Nurse at centre of gender storm takes action against union
Sandie Peggie was suspended from her job in 2024 after she complained about having to share a changing room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton.
Ms Peggie was later placed on special leave after a complaint of bullying and harassment by Dr Upton, but was cleared by an NHS Fife investigation earlier this week.
The suspension led to an employment tribunal this year, in which Ms Peggie launched a claim against Dr Upton and NHS Fife, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, harassment related to a protected belief, indirect discrimination and victimisation.
On Saturday, the Herald reported that Ms Peggie had taken legal action against the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), claiming it failed to support her after her suspension, which the union denies.
'The RCN's failure to act like a trade union ought to has contributed to Sandie Peggie's mistreatment,' Ms Peggie's lawyer Margaret Gribbon said in a statement.
'They have repeatedly failed to exercise their industrial muscle to advocate for female members distressed because they are being deprived of genuine single-sex spaces to dress and undress at work.
'Had the RCN fulfilled the conventional role of a trade union, it is less likely that Sandie would have faced the ordeal of an 18-month disciplinary process and having to raise legal proceedings against Fife Health Board.'
The paper reported that Ms Peggie will be taking action for unlawful discrimination.
An RCN spokesperson told the newspaper: 'We have responded to the claim, and we deny all the allegations from Ms Peggie.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
GP honoured for 35 years of helping the homeless
A GP from Leicester who has worked to improve the health of homeless people since 1990 has been given an honorary doctorate. Dr Nigel Hewett accepted an honorary Doctorate of Science award from the University of Leicester at a ceremony at De Montfort Hall on Thursday. In 2000, he set up the Leicester Homeless Primary Healthcare Service - which became Inclusion Healthcare - to provide services for homeless and other marginalised people. He was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to homeless people and in 2009 he launched University College London Hospital's Pathway homelessness team. A lifelong Leicester resident, Dr Hewett said he was "delighted and humbled" by the honour. "Leicester has an outstanding primary health care service for people experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers," he said. "We should be proud to be national leaders in this field and this humbling award is a recognition of multidisciplinary team work over the decades." In 2010, he was a founder member of the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health and became medical director of Pathway – a charity formed to support the faculty and improve the healthcare of homeless people and other excluded groups. Dr Hewett told the BBC: "I've always felt drawn to people on the margins of society and people who have had the most to gain from health care. "There's a thing called the inverse care law which suggests that the more you need medical care the harder it is to get it and homeless people are at the extreme end of that spectrum of deprivation." Homeless 'feel invisible' Dr Hewett said he saw one of his former patients while visiting the University of Sheffield. The patient had problems with heroin, but with the help of methadone went on a long-term detox and is now signing on for a PhD after completing a degree in criminology. "There's always a way back," Dr Hewett said. "You have to hang on to the wins in this work, because for most people they have age of death in the early 40s and it's often a very sad story." He added that homeless people often "talk of feeling invisible" and said "the rest of us can help, I think, by just making eye contact and saying hello". Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story Kasabian frontman receives honorary degree Council to keep new flats for homeless families Council to buy student flats to house homeless Related internet links University of Leicester Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
GP honoured for 35 years of helping the homeless
A GP from Leicester who has worked to improve the health of homeless people since 1990 has been given an honorary doctorate. Dr Nigel Hewett accepted an honorary Doctorate of Science award from the University of Leicester at a ceremony at De Montfort Hall on Thursday. In 2000, he set up the Leicester Homeless Primary Healthcare Service - which became Inclusion Healthcare - to provide services for homeless and other marginalised people. He was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to homeless people and in 2009 he launched University College London Hospital's Pathway homelessness team. A lifelong Leicester resident, Dr Hewett said he was "delighted and humbled" by the honour. "Leicester has an outstanding primary health care service for people experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers," he said. "We should be proud to be national leaders in this field and this humbling award is a recognition of multidisciplinary team work over the decades." In 2010, he was a founder member of the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health and became medical director of Pathway – a charity formed to support the faculty and improve the healthcare of homeless people and other excluded groups. Dr Hewett told the BBC: "I've always felt drawn to people on the margins of society and people who have had the most to gain from health care. "There's a thing called the inverse care law which suggests that the more you need medical care the harder it is to get it and homeless people are at the extreme end of that spectrum of deprivation." Homeless 'feel invisible' Dr Hewett said he saw one of his former patients while visiting the University of Sheffield. The patient had problems with heroin, but with the help of methadone went on a long-term detox and is now signing on for a PhD after completing a degree in criminology. "There's always a way back," Dr Hewett said. "You have to hang on to the wins in this work, because for most people they have age of death in the early 40s and it's often a very sad story." He added that homeless people often "talk of feeling invisible" and said "the rest of us can help, I think, by just making eye contact and saying hello". Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story Kasabian frontman receives honorary degree Council to keep new flats for homeless families Council to buy student flats to house homeless Related internet links University of Leicester
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Concerns over fall in MMR vaccine uptake in North East after Liverpool measles death
The fall in uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in children in the North East over the last ten years has been described as "concerning" - despite still being well above the national average. The death of a child from measles in Liverpool shows that the nation needs to 'redouble its efforts' to vaccinate more children, according to Wes Streeting. The most recently available figures show that vaccination rates of MMR1 at 24 months - the first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine - and the second dose (MMR2) at five-years-old have both fallen across the region. The percentage of children who had the two vaccines in the North East in 2013/14 was 95.5 per cent (MMR1) and 92.9 per cent (MMR2). But the rates had fallen to 93.9 per cent (MMR1) and 89.7 per cent (MMR2) in 2023/24. Despite the fall, the North East continues to buck the trend as the vaccination rate ranks as one of the highest in the country and is still above the national average. The percentage of children receiving the MMR1 vaccine nationwide in 2023/24 was 88.9 per cent, and the figure for MMR2 was 83.9 per cent. The national target is 95%. Dr Catherine Monaghan, medical director, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: "Whilst uptake of the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine in our region continues to be higher than the national average, any fall in vaccination rates is concerning for us. "Measles is a highly infectious illness, and can cause life-changing complications including blindness, deafness and swelling of the brain. Very sadly measles can sometimes be fatal." County Durham is the best county in the North East for vaccine uptake, but rates there have fallen over the last ten years. Children in with both doses of MMR vaccine by their fifth birthday (Image: PA WIRE) In 2013/14, the vaccination rates of MMR1 at 24 months was 97.2 per cent, which fell to 95.7 per cent in 2023/24. The vaccination rates of MMR2 at five-years-old in 2013/14 was 94.6 per cent, which fell to 94.2 per cent in 2023/24. The rates also fell in Darlington, where the leader of the council noted the "downward trend" and encouraged residents to "protect your family". Councillor Stephen Harker said: "All the current evidence tells us that getting vaccinated is safer than not getting vaccinated and I would strongly encourage parents and carers to check that their child is up to date with their MMR vaccination. "This is usually administered at around one year and then again at three years and four months." Last year, there were 79 confirmed cases of measles in the North East, the lowest of anywhere in the country. The next highest was the North West (99), with London having the highest (1,305). So far in 2025, there have only been six recorded cases in the North East, the lowest in the country by some distance. The next lowest is the East Midlands (17), with London again being the highest (233). Dr Monaghan spoke further of the dangers of coming into contact with someone who has measles. She said: "Spending just 15 minutes or more in direct contact with someone infected is enough to catch measles, making it one of the most infectious diseases in the world. "Anyone who has not yet had their MMR vaccination (or is not otherwise immune because they have previously had measles), is at risk of catching this very serious but completely preventable disease, which is highly likely to spread rapidly if people remain unvaccinated. Recommended Reading: Steve Cram launches Durham City Run Festival with talk at Gala Theatre County Durham mum who lost son, 14, in river tragedy issues holiday water safety plea Partnership launched to give 'green skills' to people across North East "Anyone whose immunity is compromised, including pregnant women, are also at increased risk of severe disease from measles." Dr Monaghan stressed that NHS health teams across the region are working to increase uptake by identifying the areas with lower MMR rates and engaging with these communities around their vaccination needs. The full list of vaccine uptake in the last ten years across the North East can be found below. MMR1 at 24 months in 2013/14 County Durham - 97.2% Darlington - 93.4% Hartlepool - 91.7% Middlesbrough - 92.7% Redcar and Cleveland - 95.5% Stockton-on-Tees - 94.6% MMR1 at 24 months in 2023/24 County Durham - 95.7% Darlington - 91.9% Hartlepool - 93.5% Middlesbrough - 86.9% Redcar and Cleveland - 92.7% Stockton-on-Tees - 93.3% MMR2 at five-years-old in 2013/14 County Durham - 94.6% Darlington - 91.3% Hartlepool - 90.3% Middlesbrough - 90.3% Redcar and Cleveland - 93.4% Stockton-on-Tees - 90.6% MMR2 at five-years-old in 2023/24 County Durham - 94.2% Darlington - 87.9% Hartlepool - 89.2% Middlesbrough - 77.9% Redcar and Cleveland - 89.1% Stockton-on-Tees - 89.7%
