A nurse has named 13 colleagues who she claims supported her position in a dispute over sharing a changing room with a transgender doctor. Sandie Peggie told an employment tribunal that her workplace had become "very toxic" following the controversy.
Peggie was suspended after complaining about having to share a changing room with trans medic Dr Beth Upton at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on Christmas Eve 2023. She was placed on special leave after Dr Upton made allegations of bullying and harassment, citing concerns about "patient care".
Equality Act claims lodged
The nurse has lodged a claim against NHS Fife and Dr Upton under the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, harassment related to a protected belief, indirect discrimination and victimisation. On Tuesday, Peggie was recalled to be questioned about evidence from other witnesses.
She said it made her "very sad" to name colleagues who had allegedly shared her concerns about single-sex changing rooms. "I didn't want anybody else to be put in the same predicament," Peggie told the tribunal.
Racial slurs admission
During re-examination by her barrister Naomi Cunningham, Peggie named a total of 13 NHS Fife workers including receptionists and a consultant. She admitted using racial slurs but said she was "brought up like that" and acknowledged it was not a "politically correct way".
Peggie claimed her language did not cause offence within her community, including neighbours from Chinese and Pakistani backgrounds. She said colleagues' reaction to her suspension was "one of shock, they couldn't believe what had happened to me".
Previous complaints alleged
The nurse alleged that Dr Upton had complained in a previous placement "because of an elderly patient in their 90s who had called him 'son'". When asked about requesting a photograph of Dr Upton using the phrase "that weirdo", she said it was from a night out "where he looked like a man in a dress".
Peggie defended comments about topics such as flooding in Pakistan and putting bacon through a mosque letterbox as "dark humour". She was questioned by Jane Russell KC, representing Dr Upton and NHS Fife, about comments from witnesses and a Benidorm group chat.
Holiday chat controversy
The nurse said: "It was never my intention to offend people outside my group of what I thought was very close friends." She denied making the mosque comment, attributing it to a paramedic, but added: "I wouldn't offend any Muslim people by speaking like that in front of them."
Peggie said she had "a fear of it being built" because she was "frightened of Shariah law" and had an objection to "illegal immigrants". Two witnesses recalled her using "derogatory" terminology about Dr Upton at her birthday lunch.
Hate campaign allegations
The lawyer said a colleague withdrew from the Benidorm group chat, saying Peggie was "relentless in her nastiness" and that Dr Upton "does not deserve the hate campaign that is obviously being waged not only by Sandie but other staff as well". When asked if she was waging a hate campaign against Dr Upton, Peggie said: "No."
Asked if she believed trans people were "pretending" to access single-sex spaces, Peggie said: "I don't have any bad feelings about trans people, I just don't believe they should be in the women's changing room. I still believe a trans woman is a man and shouldn't be in the female changing room."
September adjournment
The KC was admonished when she asked who was paying for Peggie's legal representation. Another message was put to Peggie about "menstrual privacy stuff", with Russell asking if this was "a cover to disguise the fact that the only reason you went to the changing room was to confront Dr Upton". Peggie denied this.
The tribunal has been adjourned until September.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
