NHS Fife bosses should step down over Sandie Peggie tribunal, says Russell Findlay
NHS Fife bosses should step down over the board's handling of the Sandie Peggie tribunal, according to Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay.
Last year, Sandie Peggie was suspended from her job as an A&E nurse at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy after she complained about having to share a changing room with trans medic Dr Beth Upton.
Ms Peggie took the board to an employment tribunal which started earlier this year. However, this week Ms Peggie was cleared of a bullying and harassment complaint from Dr Upton, as the tribunal reconvened.
Russell Findlay has now called for NHS Fife chief executive Carol Potter to resign, along with the authority's board, and if they refuse, the Scottish Government should step in and sack them, he said.
"This ongoing slow-motion car crash from NHS Fife confirms that Carol Potter and her entire board can no longer remain in post," the Scottish Tory leader said.
"In their zeal to embrace the SNP's bonkers belief in gender ideology, they were willing to destroy the career of a nurse and waste huge sums of taxpayers' money."
Mr Findlay claimed the board was "smearing Sandie Peggie and the campaigners who have stood with her".
On Friday, the board released a lengthy statement claiming there had been a threat of "physical harm and sexual violence" in relation to the tribunal, but clarified this is not believed to be related to any of Sandie Peggie's supporters.
An earlier version of the statement had referenced the involvement of the campaign group Sex Matters.
"The claimant's case is being supported by Sex Matters, whose chief executive officer and co-founder was called as a witness by the claimant in the earlier hearing.
"The claimant's barrister is also chair of Sex Matters.
"Other members of the organisation's 'advisory group' have provided commentary to the media on a number of occasions where no reference is made to their direct involvement."
The updated version of the statement removed reference to the group's involvement in the tribunal and inserted two notes saying the board"is not seeking to suggest that Sex Matters have contributed to the behaviour or issues mentioned".
Scotland who think this is okay.
"If the NHS Fife board won't do the right thing and quit, then they should be sacked."
A spokesperson for NHS Fife said: "As this is an active legal case, it would be inappropriate to respond to these comments."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "It would be inappropriate to comment further while judicial proceedings in an employment tribunal are ongoing."
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26crop%3D3%3A2%2Csmart%26trim%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
NHS Fife employment tribunal LIVE: Sandie Peggie to be questioned again on Dr Beth Upton trans row
The tribunal is on its last day of questioning witnesses in the case against Dr Beth Upton and NHS Fife. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Welcome to The Scotsman's live blog! Tuesday will be the final day of witnesses being questioned by the Sandie Peggie v Dr Beth Upton/NHS Fife employment tribunal in Dundee. Nurse Sandie Peggie and Dr Beth Upton | National World We are expecting four witnesses to be questioned, including Ms Peggie herself. The tribunal will start with the continued questioning of Dr Maggie Currer, and will see two new witnesses, one of which may be questioned via video link. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This comes after the hearing heard accusations on Monday that Ms Peggie had been racist and homophobic, and the court was shown jokes the nurse had shared with colleagues mocking the victims of the Pakistani flood. Ms Peggie's legal team even admitted it was a 'thoroughly unpleasant sequence of jokes'. Ms Peggie's legal team asked if the tribunal could hear from two new witnesses, which employment judge Sandy Kemp has agreed to. One is nurse Sandra Ross, who was another member of what is being referred to as 'the Benidorm group'. The other is Emma Moore from Sex Matters, who says she was contacted by an NHS Fife member of staff over the weekend.
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Leader Live
Nurse called transgender doctor ‘weirdo' and ‘it', tribunal told
Ms Peggie was suspended after she complained about having to share a changing-room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on Christmas Eve 2023. She was placed on special leave after Dr Upton made an allegation of bullying and harassment, and cited concerns about 'patient care'. Ms Peggie has lodged a claim against NHS Fife and Dr Upton, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment; harassment related to a protected belief; indirect discrimination; and victimisation. Lindsey Nicoll, an emergency nurse practitioner who became friends with Ms Peggie in 2010 and began holidaying with her in 2017, said the veteran nurse would use racial slurs and posted jokes about floods in Pakistan which killed 3,000 people into a 'Benidorm group chat' in 2017. Ms Nicoll said that in 2024 the pair were at an airport when Ms Peggie allegedly saw a group of women wearing burkas and appeared 'disgusted', the tribunal heard. The witness said that after the trip she removed herself from the group chat and explained she 'wouldn't be spending time in Sandie's company'. Ms Nicoll alleged that at a lunch on September 4 2023, Ms Peggie referred to Dr Upton as 'it' and 'weirdo', the tribunal heard. Ms Nicoll said: 'I can distinctively remember her saying 'weirdo' at lunch.' She said that in February 2024 her ex-friend had posted in a group chat 'well it appears official, Sandie Peggie vs Beth Upton', and that Ms Peggie had inadvertently messaged someone in error 'asking for photos of that weirdo', the tribunal heard. Asked about a message sent by Ms Peggie which read 'can you post a picture of that weirdo', Ms Nicoll said: 'I obviously didn't realise the weirdo she was referring to was Beth.' She said that Dr Upton was mentioned at the lunch 'immediately', the tribunal heard. The witness said: 'She started talking about a doctor who had been working in A&E about three or four weeks, she was really angry about the doctor being there, referring to the doctor as 'weirdo'; 'it'; 'him'. 