At a tribunal hearing on Monday, a gender-critical nurse named Ms Melle testified that she received inadequate support from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) during a dispute with her employer. After experiencing harassment from a patient and facing an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Ms Melle claimed the RCN took too long to respond and did not understand her concerns adequately. The hearing also featured testimony from Bethany Hutchison, president of the Darlington Nursing Union, who criticized the RCN for failing its female members during similar conflicts involving transgender rights.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-28,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At an employment tribunal in Scotland, nurse Sandie Peggie testified that she faced discrimination from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) due to her gender-critical beliefs. In 2023, Peggie was suspended by NHS Fife after objecting to sharing a changing room with Dr. Beth Upton, a trans woman who identifies as female. The RCN did not provide adequate support when Peggie sought help during the dispute with her employer. Another witness, nurse Jennifer Melle, testified that after facing patient abuse for using biological pronouns, she received little help from the RCN and was later referred to the nursing regulator. Both nurses argue that the RCN's stance on gender ideology prevented them from receiving fair support. The tribunal heard evidence that the RCN has no official position on the debate between concepts of gender ideology versus biological sex but appears biased toward supporting trans rights, leading some members to feel abandoned.
Written for “Sandie Peggie Tribunal Hearing” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
On Monday, Ms Melle gave evidence in the employment tribunal case involving gender critical nurse Sandie Peggie.
asserted
Melle → give → Peggie
The Fife nurse has brought the legal case against the RCN over what she claims was direct discrimination over her gender-critical beliefs, saying it had failed to adequately support her during a dispute with her employer.
uncertain
it → bring → employer
The first employment tribunal awarded Ms Peggie a partial victory against the health board in December last year, upholding claims of harassment against her employer, but dismissing allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation.
uncertain
tribunal → award → discrimination
Ms Melle appeared as a witness at Ms Peggie’s latest tribunal on Monday.
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Melle → appear → Monday
She said a patient had become “vile and abusive” towards her when she used a “biological pronoun”.
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she → say → pronoun
The nurse said she was later placed under investigation and contacted the RCN for support.
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she → say → support
She said it took a “couple of days or weeks” for the union to respond to her.
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union → say → her
When a union representative asked her to write a reflection on what had happened, she said it “felt like more punishment”.
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it → ask → punishment
Ms Melle said she was later referred to the nursing regulator, and she questioned “why they didn’t help me when I needed them the most, at this point”.
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I → say → point
Becoming emotional on the witness stand, Ms Melle said the regulatory investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) was the most “critical” time of her career.
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investigation → become → career
She said: “I was very shaken – having sleepless nights, having panic attacks.”
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I → say → attacks
David Hay KC cross-examined Ms Melle on behalf of the RCN.
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KC → cros → RCN
He said that RCN representatives had, in fact, been in touch with her to discuss the options around her case.
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representatives → say → case
When she maintained her position that the RCN had not supported her, Mr Hay said there was “no way for the RCN to know that you had the deep-seated concerns that you’re telling us”.
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you → maintain → us
He said the RCN “weren’t saying never” when she asked for legal assistance but simply wanted to see how her case progressed.
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case → say → assistance
Ms Melle said the union was “neglecting the urgency” of the case.
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union → say → case
Bethany Hutchison, president of the Darlington Nursing Union, also gave evidence on Monday.
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Hutchison → give → Monday
Nurses represented by the Darlington union received an apology from their NHS trust after a row involving a trans colleague using single-sex changing rooms.
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Nurses → represent → rooms
Ms Hutchison said she had been left feeling like a “naughty schoolgirl, like I was being told off for something” with a union official.
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I → say → official
She went on to claim that the RCN had “abandoned their members, particularly their female members”.
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RCN → go → members
Later on Monday, the tribunal heard evidence from RCN representative Stuart Fraser, who was initially approached by Ms Peggie after the confrontation with Dr Upton at Victoria Hospital.
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who → hear → Hospital
Responding to questions from Ms Peggie’s barrister Naomi Cunningham, he said that at the time it was his understanding that transgender individuals could use the facilities with which they identify.
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they → respond → which
Ms Cunningham put it to Mr Fraser that he had referred to Dr Upton as “she” in previous correspondence, suggesting this was a sign that “gender ideology has got its hooks so deeply into RCN”.
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ideology → put → RCN
Mr Fraser said he did not believe this was the case and said he would not have thought about the use of the pronoun.
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he → say → pronoun
He denied that he had handled Ms Peggie’s case on the basis that the nurse was the “aggressor” and Dr Upton was the “victim”.
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Upton → deny → basis
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