Scandal of 26 nurses worried over trans colleague staring at them in changing room being told: Get educated!

But the nurses, all experienced, say Rose stares at their breasts and lingers too long while they are getting undressed. Rose is 26 and the nurses, claim they have been told he has stopped taking sex hormones because he was trying to get his girlfriend pregnant.

Therefore, correctly, they say the trans colleague is a ‘’sexually active biological male’’ and should be given his own changing room.

A formal complaint, signed by 26 nurses, was sent to the bosses at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in April. But a human resources manager allegedly dismissed their concerns and said the nurses needed to ‘’broaden their mindset’’ be ‘’more inclusive’’ and ‘’ be educated.’’.

That was a shocking response and the trust management should take that HR manager aside and explain the person that needs educating is her and their justifiable concerns should have been listened to sympathetically.

The pushback was such that the nurses turned to the law and have launched an unprecedented employment tribunal action against the NHS Trust claiming harassment, victimisation and indirect discrimination.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday Bethany Hutchinson, 34, a surgery nurse, said; ‘’ It is so offensive to us because we are all educated - we need a degree to do this job and some of us have multiple degrees.

‘’We have got some very intelligent people on our ward so it was disgusting for them to say something like that to us.’’

She said the nurses were not transphobic and not fearful of trans people believing they need their own changing area that’s safe for them.

As an infection control measure, the nurses must change their clothes before and after a shift. Many now use toilet cubicles instead of the changing room to avoid Rose.

Another nurse told how uncomfortable Rose made them feel in the dressing room as Rose doesn’t just stay in his locker but walks around in his boxer shorts.

This shocking story comes as Labour have revealed they intend to make it easier for people to legally transition by removing the need for them to prove they have lived as their preferred gender for two years.

Under the present rules transgender people wishing to have their new gender legally recognised must obtain a gender recognition certificate. That proof can include utility bills, passports or even supermarket loyalty cards. Officials insist on two years of documentation to ensure the person is prepared for a permanent change.

Labour is going to ditch that requirement and instead will require trans people to undergo an effective cooling off period after their supplication for a gender recognition certificate.

This all sounds very technical but what is happening to those nurses at Darlington is not. They are to be listened to. It’s not the HR department or the management who are having to dress and undress in front of a colleague.

The concerns of 26 nurses should be taken seriously. I would be more inclined to ditch the management than their ditch their worries. Working for the NHS must be a nightmare at the best of times with such a heavy workload, it’s not helped by some HR Herbert telling you that you need to ‘’get educated’’ on such a sensitive subject.

These nurses are educated. And they are concerned. Their concerns must be addressed.