'I remember someone saying 'why can't you live and let live?' She seemed full of anger and hate about this doctor who she had only just met.' During cross-examination by Ms Peggie's lawyer, Naomi Cunningham, the witness agreed she was aware of allegations Dr Upton had 'caused chaos' in a previous job including allegedly complaining about being misgendered by dementia patients and admitted patient confidentiality could have been breached in the group chat, the tribunal heard. Ms Cunningham said: 'Do you agree your regulator places some stress on confidentiality, so sharing patient details, chatting about patients by name on a chat like this would be breach of regulations?' Ms Nicoll said: 'Yes, it would.' The witness provided 10 jokes shared by Ms Peggie regarding flooding in Pakistan, branding them 'racist', but admitted posting a laughing emoji when Ms Peggie posted saying 'Sorry folks if that makes me racist', the tribunal heard. Ms Nicoll said she may have 'enabled' Ms Peggie and that it was 'likely' she had behaved as alleged towards Dr Upton, describing her as 'rude' and 'bigoted', the court heard. Other users of the group chat posted jokes including about the adult baby diaper loving community, the tribunal heard. Ms Cunningham said: 'Do you disagree you were the only member of the Benidorm group who disagrees with Sandie's stance?' The witness said: 'My reason for feeling the way I do is to do with Sandie's views and how she likely behaved to the doctor. I accept everyone has got different views about being in a changing room with a transgender person.' The witness denied she was 'hostile' to Ms Peggie but added: 'It's something I certainly felt strongly about and felt I needed to do.' Messages written by Ms Nicoll were shared, including: 'She's a fanny who is going to end up with a massive payout, I hope she's struck off', and 'if anyone was to ask for statement about Sandie's character I would do it. She should be struck off, I hope she is', the tribunal heard. Ms Cunningham said she was 'attempting to end Sandie's career', but the witness said she felt there was no place for 'bigotry' in nursing. The witness said: 'I've watched her stare in disgust at people walking through an airport in burkas, I've heard her calling a transgender woman a weirdo, and I don't think it's acceptable, no.' She added: 'I think it's important for people to understand Sandie's character, the bigoted racism that Sandie is all for. I don't think there is a place for it in nursing. I think we should be showing people compassion and empathy, and respect, and I don't think Sandie does that.' Ms Peggie will be recalled at the hearing on Tuesday for further questions. The tribunal continues.
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Workmate 'who couldn't stand' trans row nurse wanted her struck off, tribunal told
A nurse who shared an incriminating message sent by Sandie Peggie to a private group chat was accused of doing a 'hatchet job' on her former friend for NHS Fife health board. Lindsey Nicoll, who had holidayed several times with Ms Peggie along with others and were in a chat group with other colleagues had wanted her struck off, a tribunal heard. Ms Nicoll, an employment tribunal heard yesterday, captured a joke the 51-year-old had forwarded to the chat about the Pakistan floods and sent it on to the health board. And in a private exchange the NHS Fife worker said she hoped Ms Peggie would be struck off the nursing register. It came as part of another day of extraordinary evidence in the landmark employment tribunal which saw Ms Peggie come under further attack. Ms Peggie's barrister Naomi Cunningham told Ms Nicoll: 'The board was looking for somebody to do a hatchet job on Sandie Peggie's character and you were all too willing to step forward for that role, weren't you?' Ms Nicoll replied: 'Anybody was going to ask me for a statement I was going to be willing to do it.' Ms Peggie, who has an unblemished record, was suspended from work after challenging medic Dr Beth Upton, a trans-identifying male, in the changing room at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, on Christmas Eve 2023. The nurse sued NHS Fife and Dr Beth, 30, after claiming being made to get to get changed beside the doctor, who was born male, was unlawful. They are now locked in an increasingly bitter employment tribunal, with the latest string of hearings now entering their third week. The tribunal heard yesterday Ms Nicoll sent messages from the group chat she was in with a handful of other colleagues to the board. Messages showed Ms Peggie had forward a list of ten jokes about the Pakistan floods, which were described as 'racist' by Ms Nicoll. It was followed by a message which Ms Peggie said 'sorry folks if that makes me sound like a racist', to which Ms Nicoll reacted with a crying laughter emoji. But the witness, who admitted breaking patient confidentiality herself elsewhere in the chat, said she did not like the joke but was 'agreeing it makes [Ms Peggie] sound like a racist'. Cunningham, acting for Ms Peggie, said the witness was 'thoroughly hostile' to her client and it was 'fair to say you have got it in for her'. But the witness said she had not, with being hauled before the tribunal a 'complete nightmare' but something she felt 'strongly about and something I needed to do'. Messages from her revealed she wrote she 'could not stand' Ms Peggie, and said she 'should be struck off, I hope she is' Another said: 'If anyone was to ask me for a statement about Sandie's character I would do it, she should be struck off.' She rejected a claim she was trying to end Ms Peggie's career, and told the tribunal: 'I think it's important for people to understand Sandie's character - the bigoted racism, the bigotry that Sandie is all for, I don't think there is a place for it in nursing. I think we should be showing people compassion and empathy and respect, and I don't think Sandie does that.' Meanwhile, emergency nurse practitioner Fiona Wishart yesterday claimed Ms Peggie had made 'derogatory' remarks in the past. She claimed Ms Peggie at a lunch had claimed she had a 'a good mind to post bacon' through the letter box of a nearby mosque. Ms Cunningham put it to her that, in fact, it had been a paramedic who made the comment. The lawyer said the witness remembered it as an offensive thing to have said about the mosque and now she had 'attributed it to Sandie Peggie to make her look bad'. Ms Wishart, who has worked at the health board for 41 years, said she was at a dinner with Ms Peggie once when she made 'derogatory' remarks about Dr Upton. She said she could not remember the remarks herself but had been told that they were 'weirdo' and 'freak'.
