Back to Scotland, where the Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife case has sparked outrage across the country. After nurse Peggie questioned a transgender doctor for using the female changing rooms, she was suspended by her health board. The move pushed her to bring a landmark tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Beth Upton for harassment and discrimination. While the tribunal case has been adjourned until July, it has now emerged that Peggie could herself face dismissal over the whole thing – after being accused of having ‘misgendered’ Dr Upton by using male pronouns when talking to and about the junior doctor. You couldn’t make it up…
Alongside the ongoing employment tribunal, a separate internal probe into Peggie by NHS Fife is looking into allegations that the nurse compromised patient safety by refusing to work effectively with Dr Upton. As reported by the Telegraph, Peggie will be hauled into a conduct hearing this Friday – which her workplace has warned could lead to her being fired. In retaliation, Peggie’s solicitor Margaret Gribbon says that new legal proceedings have been launched against the health board. Good heavens…
While Peggie accepts she called Dr Upton a male, she denies allegations she had been ‘cornering’ and ‘haranguing’ her colleague. Meanwhile Peggie’s legal team has hit out at the junior doctor, claiming Upton fabricated instances of the nurse putting patient safety at risk. More than that, experts told the newspaper that the decision by the lawyer representing the health board in the tribunal to publicly accuse Peggie of harassment and bullying could have pre-judged the outcome of NHS Fife’s separate internal probe. In this case, Peggie would likely have strong legal grounds to push back against any sanction. For the health board’s part, a spokesman insisted: ‘NHS Fife is unable to comment on matters related to individual staff members for reasons of confidentiality.’
While the case has captured the public’s interest over the last few days, it has taken politicians a little longer to speak out. It transpired over the weekend that SNP health secretary Neil Gray was warned in 2024 that NHS Fife was failing to meet its legal obligations to provide single-sex facilities – but didn’t, apparently, take action. Among those who have now backed Peggie’s position, however, are Tory MSP Murdo Fraser and SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing. Whether this will be enough for NHS Fife to reconsider their stance is quite another matter. Stay tuned…
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