Hospital violated trans complaint nurses' dignity, tribunal rules

"The tribunal, held in Newcastle in October and November, had heard Rose, an operating department practitioner who would be referred to by first name in the proceedings, had used the changing room since 2019. Complaints were first made by female nurses from the day surgery unit (DSU) in August 2023. The trust's Transitioning in the Workplace policy allowed a person to use the single-sex space that conformed with their gender identity, and anyone of that sex who objected could change elsewhere."

"Some 26 nurses signed a letter complaining of Rose's use of and conduct within the changing room, with Rose telling the tribunal the allegations, which included staring at women getting undressed, were "false". In their 134-page judgement, the panel of three headed by employment judge Seamus Sweeney said the trust had harassed and discriminated against the nurses by requiring them to share a changing room with a "biological male trans woman" and then not taking their concerns seriously."

Female nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital objected to a biological male identifying as a woman using their single-sex changing room. The trust's Transitioning in the Workplace policy permitted use of single-sex facilities based on gender identity and allowed objectors to change elsewhere. Twenty-six nurses signed a complaint alleging conduct in the changing room, which the individual denied. An employment tribunal found the trust had created a hostile environment and had harassed and discriminated against the nurses by requiring them to share the space and not taking their concerns seriously, while other elements of the nurses' claims were not upheld.

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