Nurse Wins Settlement After “TRANS” Pronoun Dispute Case
A London nurse, Jennifer Melle, has reached a settlement with the National Health Service following a high-profile workplace dispute involving pronoun use and religious beliefs.
Melle, who worked at St Helier Hospital under the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, faced disciplinary action after referring to a transgender patient using pronouns that aligned with her Christian faith. She instead offered to use the patient’s name.
The situation escalated after the patient allegedly subjected her to racial abuse. The incident, which occurred in May 2024, initially led to a formal warning. In March 2025, Melle was suspended with full pay after speaking publicly about the case.
Following a private meeting earlier this year, she returned to work in January, with no further action taken by the trust regarding confidentiality concerns.
Backed by the Christian Legal Centre and the Darlington Nursing Union, Melle filed claims of harassment and religious discrimination. The case was settled before it reached an employment tribunal hearing scheduled for April.
The NHS trust stated that racial abuse of staff is unacceptable and confirmed that action had been taken regarding the patient, while also emphasizing the importance of maintaining patient confidentiality.
Melle welcomed the outcome, saying she was pleased her employer had taken steps to resolve the situation, while maintaining that healthcare professionals should not face repercussions for acting in line with their beliefs.
She is still subject to an ongoing review by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.