Latest news with #SandiePeggie
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
NHS Fife nurse in gender tribunal meets MSPs at Holyrood
The nurse at the centre of a high-profile employment tribunal about single-sex spaces has told MSPs about the appalling ordeal she has endured just for standing up for women's rights. Sandie Peggie yesterday lifted the lid on the major impact the tribunal with NHS Fife has had on her life and career. The 50-year-old is said to have described the scale of 'discrimination and harassment' she has endured for speaking out about having to undress in front of transgender doctor Beth Upton at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, who took part in the private talks alongside other Tory MSPs, said it is 'outrageous' that her career has been 'destroyed' and life consumed by a 'suffocating legal process'. Ms Peggie also met with Labour MSPs, the Alba Party's Ash Regan and the SNP's Michelle Thomson at the Scottish parliament. However, First Minister John Swinney and his deputy Kate Forbes declined an invite. Following the talks, Ms Peggie's solicitor Margaret Gribbon said: 'Politicians needed to hear directly from Sandie to understand how the sheer depth of the discrimination and harassment she and women like her have endured in workplaces – in her case, as a nurse with 30 years unblemished service, simply because she objected to having to undress in front of a man.' Mr Findlay, pictured, said: 'Sandie has paid a massive price for her brave and principled stand against the SNP government's promotion of gender politics which now infects Scotland's entire public sector.'
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
SNP leaders ‘snubbed' nurse at centre of NHS trans row
SNP leaders have been accused of declining to meet a nurse at the centre of a tribunal about a trans doctor being allowed to use a female changing room. Sandie Peggie held talks with several MSPs ahead of her employment tribunal against NHS Fife, which resumes in Dundee next month. The nurse launched legal action after she was suspended for raising concerns over the use of a female changing room by Beth Upton, a trans doctor. Ms Peggie met with senior Tories including Russell Findlay, the party leader, and Alexander Stewart, the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP. The nurse also spoke with Labour politicians and Alba's Ash Regan, and was joined in Holyrood by campaigners fighting for single-sex spaces including Maya Forstater, of the gender-critical charity Sex Matters. According to The Courier, John Swinney, the First Minister, and his deputy Kate Forbes declined an invitation to meet Ms Peggie. Mr Findlay said it was a 'privilege' to meet Ms Peggie 'and to hear a first-hand account of her appalling ordeal'. He added: 'It is outrageous that a dedicated NHS nurse's career has been destroyed and her life consumed by a suffocating legal process simply because she stood up for women's rights. 'Sandie has paid a massive price for her brave and principled stand against the SNP Government's promotion of gender politics which now infects Scotland's entire public sector.' Mr Findlay also accused SNP leaders of declining to meet Ms Peggie 'because so many SNP politicians are still in the grip of these dangerous and damaging beliefs'. Ms Peggie, an A&E nurse at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, was suspended in January last year and subjected to a disciplinary investigation after she challenged Dr Upton for using a female changing room on Dec 24 2023. Dr Upton filed a complaint against Ms Peggie, accusing her of bullying and creating a hostile environment, and describing the encounter as a 'hate incident'. An employment tribunal hearing was adjourned in March after Ms Peggie's lawyer accused the health board of failing to comply with a request to disclose internal documents relevant to the case. It is scheduled to resume on July 16. 'Politicians need to hear from Sandie' Margaret Gribbon, Ms Peggie's solicitor, said: 'Politicians needed to hear directly from Sandie to understand how the sheer depth of the discrimination and harassment she and women like her have endured in workplaces – in her case, as a nurse with 30 years unblemished service, simply because she objected to having to undress in front of a man. 'We were grateful for the politicians' time and welcomed the opportunity to share insights into how misguided actions by public bodies such as NHS Fife have devastating real-life consequences and come at great expense to the Scottish taxpayer. 'We had productive meetings, and the door is always open for any politicians who were unable to meet Sandie today.' Ms Forstater said: 'It was important for politicians to hear directly from Sandie Peggie, given that Scottish public bodies, from NHS Fife right up to the Scottish Government itself, are continuing to delay policy changes following the Supreme Court judgement. 'We urged politicians to consider this as a matter of urgency, as the Supreme Court made crystal clear that organisations which allow men to identify their way into female facilities are operating outside the law.' A Scottish Government spokesman said no meeting between ministers and Ms Peggie took place, adding: 'It would be inappropriate to comment further while judicial proceedings in an employment tribunal are ongoing.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Supreme Court ruling has ‘changed landscape' of Peggie tribunal
