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NHS Trust Reinstates Nurse After Confidentiality Probe in Trans Pronoun Dispute

Her case now moves to an employment tribunal scheduled for April.

Overview

  • Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust said it has dropped disciplinary action and returned Jennifer Melle to clinical duties.
  • She was suspended on full pay in March 2025 after speaking to the media, with managers investigating a potential breach of patient confidentiality.
  • The suspension followed an earlier written warning for referring to a transgender-identifying prisoner with male pronouns during treatment, after which she reported racist abuse and threats that required security intervention.
  • The trust said racial abuse of staff will not be tolerated and expressed regret for Melle’s experience.
  • The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s guidance on confidentiality was cited in the inquiry, which cautions that sharing identifying patient information with the press can attract sanctions.