A nurse who received a warning for using incorrect pronouns when addressing a transgender patient will face no further disciplinary action regarding concerns she breached patient confidentiality by speaking to the media about the incident. Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has confirmed the conclusion of this aspect of the case.
Disciplinary Meeting Concludes
Jennifer Melle, a 40-year-old nurse from Croydon in south London, attended a private disciplinary meeting with the trust on Tuesday at Epsom Gateway. The meeting addressed concerns raised after she gave interviews to press outlets in March 2025 about her earlier experience.
Origins of the Case
The situation stems from an incident in May 2024 at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton. Ms Melle stated that she was subjected to racial abuse by a transgender patient after she referred to them as "Mr". Following this, the trust issued her with a written warning but she continued in her nursing role. The trust also wrote to the patient involved, warning that threatening and racist language would not be tolerated.
Confidentiality Concerns and Suspension
After Ms Melle publicly discussed the case, the trust suspended her on full pay. This action was taken over concerns that details in media reports could potentially identify the patient, thereby breaching strict patient confidentiality rules. Guidance from the Nursing and Midwifery Council clearly states that nurses have a fundamental duty of confidentiality to all patients, ensuring their information is shared appropriately. Breaches can lead to sanctions including formal warnings, mandatory training, or even dismissal.
Ongoing Employment Tribunal
Despite the resolution of the confidentiality matter, Ms Melle is proceeding with a separate employment tribunal claim scheduled for April. Her case alleges harassment, direct discrimination, and indirect discrimination based on her gender critical beliefs. She is relying on the protected characteristic of religion or belief, citing her evangelical Christian faith as the foundation of these beliefs.
Support from Fellow Nurses
Ms Melle has received notable support from other nurses involved in similar workplace disputes. Darlington nurses Bethany Hutchison and Lisa Lockey, alongside Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, greeted her outside the Epsom meeting on Tuesday. They held a banner stating "standing with the Darlington nurses". All three supporters have themselves been involved in employment tribunals concerning facilities shared with transgender colleagues.
Last week, the Darlington nurses expressed feeling "massively vindicated" after a tribunal concluded they had suffered harassment that violated their dignity and created a hostile, intimidating, and degrading work environment. Their case related to complaints about sharing single-sex changing rooms with a transgender colleague. They described the ruling as a victory for common sense and for women's safety at work.
In a related case, nurse Sandie Peggie secured a partial victory in December in her claim against NHS Fife. She had complained about sharing changing facilities with a transgender doctor at her hospital. The tribunal upheld her claim of harassment but dismissed allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination, and victimisation. Ms Peggie is currently appealing aspects of that ruling.
The trust's decision not to pursue further action on confidentiality marks a significant development in Ms Melle's complex case, which sits at the intersection of professional conduct, personal belief, and evolving workplace policies within the National Health Service.