The head of a women's rights group has said the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman has 'changed the landscape' of the ongoing tribunal involving nurse Sandie Peggie. Maya Forstater, chief executive of campaign group Sex Matters, was speaking during a visit to Holyrood with Ms Peggie on Tuesday, where the pair met a number of politicians to discuss the impact the legal proceedings have had on Ms Peggie. The nurse, who has worked at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for 30 years, was suspended by NHS Fife after she complained about having to share a changing room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton. She took the health board and Dr Upton to an employment tribunal, lodging a complaint of sexual harassment or harassment related to a protected belief under Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010. The visit to Holyrood also came shortly after a letter from Sex Matters to the Scottish Government threatening legal action if they did not implement April's Supreme Court judgement on biological sex in equalities law. The ruling stated said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, which has implications for access to single-sex spaces. Asked how the judgment had affected the ongoing tribunal, Ms Forstater said: 'I think it's really changed the landscape. You can't ignore it. 'But in practical terms, it was only about people with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs), and the doctor in this case didn't have (a) GRC. 'So, what NHS Fife was doing was unlawful before the Supreme Court judgment (and) it's definitely unlawful now. And I think everyone can see that.' She said of Tuesday's meetings that it had been 'important' for politicians to hear what Ms Peggie had been through as as result of 'bad policies that NHS Fife, NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government (are) still sticking with'. She went on: 'All the politicians we met really understand the human impact of this on women. 'That Sandie's rights at work were abused because of bad policies, bad decisions, right from the top. 'And what they heard was the real human impact on her.' She added that there was 'really no excuse' for delaying the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment. 'The law is clear from the moment that the Supreme Court gave their judgment, the Scottish Government, all public bodies, all private employers, were obliged to act,' she said. Tribunal hearings took place in February and it will resume in July. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay was one of the politicians that Sandie Peggie met during her visit. Commenting afterwards, he said: 'It was a privilege to meet Sandie Peggie and to hear a first-hand account of her appalling ordeal. 'It is outrageous that a dedicated NHS nurse's career has been destroyed and her life consumed by a suffocating legal process simply because she stood up for women's rights. 'Sandie has paid a massive price for her brave and principled stand against the SNP Government's promotion of gender politics which now infects Scotland's entire public sector. 'NHS Fife should stop squandering vast sums of taxpayers' cash on this nonsense and every state agency in Scotland must now respect the law and women's rights.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Supreme Court ruling has ‘changed landscape' of Peggie tribunal
The head of a women's rights group has said the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman has 'changed the landscape' of the ongoing tribunal involving nurse Sandie Peggie. Maya Forstater, chief executive of campaign group Sex Matters, was speaking during a visit to Holyrood with Ms Peggie on Tuesday, where the pair met a number of politicians to discuss the impact the legal proceedings have had on Ms Peggie. The nurse, who has worked at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for 30 years, was suspended by NHS Fife after she complained about having to share a changing room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton. She took the health board and Dr Upton to an employment tribunal, lodging a complaint of sexual harassment or harassment related to a protected belief under Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010. The visit to Holyrood also came shortly after a letter from Sex Matters to the Scottish Government threatening legal action if they did not implement April's Supreme Court judgement on biological sex in equalities law. The ruling stated said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, which has implications for access to single-sex spaces. Asked how the judgment had affected the ongoing tribunal, Ms Forstater said: 'I think it's really changed the landscape. You can't ignore it. 'But in practical terms, it was only about people with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs), and the doctor in this case didn't have (a) GRC. 'So, what NHS Fife was doing was unlawful before the Supreme Court judgment (and) it's definitely unlawful now. And I think everyone can see that.' She said of Tuesday's meetings that it had been 'important' for politicians to hear what Ms Peggie had been through as as result of 'bad policies that NHS Fife, NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government (are) still sticking with'. She went on: 'All the politicians we met really understand the human impact of this on women. 'That Sandie's rights at work were abused because of bad policies, bad decisions, right from the top. 'And what they heard was the real human impact on her.' She added that there was 'really no excuse' for delaying the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment. 