The nurses told an employment tribunal that they believed that County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust leadership had failed to address their concerns.
Staff brought the case after being feeling frustrated over how their concerns were being addressed after they were offered alternative facilities when a colleague, who was born male but identifies as a woman, continued to have access to female changing rooms.
Carly Hoy told the panel that she felt uncomfortable when Rose Henderson was using the changing room at Darlington Memorial Hospital while giving evidence in the trans row tribunal.
In a witness statement submitted during today’s hearing (Friday, October 24), she said: “As he would be walking up and down the changing room, I would usually see his side profile. It was very hard to ignore, but as soon as I saw him, I turned away.
“I would never hang about when I saw him in there, I would grab my belongings and go. I have never seen anybody else just hanging about the changing room in this way.”
Under cross-examination from Simon Cheetham KC, for the hospital trust, Ms Hoy said she felt unhappy that the trust had made them use alternative changing rooms.
Seven nurses from Darlington Memorial Hospital leave the first day of a landmark employment (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)
The barrister said: “Would you agree with me that the trust was trying to do something? It may not have been adequate in the long term, but they were trying to address the problem.”
She replied: “No, because I don’t think we should have been given it as an alternative, Rose should have.”
Mr Cheetham asked: “You feel that it should have been alternatives for Rose?” She replied: “In my opinion, yeah.”
He continued: “What would you say the risk Rose Henderson posed to you?”
She replied: “Their presence in the changing room. It was so uncomfortable – it was just fear. I feared a man being in the changing room.”
Mr Cheetham asked: “Would it make any difference if that person had fully transitioned?”
She replied: “I honestly don’t know.”
Read more: Darlington nurse became ‘frustrated’ by her NHS bosses
The next nurse called to give evidence was Jane Peveller, who said in her written witness statement: “I absolutely believe in diversity, equality and inclusion for all, but the whole purpose of having a changing room is to give people privacy.
“I want to feel safe and comfortable at work, to protect my dignity and that of my colleagues.
“Equality is for all and in this situation the NHS were not providing for women who felt uncomfortable changing in front of biological males, regardless of their identified gender.”
And the third nurse to give evidence today, Mary Grundy, said she did not want to have to get changed in front of someone who she described as a man.
Recounting her own experience, she wrote in her witness statement: “Rose was standing there wearing nothing except dark coloured boxer shorts. His physique was very obviously male.
“His voice, his build, his boxer shorts – everything about him – showed he was a male and there was absolutely nothing to suggest he was a woman. I immediately felt taken aback and uncomfortable.”
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A spokesperson for the health trust said: “County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is committed to providing safe, respectful and inclusive care for patients and working environment for all colleagues.
The nurses’ claim is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre.
The hearing continues.