Nurse Confronted Transgender Doctor in Unacceptable Manner, Tribunal Reveals

A nurse confronted a transgender doctor in a changing room in an 'unacceptable' manner, as heard in an employment tribunal. Gillian Malone, head of nursing at NHS Fife, stated that nurse Sandie Peggie should have raised concerns about sharing facilities with Dr. Beth Upton differently. The incident occurred on Christmas Eve 2023 at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, where Ms. Peggie told Dr. Upton they should not be in the same changing room. Ms. Malone considered Ms. Peggie's comments as unacceptable conduct.

Following the confrontation, Dr. Upton lodged a complaint against Ms. Peggie, leading to the nurse's suspension on January 3, 2024. Ms. Peggie claimed her treatment violated the 2010 Equality Act and took legal action against NHS Fife, which resumed after a five-month hiatus.

Ms. Malone expressed that Ms. Peggie should have addressed her concerns differently and not confrontationally. She suggested that Ms. Peggie should have raised the issue through proper channels rather than directly confronting Dr. Upton. The incident involved Ms. Peggie questioning Dr. Upton about her chromosomes and referencing a transgender rapist, Isla Bryson.

During the tribunal, it was revealed that Ms. Peggie was cleared of gross misconduct by NHS Fife following disciplinary proceedings. The internal hearing found 'insufficient evidence to support a finding of misconduct' against Ms. Peggie, who was accused of misconduct, patient care failures, and misgendering Dr. Upton.