The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, met with the Darlington nurses and said he is committed to the belief that sex is biological being reflected in the day-to-day running of the NHS under his watch.
The nurses, who are being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, also handed in a CitizenGo petition signed by 48,000 people to Number 10 Downing Street, calling for the government to do whatever is necessary to ensure women have access to single-sex changing rooms and toilets.
After handing in the petition, the five nurses, who have been compared to the Ford Dagenham women, met with Mr Streeting at the Department for Health and Social Care.
The meeting followed a statement Mr Streeting made in the lead up to the General Election in June when he said on X/Twitter that he was ‘horrified’ by their case and wanted to meet.
Mr Streeting gave the response after the nurses launched legal action against County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust over being forced to share a changing room with a man identifying as a woman.
Since August 2023, nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital have been repeatedly ignored for raising concerns that – without warning – a male staff member, identifying as ‘Rose’, had begun using the staff female changing room.
‘Rose’ has admitted that he was trying to get his girlfriend pregnant and that he was not taking female hormones.
Concerned nurses discovered, however, that the Trust’s policies permit any member of staff who ‘identifies’ as the opposite gender to access single-sex changing rooms, toilets or showers.
After 26 nurses wrote to HR and senior management outlining their concerns, they were told via HR that they needed to be ‘re-educated’, ‘broaden their mindset’ and be more ‘inclusive’.
Streeting to vulnerable nurse: ‘I cannot say to you that you need to change your mindset’
One nurse, who was sexually abused as a child, has described how the situation caused her to have panic attacks after repeatedly being asked by ‘Rose’, while alone with him in the changing room: ‘Are you getting changed yet?’
The nurse, who remains anonymous, told her story to Mr Streeting during the meeting this week and in response, he said: ‘I cannot sit here and look at you and say you need to change your mindset. I don’t think that is healthy or fair.’
During the 45-minute meeting, Mr Streeting said that he believes single-sex spaces matter and that something has ‘gone wrong in our society’ on these issues.
Bethany Hutchison made him aware of the Trust’s pro-trans policy and Mr Streeting said he wanted to go away and speak to NHS leadership and employers about how to navigate the issue.
‘We have created an unnecessary conflict’
Bethany asked him: ‘Do you recognise that sex is a protected characteristic and that sex is biological? We would like you to commit to and reflect that in the day-to-day running of the NHS?’
‘Yeah’, he responded and added that he was going to speak to government colleagues about the difference between sex and gender identity.
Stating that the issue of why single-sex spaces are so important to women has not been ‘taken seriously enough’, he added that ‘we have created an unnecessary conflict’ and that society has moved backwards on equality.
Concluding the meeting, he said that the nurses had given him a lot to think about and that: ‘We’ve got to deal with this.’
Mentioning how they had launched the first of its kind ‘Darlington Nursing Union’ (DNU) after struggling to get engagement and support from existing unions, Mr Streeting told them to send their policy proposals and further information about the DNU onto him so that they could keep correspondence open and move forward.
J.K. Rowling support
Following the launch of legal action, the hospital and Trust doubled down on the nurses by continuing to allow the female changing room to be accessed by ‘Rose’ and anyone who identifies as a woman.
A sign, firmly taped on to the door with rainbow colours across an NHS logo, also appeared on the female changing room which said: ‘INCLUSIVE CHANGING SPACE.’ In big red letters it also said: ‘DO NOT REMOVE THIS SIGN.’
The nurses were then informed in July by management that their ward manager’s office was being cleared out and would become a ‘temporary’ locker room for anyone uncomfortable getting undressed in front of a man.
The room opens straight on to a busy ward corridor and is opposite a patient side room. The ‘temporary solution’ served to further humiliate, degrade and isolate the nursed.
The Trust’s approach is at odds with the huge support the nurses have received, including from J.K. Rowling , Sharron Davies and Riley Gaines.
Hundreds of cards from the public expressing gratitude, support and encouragement to the nurses were sent directly to them from across the UK.
‘We now need firm action’
Darlington nurse, and President of the DNU, Bethany Hutchison, said: “We were nervous going into the meeting, but he put us at ease, gave us time and listened, which was encouraging. We now, however, need to see firm action from Wes and a clear consensus from the government and the NHS on these issues.
“Sadly, we continue to be treated appallingly by the Trust. The policy they have in place is putting women at risk and is open to abuse and should be changed urgently. We have been shocked, however, to find that the ‘rights’ of a man identifying as a woman continue to be supported and promoted, while ours as women have been ignored and even pushed out.
“We are not doing this just for nurses. We are doing this for women across the country, for example those who are working in the police force, but also for sisters, daughters and mothers everywhere.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “It’s heartening to have heard how well the meeting went between the Secretary of State for Health and the Darlington nurses. We are now hoping that common sense can be restored to the NHS to ensure safe spaces for women at work.
“A clear policy statement is required which reflects biological reality and protects women from this kind of upset and harm at work.
“Legislating to protect and promote ‘gender identity’ doesn’t reflect reality. It leads to numerous unforeseen consequences and unnecessary division at work and in public life.
“This is an untenable situation which we hope Mr Streeting will be able to solve. The Darlington nurses will continue their pursuit of justice. They have refused to suffer in silence. They speak to the reality of what many are experiencing within the NHS and across our public services and wider society. It’s time for sanity to be restored.”
Find out more about Darlington nurses
