The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and its General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, are under growing scrutiny for refusing to intervene in the case of Jennifer Melle, a senior nurse suspended after declining to use biologically inaccurate pronouns for a convicted male paedophile patient.
Despite the UK Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in For Women Scotland, which reaffirmed the legal recognition of biological sex, the RCN has stalled on implementing the judgment, citing the need to “await EHRC statutory guidance”, a process already plagued by delay and resistance within government and public institutions.
Letters seen by Christian Concern reveal that the Darlington Nursing Union (DNU) wrote to the RCN outlining concerns over Jennifer’s continued suspension since April for an alleged “data breach.” The union stressed that Jennifer is a competent nurse who wants to return to work but cannot compromise her Christian belief that sex is immutable.
The DNU cited recent judicial decisions, For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers and Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife, affirming the reasonableness of gender-critical beliefs.
They urged the RCN to use its influence to prevent nursing from becoming a profession where suitability depends on adherence to “acceptable” ideological beliefs, warning that Jennifer’s case is not an isolated incident.
Jennifer met with members of the RCN, including Professor Ranger, at the College’s London headquarters in October. However, Ranger abruptly left the meeting after receiving a phone call and did not return.
Following the meeting, Ranger wrote to Jennifer acknowledging the impact on her but confirmed that the RCN will not act substantively until the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) publishes its statutory code of practice:
“We await the EHRC statutory code of practice for services, public functions, and associations and the code may provide guidance on how this relates to the provision of health and care services.
“Finally, and although Jennifer has chosen the Christian Legal Centre to provide her with legal advice and representation in respect of her Employment Tribunal and NMC proceedings, Jennifer remains able to access our other member support services as she may require.”
This position contrasts sharply with the RCN’s swift adoption of Stonewall-inspired policies and its active promotion of LGBTQI+ inclusion initiatives.
Under Nicola Ranger’s leadership, the RCN has embedded LGBTQI+ inclusion as a core principle in its policies and campaigns, including:
Ranger has described equity and inclusion as a “moral imperative,” stating:
“Our health and care systems can only thrive when they reflect, respect and actively engage the diversity of the people they serve — and the people who work within them.”
Jennifer has been suspended on full pay by Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals since April for an alleged “data breach” after speaking to the media about being disciplined for indirectly referring to a male transgender paedophile as “Mr.”
She was disciplined and referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a ‘potential risk’ for not using the preferred gender identity of the paedophile.
She has said previously that in ‘her hour of need’ the RCN abandoned her and suggested that she do ‘a reflection’ to ensure the situation didn’t happen again.
Jennifer said:
“I was racially abused in my workplace, and instead of protecting me, the Trust punished me. My Christian faith teaches me that sex is immutable. I should not be forced to deny that truth to keep my job.
“The Supreme Court has spoken clearly: biological sex matters in law. Yet the RCN, an organisation that claims to champion equality, chooses delay over action. Nurses like me are left vulnerable while ideology trumps reality. This is not inclusion; it is discrimination.”
Bethany Hutchison, President of the Darlington Nursing Union, added:
“Jennifer’s case is not an isolated incident. Across the NHS, women are being told to ‘broaden their mindset’ and accept policies that erase biological reality. The Supreme Court has spoken, yet institutions drag their feet. Why is it that the NHS has repeatedly implemented unlawful Stonewall policies, but cannot follow a legal ruling from the highest court in the land? We will not stop fighting for dignity and truth in healthcare.”
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, commented:
“Jennifer’s case is not just about one nurse, it’s about truth. It’s about common sense. It’s about the freedom to express truth in the workplace. The Supreme Court has made it clear that biological sex is legally recognised, yet institutions like the RCN and NHS are ignoring binding law while clinging to ideological policies.
The RCN’s failure to stand with Jennifer sets a dangerous precedent: if professional bodies can disregard Supreme Court rulings and fail to protect the very people they were set up to look after then the rule of law itself is at risk. Jennifer’s fight will determine whether legal rights mean anything in practice.”
Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Jennifer is taking legal action against the Trust on the grounds of harassment, discrimination, victimisation under the Equality Act, and breaches of her rights under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of thought, conscience, and religion).
She is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on 13 January 2026 which will address whether the Trust’s referral of Jennifer to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) constituted harassment.
Her full Employment Tribunal hearing is scheduled for April 2026.
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