NHS Trust abruptly cancels disciplinary hearing for Christian nurse Jennifer Melle following Sandie Peggie ruling
9 December 2025 Issued by: Christian Legal CentreEpsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has abruptly cancelled the disciplinary hearing of senior nurse Jennifer Melle, which was scheduled to take place today.
The Trust informed Jennifer at the last minute yesterday afternoon that the hearing could not proceed due to “unforeseen circumstances,” citing the unavailability of a panel member. No new date has been set. BBC National News had contacted the Trust the same afternoon saying it was planning to cover the outcome of the hearing.
The cancellation comes in the wake of the Sandie Peggie ruling, where an employment tribunal found that NHS Fife had harassed a nurse over concerns about single-sex facilities. The timing of the decision has raised questions about whether NHS trusts are reassessing their approach to cases involving sex-based rights and gender identity.
In a dramatic development ahead of the hearing, Claire Coutinho MP, Shadow Minister for Equalities and MP for Surrey East, wrote to the Trust’s Chairman, Sir Mark Lowcock, and Chief Executive, James Blythe, urging them to halt disciplinary proceedings and requesting an urgent meeting on Monday, 8 December. In her letter, Ms Coutinho warned:
“Taking disciplinary action against Jennifer Melle is a grave injustice. If sanctions are imposed it will cause severe damage to the Trust’s reputation with the public, who can clearly see that Jennifer has done nothing wrong.”
She added:
“Ultimately, this is about a nurse who has given over a decade of service to the NHS and who, through no fault of her own, was subjected to racial abuse at work by a transgender convicted paedophile. She was then abandoned by the institutions, including the NMC and the RCN – that were supposed to protect her, but which have instead surrendered to the influence of radical gender ideology.”
Ms Coutinho reminded the Trust that beliefs in biological sex are protected under the Equality Act and urged senior leaders to intervene to ensure no disciplinary action is taken.
Jennifer, 40, from Croydon, has served at St Helier Hospital for twelve years with an unblemished record. While on duty, she cared for a prisoner patient referred to as ‘Mr X’, a biological male who identifies as female and is a convicted paedophile held in a high-security men’s prison after multiple convictions for luring boys into sex acts while pretending to be a teenage girl online.
During a clinical discussion about the patient’s medical needs, Jennifer referred to him as “he/Mr,” consistent with biological sex and medical records. Mr X reacted violently, screaming: “Do not call me Mr! I am a woman,” before racially abusing Jennifer, calling her the N-word multiple times, and lunging at her. He had to be restrained by guards.
Despite being the victim of abuse, Jennifer was investigated and disciplined. In October 2024, the Trust issued her with a written warning and referred her to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which branded her “a potential risk” for not using the patient’s chosen gender identity. When Jennifer spoke to the media in March 2025, her story went viral, prompting the Trust to suspend her for an alleged “data breach.” She has been suspended ever since.
Jennifer said:
“I have always sought to provide the highest standard of care to every patient. But I could not in good conscience refer to a male paedophile as a woman. Doing so would compromise truth and, in my view, patient safety. I am devastated that my faith and professional integrity have led to this situation, but I stand by my convictions. I am very grateful for what Claire Coutinho has done and now pray for protection and justice.”
At the time of Jennifer’s suspension, senior politicians weighed in. Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Opposition, described Jennifer’s treatment as “completely crazy” and said:
“She has my full support. It’s time the Government pulls its finger out and intervenes to make it clear no one should be punished at work for stating biological reality to paedophiles.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the racist abuse Jennifer suffered but has so far refused to address NHS pronoun policies.
Jennifer has launched legal action supported by the Christian Legal Centre, alleging harassment, discrimination, and victimisation under the Equality Act, as well as breaches of her rights under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. A full employment tribunal hearing is scheduled for April 2026.
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said:
“Justice is done in the light. Epsom and St Helier is refusing to do the sane and sensible thing: drop this case and apologise. Instead, it is dragging Jennifer through months of uncertainty. We will continue to hold the Trust to account and ensure that nothing is done in the dark. Transparency is essential, and this case will set a precedent for how the NHS handles conflicts between gender ideology and biological reality”
Jennifer’s case has drawn widespread public support, including from author J.K. Rowling, and political intervention from Shadow Equalities Minister Claire Coutinho MP, who urged the Trust to halt disciplinary proceedings. The case is now expected to become a major test of how NHS trusts reconcile gender identity policies with the Supreme Court’s ruling that biological sex defines “woman” under UK equality law.
