A health trust which was found to have “violated the dignity” of female nurses who complained about having to share a changing room with a trans woman has said it “regrets” any distress caused.
An employment tribunal ruled bosses of Darlington Memorial Hospital created a “hostile environment” for female nurses who objected to Rose Henderson, a biological male who identifies as a woman, using the single-sex changing area.
A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said the body acknowledged and respected the tribunal’s decision and apologised to all those involved.
Rose Henderson, against whom allegations were dismissed, has declined to comment.
A group of eight nurses from the day surgery unit launched employment proceedings against the trust over the Transitioning in the Workplace policy, which allowed a person to use the single-sex space that conformed with their chosen identity.
The tribunal in Newcastle found the trust had harassed and discriminated against the nurses by requiring them to share a changing room with a “biological male trans woman” and not taking their concerns seriously.
Allegations made by the nurses about Rose Henderson’s behaviour were ruled to be “not well founded” and dismissed, along with claims the nurses had been victimised.
The trust spokesperson said: “We acknowledge and respect the employment tribunal’s decision.
“We have a responsibility to provide a safe, respectful and inclusive working environment for everyone and the tribunal’s findings make clear that we did not get this right for all our colleagues, for which we apologise.”
The trust accepted it “did not adequately consider the concerns of a group of our colleagues” and said it would “rapidly review” the policies along with changes already put in place, as well as what facilities were required.
“We know that this has been a difficult and distressing experience for all those involved which we regret,” the spokesperson said.
They also sought to “reaffirm” the trust’s commitment to “a supportive and respectful workplace for all colleagues from all backgrounds”.
