{"id":27854,"date":"2025-07-28T04:09:26","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T04:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/27854\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T04:09:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T04:09:26","slug":"manager-denies-health-board-sought-to-punish-trans-row-nurse-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/27854\/","title":{"rendered":"Manager denies health board sought to &#8216;punish&#8217; trans row nurse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753487709_332_grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-d1200759-0 dkIvM hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4e200920-689a-11f0-9f22-b51d9ce822ea.jpg.webp.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"PA Media Sandie Peggie - a woman with blond hair to her shoulders and a pink jacket - smiles while standing outside \" class=\"sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj\"\/>PA Media<\/p>\n<p>Sandie Peggie was suspended following an altercation with Dr Beth Upton <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">An NHS Fife manager who led an investigation into allegations against nurse Sandie Peggie has told a tribunal that nobody higher up in the organisation was telling her what to do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Angela Glancy dismissed suggestions from Ms Peggie&#8217;s lawyers that the health board had a &#8220;determination to punish&#8221; the nurse for <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cx2q8zzx0d7o\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 bGFWdi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">an altercation with trans doctor<\/a> Beth Upton in a hospital changing room.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The witness told the tribunal she had not shared details of the investigation with the health board&#8217;s senior leadership team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She said &#8220;nobody higher up was telling me what to do&#8221; and her decisions were based &#8220;on what I&#8217;ve found&#8221; in the investigation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Peggie and Dr Upton had an encounter on Christmas Eve 2023 that led to the nurse <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c87dzvnqwwro\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 bGFWdi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">being suspended from work<\/a> after a row over whether the doctor should be in the women&#8217;s changing rooms at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy became involved in the case in late February 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy said a combination of diary commitments, sickness and annual leave meant she could not conduct interviews until late April and her final report into the matter was completed in December 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She told NHS Fife and Dr Upton&#8217;s lawyer Jane Russell she believed staff &#8220;shouldn&#8217;t be confronting colleagues&#8221; and that if someone had an issue or a problem with a colleague they should speak to a line manager. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753487709_332_grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-d1200759-0 dkIvM hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/53c0f6e0-689b-11f0-9f22-b51d9ce822ea.jpg.webp.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Dr Beth Upton - a trans woman - walks outside with a multi-coloured scarf and a light brown jacket on, while surrounded by supporters\" class=\"sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Dr Beth Upton made a number of allegations against Sandie Peggie<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The clinical nurse manager denied a suggestion from Ms Peggie&#8217;s lawyer Naomi Cunningham she deliberately put off informing the nurse about further allegations against her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Cunningham suggested the delays were because NHS Fife was in &#8220;turmoil&#8221; about whether <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c77r058y30eo\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 bGFWdi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">the additional claims<\/a> &#8211; regarding whether Ms Peggie had previously refused to engage with the doctor about a patient  &#8211;  could be &#8220;pinned&#8221; on the nurse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy said this was not true, as she had not shared any details of her findings with management.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She also rejected the suggestion she was &#8220;very anxious&#8221; about challenging Dr Upton regarding evidence in the case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Cunningham asked if Ms Glancy had looked into claims by Ms Peggie that the junior doctor was a &#8220;known troublemaker&#8221;, to which she replied that she was looking into the Christmas Eve incident, not Dr Upton. <\/p>\n<p>Timeline of the Sandie Peggie tribunal<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The lawyer queried whether the fact that Dr Kate Searle, Dr Upton&#8217;s supervisor, <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cx20eglgmgjo\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 bGFWdi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">had sent emails to other members of staff<\/a> expressing support for the junior doctor had compromised Ms Glancy&#8217;s investigation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Cunningham said Dr Searle &#8211; <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cp3le58k858o\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 bGFWdi\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">who gave evidence over two days<\/a> earlier in the week &#8211; had been &#8220;vigorously briefing&#8221; against Ms Peggie with her actions. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy replied that none of the people in the email chain were involved in her investigation and therefore it did not affect her findings. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Dr Searle gave evidence during the internal investigation and also attended Dr Upton&#8217;s session with Ms Glancy, which Ms Peggie&#8217;s legal team said was bending the rules.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy said it was allowed for people in a tribunal to have a colleague there for support, and &#8220;not unusual&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>No notes kept for second meeting<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Cunningham suggested an email exchange between Dr Upton and Ms Glancy regarding the 18 December incident indicated &#8220;a clear steer&#8221; to the clinical nurse manager to not investigate it any further.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The lawyer said this was because it would be proven to be false and &#8220;should be career-ending for Dr Upton.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy disagreed with this, saying she had continued to investigate the 18 December incident by speaking to a healthcare assistant on shift on that day.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She later added she felt the healthcare worker&#8217;s evidence &#8211; that Dr Upton and and Ms Peggie had a conversation but she could not recall details &#8211; did not contradict Dr Upton&#8217;s prior claim that Ms Peggie had left without saying anything, as it was uncertain how much was said between them.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Glancy confirmed she had a second meeting with Dr Upton after their initial session during the investigation, where they discussed changes to the doctor&#8217;s evidence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She said these changes were mostly grammatical but admitted there were no notes kept of this meeting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Anne Hamilton, an HR adviser with NHS Fife, later told the tribunal this was &#8220;not ideal&#8221; but that meetings did not need to always have notes taken.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753487709_332_grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-d1200759-0 dkIvM hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2045c450-689e-11f0-9f22-b51d9ce822ea.jpg.webp.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"PA Media Ambulances and police vans parked outside the entrance to an accident and emergency ward at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy \" class=\"sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj\"\/>PA Media<\/p>\n<p>Sandie Peggie and Dr Beth Upton both worked at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The respective legal teams also clashed over language used by Ms Cunningham, where she repeatedly referred to Dr Upton as male and said this was the &#8220;correct sex&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Russell said this was creating a hostile environment for the witness and confusing Ms Glancy into accidently misgendering the doctor &#8211; something Ms Cunningham denied. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Hamilton later said she agreed Ms Glancy&#8217;s report had been made without  interference from others.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She added Dr Searle giving both evidence and then supporting Dr Upton during the investigation was not ideal, but there was nothing in policy against it. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The tribunal continues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PA Media Sandie Peggie was suspended following an altercation with Dr Beth Upton An NHS Fife manager who&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27855,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102,2960,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-27854","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-healthcare","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27854"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27854\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}