logo
NHS nurse Sandie Peggie ‘taking legal action' against union over trans row

NHS nurse Sandie Peggie ‘taking legal action' against union over trans row

Telegraph19-07-2025
A nurse who complained about a transgender doctor using a female changing room has said she is taking legal action against her trade union.
Sandie Peggie was suspended from her job last year after she complained about having to share a changing room with Dr Beth Upton, a transgender medic.
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 last week.
The suspension led to an employment tribunal this year, at 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,' Margaret Gribbon, Ms Peggie's lawyer, 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 Herald reported that Ms Peggie would be taking action for unlawful discrimination. An RCN spokesman told it: 'We have responded to the claim, and we deny all the allegations from Ms Peggie.'
The row centres on an encounter between Ms Peggie and Dr Upton on Dec 24, 2023. The nurse experienced a sudden and heavy period and feared that it had bled through to her scrubs.
She entered the female hospital changing room to find Dr Upton, and challenged the medic's presence. Within hours, a bullying complaint was lodged by Dr Upton.
Ms Peggie was placed on special leave, and then suspended, after Dr Upton made the allegation of bullying and harassment and cited concerns about 'patient care'.
'Biological sex is immutable'
In May last year, Ms Peggie submitted a formal claim to the employment tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Upton for sexual harassment, belief discrimination and victimisation.
The nurse complained of being required to share a single-sex space with someone she believed to be male and being victimised for holding a gender-critical belief that biological sex is immutable.
It was not possible for the doctor to have held a gender recognition certificate in December 2023, meaning the medic was legally male. However, Dr Upton claimed during the first part of the tribunal, in February, to be 'biologically female'.
It emerged on Wednesday this week, hours before the tribunal resumed, that Ms Peggie had been cleared of gross misconduct by an NHS Fife disciplinary hearing. However, the health board has so far ignored calls to stop contesting the tribunal.
In a statement, the health board previously said: 'NHS Fife did not initiate the tribunal proceedings and is instead one of two 'respondents' being sued.
'NHS Fife cannot unilaterally stop proceedings – only the claimant can choose to withdraw the case. The claimant has said in a recent statement from her legal representatives that she is determined to continue with her legal claim, as she is entitled to do.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pharmacist issues urgent warning to UK holidaymakers travelling with weight-loss injections
Pharmacist issues urgent warning to UK holidaymakers travelling with weight-loss injections

Daily Mail​

time14 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Pharmacist issues urgent warning to UK holidaymakers travelling with weight-loss injections

With millions of Brits on weight-loss injections, those taking them have been urged to consider how they will travel with the medication this summer. A trip to a tropical island or a European city break, whatever the destination, there's often lots to plan for. Pharmacist Jason Murphy has warned travellers on weight-loss jabs against storing them in the hotel fridge. He explained how such appliance is not 'medically safe'. The expert advised: 'If you're staying in a hotel, the mini bars in rooms are often more mildly cool than medically safe. 'And you don't want your jab snuggling up next to someone else's sparkling rosé. Instead, contact the hotel in advance and ask to store your medication in a staff fridge.' Murphy recommends travellers not to 'just toss it in your suitcase and hope for the best'. Instead, he encourages people to think about intricacies such as the temperature it needs to be kept at and customs rules. Pharmacist Jason Murphy has warned travellers on weight-loss jabs against storing them in the hotel fridge Murphy said: 'Travelling with weight-loss medication isn't out of the question, but it does require some forward planning. 'You can't just toss it in your suitcase and hope for the best. Between time zone changes, storage issues, and customs restrictions, it's more of a 'carry-on mission' than most people realise.' He explained how weight-loss injections need to be kept in a refrigerator, but that some can be stored at room temperature for a limited time. 'These medications are designed to be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C before use, but both Wegovy and Mounjaro can be stored at room temperature – below 30°C – for a limited period,' Murphy said. 'That gives patients more flexibility when travelling, but it's still important to keep pens out of direct sunlight and away from excessive heat. 'I always advise using a medical-grade travel cool bag with ice packs, especially if you're flying to a hot destination.' The pharmacist also advised against packing medication in hold luggage in case it was lost, as well as the added complication of the lack of temperature control. 'Never pack injections in checked baggage. 'Luggage holds aren't temperature-controlled, and there's a risk of delays or loss,' he explained. Murphy continued: 'Carry your medication in your hand luggage, in its original packaging, along with a copy of your prescription or a signed letter from your prescriber or pharmacist - something we provide routinely for patients.' Travellers carrying medication also need to be aware of customs rules and what is allowed to enter certain destinations. The pharmacist said: 'Some countries (such as, Japan, UAE, and Singapore) are strict about what medication crosses their border. 'In some cases, your jab may be considered a controlled substance, so you should always check embassy rules before you fly to save you a heap of holiday hassle.' He also explained how people may experience 'jet-lagged jabs' when the local time varies with the medication schedule the traveller may usually follow at home. Murphy said: 'If you're hopping multiple time zones, your injection routine may need a refresh. 'Weight-loss injections are typically once weekly, but timing still matters.' He advised using techniques such as setting an alarm in line to ensure the medication is taken in line with the typical routine. The pharmacist added: 'I'd always suggest setting an alarm for your injection based on your original UK schedule, then gradually shift it to local time over a few days. 'You'll feel more in sync and avoid what we call "jet-lagged jabs".'

