A nurse involved in a dispute over the use of pronouns for a transgender patient has testified that her trade union did not support her adequately during a related investigation. Jennifer Melle, who currently works at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust, appeared as a witness in an ongoing employment tribunal involving another nurse, Sandie Peggie.

Peggie has brought a claim against the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), alleging direct discrimination due to the union’s failure to provide support during her own dispute with NHS Fife over a similar issue. The tribunal, presided over by employment judge Melanie Sangster in Dundee, is examining these claims.

During her testimony, Melle recounted an incident in which a patient became “vile and abusive” toward her after she referred to the patient using what she described as a “biological pronoun.” Following an internal investigation of her conduct, Melle reached out to the RCN for assistance. She said the union took "a couple of days or weeks" to respond and required her to write a reflection on the incident, a process she described as feeling like “more punishment.” Melle expressed frustration, questioning why the union did not provide more timely support when she “needed them the most.”

Representing the RCN, David Hay KC acknowledged that union representatives had been in contact with Melle to discuss her options. He emphasized that the union was not refusing legal assistance outright but wanted to monitor how the case developed before committing resources. Hay also argued that the RCN was not aware of the depth of Melle’s concerns and pointed out there was no way for the union to know the full extent of her dissatisfaction at the time.

The tribunal continues as both sides present their views on the RCN’s role and the union’s responsibilities in supporting members involved in disputes over gender identity and pronoun use in healthcare settings.