❓WHAT HAPPENED: A nurse in England who faced disciplinary action for “misgendering” a transgender pedophile has been reinstated after a lengthy battle.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nurse Jennifer Melle, Epsom and St Helier National Health Service (NHS) Trust, and a transgender prisoner.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The “misgendering” incident occurred in May 2024 at St Helier Hospital, Carshalton, Surrey; disciplinary decision made in March 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “This has been an incredibly long and painful journey, and today I want to give thanks, first and foremost, to Jesus, who has sustained me every step of the way.” – Jennifer Melle
🎯IMPACT: Ms. Melle has been reinstated, and her case highlights ongoing disputes over gender ideology and workplace policies.
Jennifer Melle, a British nurse from Croydon in south London, has been reinstated following a suspension for using male pronouns to refer to a transgender prisoner claiming to be a woman. The incident took place in May 2024 at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey, during a discussion about catheter use. The prisoner, imprisoned for child sex offences, was recorded as male in medical records, and Melle correctly referred to him as “Mr.” She later received a written warning but continued working in her role.
The case escalated after Melle spoke to the media in March 2025 about her experience. The Epsom and St Helier National Health Service (NHS) Trust then suspended her on full pay, citing concerns that her comments could have led to the identification of the patient and potentially breached confidentiality rules.
Following a private disciplinary hearing, the trust confirmed that Melle would return to work and that no further action would be taken. An NHS spokesman said, “Following an investigation into a breach of patient confidentiality, we are pleased that a member of staff who was previously suspended on full pay is being reinstated to clinical duties.”
Speaking outside Epsom Gateway after the decision, Ms. Melle said, “This has been an incredibly long and painful journey, and today I want to give thanks, first and foremost, to Jesus, who has sustained me every step of the way.”
Despite her reinstatement, Melle is pursuing an employment tribunal claim against the trust, alleging harassment as well as direct and indirect discrimination linked to her gender-critical and Christian beliefs. She has received backing from other nurses, including Bethany Hutchison and Lisa Lockey, who have previously brought successful tribunal cases involving disputes over gender ideology in the workplace.
Image by Oriel Frankie Ashcroft.
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