NHS nurse wins settlement over trans patient row

A nurse warned for addressing a transgender patient with incorrect pronouns and then suspended over an alleged breach of patient confidentiality has won a settlement against the NHS.

Jennifer Melle, from Croydon, London, said she was racially abused by a transgender patient at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton in May 2024 after she referred to them as "Mr".

The 41-year-old was given a written warning and continued in her role at the hospital in south London, but in March 2025 she was suspended with full pay after speaking to the media about her experience.

NHS officials were concerned the patient could be identified from media reports, potentially breaching patient confidentiality.

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust also wrote to the patient to warn them that threatening and racist language was not tolerated.

Ms Melle was reinstated to clinical duties in January following a private disciplinary meeting which ruled she will face no further action over the alleged breach of patient confidentiality.

She still faces ongoing investigations by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust has agreed to settle Ms Melle's claim ahead of a tribunal which was set to begin today, according to advocacy group Christian Concern.

In a statement, the trust said it expects "all staff to maintain patient confidentiality at all times" and that discussing private medical information is "never acceptable".

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Ms Melle said she had been "through the darkest days of my life and it is still far from over" but was looking forward to being able to "focus on the job I love".

The nurse, who has worked for the hospital for 12 years, added: "It should never have come to this.

"No nurse or other medical professionals should ever have to face what I have faced simply for telling the truth, doing their job, and reporting racist abuse and physical threats from a patient."

A spokesperson for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Racial abuse of our staff is never acceptable, nor is discussing a patient's private medical information publicly.

"We are sorry that Miss Melle had this experience and we issued a written warning to this patient, but we expect all staff to maintain patient confidentiality at all times."

(c) Sky News 2026: NHS nurse wins settlement over trans patient row