The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has confirmed that he will meet the Darlington nurses following the publication of updated guidance on trans issues from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The guidance is expected to be published at some point after this week’s local elections and is to reflect last year’s Supreme Court ruling that biological sex, rather than self-identification, legally defines a person’s gender.
The Darlington nurses won an employment tribunal after raising complaints about being required to get changed in the presence of a female-identifying trans colleague. The nurses were allegedly told to be more inclusive and were later given a separate and substandard place to change.
The case, and others like it, such as that of Jennifer Melle, have caused concern that parts of the NHS are effectively ignoring the Supreme Court ruling and remain in thrall to extreme trans ideology.
According to the Christian Legal Centre, which has been supporting the nurses, the NHS has yet to issue national guidance on trans issues, despite Melle and the Darlington nurses being vindicated.
Streeting has previously met the Darlington nurses and in 2024 said he was “horrified” they had to resort to legal action. However, he has been criticised for being slow to act. The Christian Legal Centre noted that following the Supreme Court ruling, Streeting said that updated NHS guidance would be in place “within weeks” but it has still not happened over a year later.
Bethany Hutchison, President of the Darlington Nursing Union, said it was time for Streeting to take action: “We are pleased that the Secretary of State has committed to meeting us again, but it should never have taken years of legal action, national media exposure and a tribunal victory for our dignity at work to be recognised.
"Wes Streeting has repeatedly said he supports us and believes in single‑sex spaces based on biological sex. We now expect that support to be reflected in clear, enforceable guidance across the NHS.”
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which supported both Melle and the Darlington nurses said, “The Tribunal in the Darlington case confirmed what should have been obvious all along: women should not be forced to undress in front of men.
"By ruling that the policy that allowed men into the women’s changing room has also exposed every NHS Trust across the country to legal challenge, as similar policies are believed to be in place nationally.
“The Health Secretary’s acknowledgement of their treatment is important, but women working across the NHS need certainty, not delay. The law is clear, and guidance must now reflect that reality, so this injustice is never repeated.”
