Nurse claims RCN failed her over pronoun dispute

Jennifer Melle told an employment tribunal that the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union failed to provide her with adequate support during a disciplinary process concerning her use of patient pronouns. Ms Melle received a settlement from Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust after being warned by her employer for using incorrect pronouns for a transgender patient.

Ms Melle was giving evidence on Monday in the employment tribunal case brought by Sandie Peggie. Ms Peggie, a nurse from Fife, is pursuing a legal claim against the RCN, alleging direct discrimination because of her gender-critical beliefs. She claims the union did not support her sufficiently during a dispute with her employer.

Disciplinary Process and Union Response

Ms Melle described how a patient became "vile and abusive" towards her after she used a "biological pronoun". She was subsequently placed under investigation and contacted the RCN for assistance. Ms Melle stated that it took "a couple of days or weeks" for a union representative to respond. When asked to write a reflection on the incident, she felt it "felt like more punishment".

She was later referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for a regulatory investigation. Becoming emotional on the witness stand, Ms Melle described this as the most "critical" time of her career, during which she experienced "sleepless nights" and "panic attacks". She questioned why the RCN had not helped her when she needed them "the most, at this point".

David Hay KC, representing the RCN, cross-examined Ms Melle. He suggested that RCN representatives had been in contact to discuss her case options. When Ms Melle maintained her position that the RCN had not supported her, Mr Hay stated there was "no way for the RCN to know that you had the deep-seated concerns that you’re telling us". He added that the RCN had not ruled out legal assistance but wanted to observe how her case developed, a stance Ms Melle described as "neglecting the urgency".

Broader Allegations Against the RCN

Bethany Hutchison, president of the Darlington Nursing Union, also provided evidence. Ms Hutchison claimed that the RCN had "abandoned their members, particularly their female members". Nurses represented by the Darlington union had previously received an apology from their NHS trust following a dispute involving a transgender colleague and single-sex changing rooms.

Ms Peggie's employment tribunal case, presided over by employment judge Melanie Sangster in Dundee, is ongoing. Ms Peggie previously brought a case against NHS Fife after sharing a changing room with a transgender medic. An employment tribunal awarded her a partial victory against the health board in December last year, upholding claims of harassment but dismissing allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination, and victimisation.