Female workers suspended by NHS chiefs after complaining about sharing changing room with trans woman
Female workers suspended by NHS chiefs after complaining about sharing changing room with trans woman
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A female worker has announced she is suing a Scottish NHS board after being suspended from her job for complaining about having to share a changing room with a trans woman.
The unnamed staff member launched legal action against NHS Fife over the incident which took place last year.
She claimed to have been in a changing room late at night when a trans woman colleague started to undress in front of her.
The staff member was later suspended for three months in January.
Female workers suspended by NHS chiefs after complaining about sharing changing room with trans womanPAFollowing her return to work, a disciplinary investigation into the matter was launched and remains ongoing.
Alba Party's Neale Hanvey, who described her treatment as "utterly scandalous", argued the woman felt "intimidated and embarrassed".
The female member of staff was suspended after bosses received a complaint from her trans colleague.
NHS organisations allow transgender staff to use the toilets and changing rooms which align with their gender identity.
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PABanning the practice would likely breach the Equality Act.
However, the unnamed staff member objected on the grounds of her own privacy and dignity being violated.
Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at Sex Matters said: "Making a female employee share changing facilities with a man who identifies as a woman and then suspending her from work for raising her concerns shows that gender ideology has been allowed to trump all other considerations.
"Do women who work in NHS Scotland not deserve privacy from the other sex?
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"This looks like a Scottish Government body prioritising the feelings of men over the safety and wellbeing of female staff members."
A spokesman for NHS Fife said: "We are unable to comment on matters relating to individual members of staff for reasons of confidentiality.
"NHS Fife is an inclusive employer and is committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming working environment for each and every member of its staff."
Responding to the incident, First Minister John Swinney said: "I don’t know the detail of the case, but I’ll look at that with care.
"It’s important that the legislative arrangements that are in place under the Equalities Act to protect single sex spaces are applied in practice.
"That thinking and rationale is important to be applied in practice in all circumstances."