'The law is clear from the moment that the Supreme Court gave their judgment, the Scottish Government, all public bodies, all private employers, were obliged to act,' she said. Tribunal hearings took place in February and it will resume in July. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay was one of the politicians that Sandie Peggie met during her visit. Commenting afterwards, he said: 'It was a privilege to meet Sandie Peggie and to hear a first-hand account of her appalling ordeal. 'It is outrageous that a dedicated NHS nurse's career has been destroyed and her life consumed by a suffocating legal process simply because she stood up for women's rights. 'Sandie has paid a massive price for her brave and principled stand against the SNP Government's promotion of gender politics which now infects Scotland's entire public sector. 'NHS Fife should stop squandering vast sums of taxpayers' cash on this nonsense and every state agency in Scotland must now respect the law and women's rights.' NHS Fife and the Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Trans doctor receives counselling due to the 'incredible distress' of NHS gender tribunal
A trans doctor at the centre of a landmark employment tribunal has claimed the distress of giving evidence forced the medic to undergo counselling. Dr Beth Upton has defiantly spoke out to say 'trans people are not going anywhere' after revealing plans for the money raised by a crowdfunder. Dr Upton, who was born a man, and Fife Health Board are accused of breaching the Equality Act after forcing nurse Sandie Peggie to get changed alongside the trans medic. Mrs Peggie, 50, was suspended from her job at NHS Fife after challenging Dr Upton's presence in the women's only facilities at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. She has lodged a claim of sexual harassment, discrimination and victimisation at an employment tribunal. Although Dr Upton has given evidence to the tribunal, the medic has so far failed to comment on the proceedings outside of the court room. The 30-year-old has broken cover to tell supporters they should 'seize any chance to demonstrate that we're [trans people] here, we are loved, and we're not going anywhere'. In a message to those who donated almost £6,000 to a crowdfunder titled: 'Love and treats for Dr Beth Upton', the doctor on Wednesday said the tribunal had been 'incredibly distressing' but urged supporters not to give up the fight. The medic wrote: 'First, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your kindness and generosity. 'The whole experience has been incredibly distressing and knowing there are people out there who support me and my community means the world to me. 'While this has been a huge personal struggle, I think it's also important to acknowledge the wider context the case exists in and the potential for its effects to impact many in the trans community and beyond. 'I feel we should seize any chance to demonstrate that we're here, we are loved, and we're not going anywhere.' Dr Upton said half of the £5,807 raised for their cause would go towards paying for counselling and time taken off by the medic's wife. It is understood the doctor's legal fees are being covered by the taxpayer via the NHS's Central Legal Office. The doctor wrote: 'Both my wife and I have been blown away by the support shown by all of you and have carefully considered how best to use the funds raised through this thoughtful gesture. 'We believe it's important, given our position, to share that kindness with others. 'With that in mind, we intend to divide the money roughly into two, using half to cover our practical costs related to the tribunal and surrounding experience (e.g. counselling, loss of earnings for my wife, travel and accommodation) and the other half we intend to split amongst several local charities and community groups working to support vulnerable people. 'We must not forget that the rights we do have have been hard fought for and we must continue to fight for those rights and for the rights of others. We must remember that we know ourselves better than others can ever know us and nothing can change who we know ourselves to be.' The message was signed off by Dr Upton and Zoe, the medic's wife, with the words 'love and solidarity'. The employment hearing in Dundee, which will resume in July, was launched before last month's Supreme Court ruling that clarified that the meaning of 'sex' in equalities law refers solely to 'biological' sex. The nurse lodged a claim against the health board and Dr Upton, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, discrimination and victimisation. The Mail revealed last week how Mrs Peggie is also suing the Royal College of Nursing for failing to help her in her battle against Fife Health Board. An equivalent fundraiser for Mrs Peggie has garnered around £38,000 worth of donations - all of which is set to go to charity. Last night, Susan Smith of campaign group For Women Scotland said: 'Dr Upton continues to pretend he is the victim, saying the experience has been 'incredibly distressing' and a 'huge personal struggle'. 'Reading this, one might forget the distress caused to a female nurse who objected to his presence in the women's changing room, and the compromise to her dignity and privacy. 'As for a 'struggle', Ms Peggie has the weight of the NHS against her and was unsupported by her own Union. 'Dr Upton, backed by managers and senior colleagues, is certainly not the underdog in this sorry tale and, moreover, pushed the hospital to take action against Sandie.'
