the Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

The letter from the GMC also confirmed that he had not breached council guidance. 

"We also note the tribunals' comments around whether your views might contravene GMC guidance, however, again there is no evidence to indicate that you have provided inappropriate advice or care to patients based on your views," the letter stated. 

Dr Mackereth plans to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights. 

Commenting on the response from the GMC, he said he was "delighted, grateful and encouraged". 

"My hope is that it will encourage medics across the profession to speak out more on these issues, especially those who are sitting on the fence out of fear of backlash," he said. 

"I also hope that it will encourage professionals in other sectors, such as teachers, who are currently facing enormous pressure to go against their conscience and conform to transgender ideology. Those who refuse to do so, like myself, face severe ramifications, and this must urgently end." 

He continued, "My case affects everyone, not just me and Bible-believing Christians, but anyone who is concerned by compelled speech and transgender ideology being enforced on the NHS and other public services.

"Everyone in the NHS should be able to say publicly without fear that a person cannot change sex, but instead we are being forced to accept a massive change to our concept of the medical reality of sex, with no scientific basis for that change."

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Dr Mackereth, said: "We welcome the official conclusion by the GMC, but the freedom to hold a belief but not express it is no freedom at all.

"More must be done to recognise and protect the freedom of professionals with Christian and gender critical beliefs on these issues to use their professional judgment without fear of severe and unjust ramifications.

"Dr Mackereth chose to sacrifice his distinguished professional career rather than compromise on the Bible and his conscience. The requirement to use transgender pronouns defies common sense and Christian faith. It serves no useful purpose except filtering out firm Christians and men of principle such as Dr Mackereth.

"If we tolerate this as a society, if we give in on the essential freedom of thought, conscience and religion, no other freedom is safe. We are determined to fight all the way to secure justice in this case."