NHS Nurse Who Was Suspended After Calling Trans Paedophile ‘Mr’ Wins Settlement
It seems that common sense has prevailed in the case of the NHS nurse who called a transgender paedophile patient ‘Mr’, as she has received a (confidential) out-of-court settlement with the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust today.
Jennifer Melle, 41, was suspended from St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey, in May 2024, and investigated over refusing to use the preferred pronouns of a transgender paedophile.
Melle was helping to treat an inmate from a high-security men’s prison when the patient complained she had misgendered them.
In response to being misgendered, the patient racially abused Melle and called her the N-word several times, while they were restrained in their hospital bed.
Melle says she refused to refer to the 6ft transgender paedophile by their preferred pronouns because it goes against her Christian beliefs.
She was investigated by the hospital in October 2024 while suspended on full pay, and a referral was sent to the Nursing and Midwifery Council to assess her ability to practise in accordance with its code of conduct – which forbids nurses from expressing personal beliefs.
Melle told LBC: “A patient was admitted and he came from a male prison.
“He was being looked after by another nurse that night. I was the nurse in charge that night. The nurse came over for help…. Really very shaken and very distressed.
“I said we will come and help.
“When I spoke to the doctor, the patient overheard me calling him Mr and that’s how he became very outraged and began to call me the n-word.
“He appeared very, very aggressive. He began to shout the n-word multiple times.”
She said she told him: “I can’t refer to you as a woman as it is against my faith.
“He launched at me and had to be restrained by the prison guards. He was in handcuffs, both hand and foot.
“For me it is against by belief and to go against the word of god for me to refer to a man as a woman. It’s also against my conscience.”
She said her view was that “It’s a man, six foot tall in a male prison.”
The Trust dropped allegations of misconduct related to a supposed breach of patient confidentiality and reinstated Melle to clinical duties earlier this year, and today, it was revealed a settlement was reached just days before the hearing for claims of harassment and discrimination was scheduled. Quids in!
Seems someone at the NHS finally realised how stupid the whole thing was and how unfairly Jennifer Melle had been treated.
While the specific financial terms are confidential, Ms Melle stated she was glad the Trust decided to “extend an olive branch”.
Amazingly, despite the settlement with the Trust, Melle still faces two ongoing investigations by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) regarding her refusal to use preferred pronouns and her decision to speak publicly about the case. Come on now NMC, take a hint from the NHS.
Enjoy your settlement Miss Melle, don’t spend it all at once!
For the racist couple who went viral for asking an NHS nurse if she ‘came here on a rubber boat’, click HERE.
