Jennifer Melle

Jennifer Melle is a Christian nurse who referred to a male, trans-identifying prisoner-patient as ‘mister’. Even though she was subjected to racial abuse, she faced disciplinary action for telling the truth.

 

What’s at stake?

  • Nurses and other medical professionals should be free to describe patients in line with their biological sex
  • Christians, additionally, believe that God made humans male and female and that they should tell the truth about a person
  • What Jennifer said was both factual and an appropriate expression of her Christian faith – her treatment since is a clear violation of her freedom of expression
  • The case also demonstrates the hierarchy of rights enforced so often in workplaces, where some people (in this case, a man identifying as a woman) are more equal than others (a Christian who was subjected to racial abuse)

Support Jennifer:

Jennifer is receiving help from the Christian Legal Centre to take her case forwards.

We provide this support completely free of charge to Jennifer and others like her.

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Sign the petition to support Jennifer.

Timeline:

  • 22 May 2024 – On an evening shift, Jennifer is told by a distressed  junior colleague that Mr X, a masculine-appearing prisoner patient wanted to self-discharge. Although the name by his bed is feminine, she sees that the patient’s records recorded that he was male and says to a doctor “Mr X would like to self-discharge”. Overhearing her, Mr X screams “Do not call me mister! I am a woman!”. Jennifer says she could not refer to him as ‘her’ or ‘she’ but would use his preferred first name. He responds with racial abuse.
  • October 2024 – The hospital gives Jennifer was given a final written warning and refers her to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) over the incident. With the help of Christian Legal Centre, she files a legal claim on the grounds of harassment and direct discrimination.
  • March 2025 – Having received support from the Christian Legal Centre, Christian Concern makes Jennifer’s story public.
  • April 2025 – Jennifer is suspended by the NHS trust for speaking to the media about how she was investigated and disciplined for refusing to refer to a male child sex offender patient as a woman.
  • May 2025 – The NHS Trust ignores April’s Supreme Court ruling that women are to be legally defined by their biology; and persist with transgender ideology.
  • August 2025 – Jennifer tells the Express that the Royal College of Nursing has done nothing to help her.
  • December 2025 – Jennifer Melle’s internal disciplinary hearing is cancelled following political intervention, including a public statement and letter from Claire Coutinho MP, warning that taking action against Jennifer would be a “grave injustice.”
  • 16 January 2026 –  The Darlington nurses, backed by the Christian Legal Centre, win a landmark legal battle against the NHS, after an employment tribunal found that an NHS Trust had harassed and discriminated against them by allowing a male staff member to use the female changing rooms.
  • January 2026 – Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities Claire Coutinho launches a cross-party petition calling on Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust not to dismiss Jennifer.
  • 20 January 2026 – During Jennifer’s disciplinary hearing, St Helier and Epsom University Hospitals drops its ‘data breach’ case against her and reinstates her. She still has a full employment tribunal hearing in April over how she has been treated by the Trust during her ordeal.
  • 23 February 2026 – Jennifer returns to work after being suspended for more than 10 months.

Videos and media coverage

Coverage of Jennifer winning at her disciplinary hearing

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