Trans doctor left 'upset and afraid' by nurse

A transgender doc was near feeling "distressed" and "afraid" aft being told by a caregiver not to usage the women's changing rooms astatine work, an employment tribunal has heard.

Dr Beth Upton - a trans pistillate - described being confronted by Sandie Peggie connected Christmas Eve 2023, who was said to person stated that "a antheral couldn't beryllium successful the changing room" astatine Victoria Hospital successful Kirkcaldy.

Dr Upton told the tribunal the incidental was "quite scary".

Ms Peggie was suspended by NHS Fife successful January 2024 pending an probe aft she argued that sharing the changing country with Dr Upton amounted to unlawful harassment nether the Equality Act.

Dr Upton said determination had been 3 erstwhile incidents with Ms Peggie wherever the caregiver indicated that "she didn't privation to beryllium successful the aforesaid abstraction I was in", earlier being confronted by her connected Christmas Eve.

Dr Upton had completed a displacement and went to the changing rooms with 2 colleagues, earlier Ms Peggie aboriginal walked in.

After the different unit members near the room, Ms Peggie said it was "inappropriate" for Dr Upton to beryllium successful the women's changing country and that she felt intimidated arsenic a result.

Ms Peggie past made a remark which Dr Upton took to beryllium a examination to the lawsuit of Isla Bryson, a transgender rapist who attacked 2 women portion known arsenic Adam Graham and was initially remanded to a women's prison.

Dr Upton told the tribunal that Ms Peggie had besides "asked maine what my chromosomes were" and that different unit members were besides uncomfortable with the doc utilizing the pistillate changing room.

Dr Upton added: "I felt truly distressed, truly awful. I've ne'er had idiosyncratic accidental things similar that to maine before."

Dr Upton said the comments from Ms Peggie were "very hurtful" and based connected "misinformation" astir trans people.

After the incidental Dr Upton burst into tears earlier speaking to a elder colleague, who had been knowing and offered support.

The doc returned to enactment connected 28 December, but was "quite anxious and nervous" astir doing truthful owed to the incidental with Ms Peggie.

Dr Upton had planned to get astatine enactment with a pistillate colleague, but the workfellow was precocious owed to problems with trains.

Dr Upton truthful went into the changing country unsocial - earlier Ms Peggie walked retired of a cubicle.

The doc instantly near and "took refuge" successful the infirmary plaster room, wherever crutches and different physio instrumentality is held, earlier getting changed successful a bathroom.

Dr Upton aboriginal spoke to a elder workfellow and reported being bullied for being trans.

It was agreed that the incidental would beryllium recorded connected the NHS's Datix system, which is utilized by unit to rise concerns.

It was besides agreed that Dr Upton would draught a abstracted ailment astir the incidental connected Christmas Eve.

Dr Upton said erstwhile incidents with Ms Peggie had escalated to a signifier wherever it "had the imaginable to interaction care" of patients.

Dr Upton cited an incidental connected 18 December, wherever a young kid was brought in.

The tribunal was told Ms Peggie refused to admit oregon look astatine Dr Upton erstwhile discussing the patient.

Dr Upton said: "You request to beryllium capable to speech to each other, to pass with each other. You request to beryllium capable to trust connected the radical successful your team.

"It makes doing my occupation precise hard and impacts the patient's wide care."

Dr Upton began moving successful the hospital's A&E section successful August 2023 - a twelvemonth aft going "fully retired successful each aspects of my life" arsenic a trans woman.

The doc described earlier incidents wherever Ms Peggie had near the changing country erstwhile Dr Upton entered.

This near Dr Upton feeling "saddened" and "unfairly judged", but not wanting to enactment successful a ceremonial ailment to debar making a fuss.

The doctor's sex individuality had different been "respected" by colleagues, the tribunal was told.

The tribunal continues.