from Christian Concern
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has told County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation (CDDNFT) Trust that it is breaking the law by failing to provide single-sex changing rooms for its female staff.
However, instead of acting on the guidance, the Director of Workforce at the Trust has since doubled down and republished a ‘Transitioning in the Workplace’ policy which continues to permit biological men who ‘identify’ as women to use the female changing rooms. The policy is believed to be used across the NHS and is inspired by Stonewall.
Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, the Darlington nurses have been locked in a legal battle with the Trust after without warning they were told they had to undress in front of a male colleague called ‘Rose.’
After raising concerns, the nurses were told they needed to be “re-educated”, “broaden their mindset”, “be more inclusive” and “compromise.” Rose offered to help “re-educate” the nurses on these matters.
After they went public with their legal case, the Trust put in a place what they described as a ‘temporary’ office for nurses to change in. The office had no lockers, opened onto a public corridor and the nurses have described it as “dehumanising” and “humiliating.”
RCN: “We expect Trust to comply”
On 24 March, the nurses met with the Leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, who committed to immediately writing to the RCN about their case.