Nurse disciplined for misgendering patient faces no further action

A nurse who was suspended following her use of the wrong pronouns for a transgender patient will face no further action and has been reinstated to her job.

Jennifer Melle was reported to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in May 2024. She said that she was racially abused by a transgender patient at St. Helier Hospital in Carshalton after she refused to use their chosen pronouns.

The patient was an inmate from a high-security men’s prison, and was listed as male on their medical record. However, they identified themselves as female. Ms Melle said to the patient: “Sorry I cannot refer to you as ‘her’ or ‘she’, as it’s against my faith and Christian values, but I can call you by your name.” The patient responded by subjecting Ms Melle to racial and religious aggravated assault, lunging at her and repeatedly using racial slurs.

Ms Melle was given a written warning by Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust and was able to continue in her role. However, after speaking to the press about the incident in March 2025, she was suspended over concerns about patient confidentiality given the patient might be able to be identified from her remarks.

Ms Melle is taking the NHS Trust to a tribunal later this year, claiming that she has faced harassment and discrimination over her views on gender and her Christian beliefs. She has been supported by Darlington nurses Bethany Hutchison and Lisa Lockey, and Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who have all been involved in similar tribunals.

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust held a private disciplinary hearing with Ms Melle this week, where they said she would face no further action over patient confidentiality. She has also been reinstated to her role after being suspended.

Speaking after the hearing, Ms Melle said: “I am deeply relieved and grateful to hear that Epsom and St Helier Hospital has confirmed it will take no further action against me. This has been an incredibly long and painful journey. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stood with me, prayed for me, and supported me through the darkest moments… I remain determined that the lessons of my case, and the cases before mine, must be learnt. The NHS must protect its staff, uphold fairness, and ensure that no nurse is ever again placed in an impossible position for simply doing their job with integrity.”

She also expressed her gratitude to the Christian Legal Centre who have supported her legal action.

Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, commented on social media: “I am delighted for Jennifer that common sense has prevailed. But it is not justice… The Government must act to end these absurd witch hunts.”