Nurse Faces Disciplinary Hearing After Media Comments on Transgender Patient Incident
Nurse Jennifer Melle has arrived for a private disciplinary meeting with Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, which will determine whether she breached patient confidentiality by speaking to media about an incident involving a transgender patient.
The Background Incident and Initial Warning
The 40-year-old nurse from Croydon, south London, received a written warning from the trust after an incident in May 2024 when she referred to a transgender patient as "Mr." The patient, who had been transferred to St Helier Hospital in Carshalton from prison, allegedly responded with racial abuse toward Ms Melle.
The trust took action against both parties involved, issuing a written warning to Ms Melle regarding the pronoun usage and separately writing to the patient to warn that threatening and racist language would not be tolerated within their facilities.
Media Comments Lead to Suspension
In March 2025, Ms Melle spoke to media outlets about her experience, which prompted the NHS Trust to suspend her on full pay. The suspension was implemented over concerns that the patient could potentially be identified from press reports, which might constitute a breach of patient confidentiality.
Speaking outside Parliament on Monday, Ms Melle expressed her apprehension about the disciplinary process, stating: "I have mixed emotions about what is going to happen tomorrow, and it's quite daunting to see that I could lose my career, I could be dismissed."
The nurse, who has thirteen years of experience in the profession, added that she feels "let down" by how she has been treated and called for clearer policies to safeguard staff members in similar situations.
Support and Parallel Cases
Approximately twenty supporters gathered outside Epsom Gateway to greet Ms Melle as she arrived for her meeting. Among them were Darlington nurses Bethany Hutchison and Lisa Lockey, along with Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, all of whom have been involved in separate employment tribunals concerning facilities shared with transgender colleagues.
Protesters displayed banners reading "Standing with Darlington nurses" and placards stating "Safe spaces for women" and "Uphold reality."
In a related development, the Darlington nurses recently expressed feeling "massively vindicated" when a tribunal concluded they had suffered harassment that created "a hostile, intimidating, humiliating and degrading environment for them" regarding changing room arrangements.
Meanwhile, Ms Peggie secured a partial victory in December in her claim against NHS Fife, with her harassment claim being upheld while discrimination allegations were dismissed. She is currently appealing aspects of that ruling.
Confidentiality Guidelines and Ongoing Legal Action
The Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance clearly states that nurses have a "duty of confidentiality to all those who are receiving care", including ensuring that "information about them is shared appropriately."
Separately from the disciplinary proceedings, Ms Melle is taking the trust to an employment tribunal in April over claims of harassment, direct discrimination, and indirect discrimination based on her gender critical beliefs. Her case relies on the protected characteristic of religion or belief, specifically referencing her evangelical Christian beliefs.
Trust Statement and Broader Implications
A spokesman for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust stated: "Racial abuse of our staff is never acceptable, nor is discussing a patient's private medical information publicly. We are sorry that Miss Melle had this experience and we issued a written warning to this patient, but we expect all staff to maintain patient confidentiality at all times."
This case highlights the complex intersection of patient confidentiality requirements, staff protections, and evolving workplace policies regarding gender identity within the National Health Service. The outcome of both the disciplinary meeting and the upcoming employment tribunal could have significant implications for how similar situations are handled across NHS trusts in the future.