Woman reveals what REALLY happens when you get lip filler dissolved
Woman reveals what REALLY happens when you get lip filler dissolved

Daily Mail​

time44 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Woman reveals what REALLY happens when you get lip filler dissolved

A woman has revealed insight into the process of having lip filler dissolved - and admitted that she was left looking 'botched'. Georgia Goldstein travelled to Hart Medical in Westminster, London, a few months ago to undergo the procedure. While she said that it was 'the best thing I've ever done', the process wasn't pain-free and left her lips looking swollen. Taking to TikTok, she said, 'A few months ago, I got all my lip filler dissolved, and it was the best thing I've ever done. She went on to share images from throughout the process, adding, 'Trigger warning, my face looked butters [ugly].' Georgia explained that, when the aesthetician put the dissolver in her lips, they swelled drastically. 'Like, imagine, I have to go into work right now and they [her lips] look botched,' she said while showing her bloated lips to the camera. She continued to show photographs from throughout the process, saying, 'This was pretty much just after going into work and this was the next day, my lips were black, like you can see in this video, they were so, so bruised.' Georgia added, 'I even tried covering them up with makeup, and it was just all black above my lips.' The content creator said her lips then 'shrunk', making her feel 'really young', she said, adding, 'And they also went really wrinkly.' One week later, the bruising had gone, she said. At the end of the process, Georgia went for an ultrasound to check if there was any filler left in her lips, before concluding that getting her fillers dissolved was the 'best thing ever.' Viewers took to the comment section to share their thoughts on the end result, and one wrote, 'Great more natural result, love.' A second added, 'Trust the process hun.' While a third user said, 'Look so much better. Love them!' A fourth commented on Georgia going into work immediately after getting them dissolved, saying 'Honestly the bravery going into work.' It comes after a woman who claims to have the 'world's biggest lips' revealed what she looked like before undergoing drastic surgery and getting copious amounts of lip filler. Andrea Ivanova from Bulgaria regularly hits the headlines due to her enhanced appearance, which has seen her fork out an estimated £20,000 on lip filler alone after starting her transformation in 2018. The 27-year-old has previously admitted she struggles to find love because of her dramatic look, but it hasn't stopped her from achieving her goal of having the biggest lips and cheeks in the world. Now, she has revealed what she looked like before altering her face via cosmetic enhancements. In her 'before' photos, a youthful Andrea can be seen with regularly proportioned lips. But since undergoing her enhancement journey, she has become scarcely recognisable. Her long list of treatments included chin shaping, enlargement and lengthening, jaw shaping and lip augmentation, as well as cheekbone enhancement - all at once. She's previously spoken about how she likes to stand out from the crowds with her unique look. 'I like exaggerated things like huge lips, a face with many fillers, heavy and eccentric make-up, Andrea said. 'I don't like boring ordinary appearances and I am a fan of huge shapes and eccentric beauties. Natural beauty is boring to me so I decided to change my appearance radically.' The social media influencer has spoken openly about having had six procedures done in a single day as an 'experiment' - even though her usual doctor refused to do it. Viewers took to the comment section to share their thoughts on the process - and one said Georgia's lips 'look so much better' 'My doctor was afraid to inject more hyaluronic acid into my lips, but I was adamant that I wanted more, and I will not stop,' Andrea said. 'I wanted to do six procedures at once. Until now, I always did these on different areas of the face on different days.' Andrea had previously only ever had a maximum of three needles in her face at the same time. 'But this time, I wanted to experiment with myself to see how many injections and [amounts of filler] would affect my body,' she said. She even had to seek out a doctor in Germany to do the procedures, which went ahead in February last year, as her usual surgeon simply refused. And even though Andrea was excited about the experience, she confessed it had been extremely painful. 'I have pain all over my face right now and my jaw and chin hurt a lot,' she said at the time. 'It's hard for me to smile because of the pain in my cheekbones and there's a pulling sensation over my face.' But Andrea insisted the feeling was normal after treatment because the 'filler hadn't settled into place'. Although she finds eating difficult, Andrea is adamant her lips 'don't hurt'. She added: 'I only feel a slight discomfort, but that's where I have the most amount of filler and where I've had injections the most amount of times. The more filler there is, the less the area hurts.' Despite the pain, Andrea doesn't have any plans to slow down or reduce her voluptuous look. The former philosophy student planned to go to Germany to visit the same surgeon, as her usual doctor is sceptical about going forward with her transformation. But now even the German medical practitioner has revealed their concerns. 'I had no fears about having so many injections at once because I trust my doctor and they are a great professional in cosmetic surgery,' she said. 'But they are afraid I'll get necrosis and have to have the tissue surgically removed from my lips if I carry on.' Necrosis is the death of body tissue, which occurs when not enough blood flows to the site, according to the NHS. This condition can be caused by radiation, chemicals or injury, and in some cases can be fatal. 'There are risks involved, such as inflammation, and raised body temperature, especially with so much at once,' Andrea added. 'I have facial swelling and bruising right now, which is normal due to the many needles, but I think in a few days, I'll recover.' She continued: 'You shouldn't judge people for their looks. It's their taste and no one has the right to be offended because of it. 'I think I'm going to carry on doing multiple injections in one day going forward, as it makes me very happy.'

