A senior nurse is taking fresh legal action against the outgoing chief executive of NHS Fife, alleging she personally approved a media statement designed to smear her during an ongoing employment tribunal.
Chief Executive Named in Escalating Legal Battle
Sandie Peggie, an A&E nurse, has named Carol Potter, the £150,000-a-year chief executive of NHS Fife, in a new wave of proceedings. The claim centres on a press release issued by the health board in July, which Ms Potter signed off on before announcing her 'early retirement' last month.
The tribunal, which has drawn international attention, stems from Mrs Peggie's complaint about having to share a women-only changing room at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy with Dr Beth Upton, a trans-identified biological man. After challenging Dr Upton in the changing facilities on Christmas Eve 2023, Mrs Peggie was suspended and investigated, but later cleared of misconduct.
The Controversial 'Smear' Statement
The legal claim alleges that Ms Potter victimised Mrs Peggie by approving a statement to the press while the tribunal was still hearing evidence. The statement criticised the campaign group Sex Matters, which is supporting the nurse.
The release backfired almost immediately, with critics condemning it as an attempt to discredit Mrs Peggie and her supporters. NHS Fife was forced to tweak the statement on July 18 after it appeared to link threats of violence against staff to the charity. The amended version added that the board was 'not seeking to suggest anyone involved with Sex Matters' had contributed to the issues referenced.
Tess White, the Scottish Tories' equalities spokesman, said the admission that Ms Potter approved the statement showed a 'complete lack of judgement'. She stated: 'The reckless statement which attacked Sandie Peggie and women’s rights groups should never have seen the light of day.'
Wider Claims and Institutional Scrutiny
The new claim, announced by Mrs Peggie's lawyer Margaret Gribbon, also names HR boss David Miller. It alleges he failed to assure Mrs Peggie that the health board would not allow biological men access to female changing rooms.
The proceedings include allegations of direct discrimination because of Mrs Peggie's gender critical beliefs and harassment related to the board's handling of her internal disciplinary process. A separate claim of victimisation arises directly from the July media statement.
The long-running tribunal has generated months of damaging coverage for NHS Fife, shining a light on how trans ideology has been adopted within Scotland's public institutions. The verdict in that original case is expected imminently.
An NHS Fife spokesman said: 'We note the intention to bring legal proceedings and have referred this to our legal team.'
