Nurse feared 'bigot' label over transgender policy

Staff have taken legal action over the trust's changing room policy

A nurse said she feared being labelled a bigot if she raised concerns about a hospital policy which allowed a transgender colleague to use the female changing rooms.

Tracey Hooper is one of eight staff at Darlington Memorial Hospital who have brought a claim against their employer for allowing Rose Henderson, who is biologically male but identifies as a woman, to use the female facilities.

Ms Hooper told an employment tribunal she felt if she had spoken up about her concerns "it would be seen as offensive".

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust denies the case against it.

In her witness statement, Ms Hooper said she first became aware of Rose Henderson using the changing rooms in 2023.

"I was initially apprehensive about expressing my concerns due to a fear of being labelled a bigot or transphobic," Ms Hooper said.

"Someone had obviously allowed RH to be in our changing room. I thought that if I spoke up about it, it would be seen as offensive."

'Felt humiliated'

Ms Hooper said she decided to complain about the trust's policy after speaking to other colleagues, some of whom referred to Rose Henderson's "inappropriate behaviour" in the changing room.

The tribunal previously heard from another hospital worked who claimed Rose had "stared" at her in the changing room.

Lawyers for the trust said that account was "not correct".

Ms Hooper claimed senior colleagues had a meeting after complaints were made from staff but the response was the trust "had to accept the situation due to the inclusiveness of the NHS, despite the fact a number of departments had raised the same issue".

She said that in July 2024 the trust made a former manager's office into an alternative changing-room but it was unsuitable because it opened on to a corridor.

"Although some of us, including me, chose to use this room rather than risk stripping off in front of RH, we felt humiliated, ostracised and very much let down by our employer," Ms Hooper said.

The staff members have brought a claim for sexual harassment, discrimination, victimisation and breaches of the right to a private life under article eight of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The nurses are being supported in their claim by lawyers from the Christian Legal Centre.

The tribunal continues.