Keelmen's Hospital in Newcastle gets housing planning approval
Keelmen's Hospital in Newcastle gets housing planning approval

BBC News

time44 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Keelmen's Hospital in Newcastle gets housing planning approval

Proposals to turn an 18th Century hospital into an apartment building have been Keelmen's Hospital in Newcastle will be converted into 20 flats, with work set to start next Grade II* listed building was most recently used as student accommodation, but has been left derelict since and Wear Building Preservation Trust (TWBPT), which is behind the plans, said the renovation would "bring people back into the heart of the city". The trust, Newcastle City Council and Historic England joined forces last year in an attempt to finally secure a viable future for the at-risk site on City Keelmen's Hospital dates back to 1701 and was built as an almshouse to look after the workers who delivered coal from the banks of the Tyne to waiting 1,600 keelmen of Newcastle paid for the construction of the hospital themselves by giving one penny a tide from the wages of each crew, totalling a £2,000 collection to provide somewhere that would look after sick and ageing workers and their families. TWBPT trustee Shona Alexander confirmed building work was due to start in April next year and the project was expected to take 18 months to two years to includes the reconfiguration of the building to create 20 apartments, restoration and cleaning, installation of solar panels, and the addition of a new entrance from Garth Heads."It is the most fantastic building," Ms Alexander said."It has been there since 1701 and we want to make sure it lives on for another 200 years at least."This will bring people back into the heart of the city and bring new life to a building that really needs it. It has been empty for a long time and it is a waste of a really lovely building." 'Centuries of history' Granting listed building consent for the refurbishment works, city planners concluded that the plans would " secure the long term future survival" of the Keelmen's said there would be "some elements of harm to the significance of the heritage asset", but that any negatives were outweighed by the public benefits of bringing the vacant site back into Greenhough, the council's cabinet member for economy, jobs and skills, said: "The Keelmen's Hospital is one of Newcastle's most storied buildings and it's brilliant to see its next chapter being written."With centuries of history, it's been a huge shame to see this listed building stand empty over the last few years. " There had been numerous attempts to save the building before the current vision to turn it into affordable housing made progress, the Local Democracy Reporting Service year a £437,732 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant was awarded for surveys and design work, with TWBPT hoping to receive a further £4.5m to support the full restoration. Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store