Overview

• A panel is spending two days reading case documents at the Newcastle Tribunals Office before the hearing opens to the public on Wednesday morning.
• Four named nurses — Bethany Hutchison, Lisa Lockey, Annice Grundy and Tracey Hooper — are among eight staff bringing claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, victimisation and Article 8 privacy breaches.
• The nurses say they feel unsafe in a women’s changing room and allege inappropriate behavior by a transgender colleague, while the trust’s policy permits staff to use facilities aligned with their gender identity.
• The hearing is expected to last up to four weeks, with reporting indicating around 30 witnesses could be called.
• County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust says it will not comment during active proceedings, the nurses are supported by the Christian Legal Centre, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council is assessing or will investigate complaints concerning the nurses.