Ms B Hutchison & others v County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Darlington nurses challenge NHS over changing room policy
A group of nurses from Darlington Memorial Hospital, are bringing an employment tribunal against the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, alleging sexual harassment and sex discrimination.
The case concerns the Trust’s policy allowing a male colleague, who has not undergone any surgery, who identifies as a woman named Rose Henderson, to use the female changing rooms.
The nurses argue that sharing the changing facilities with Henderson has caused them distress. One nurse, a survivor of sexual abuse, reported experiencing panic attacks. After raising concerns with hospital management, they were informed they needed to be “re-educated” to be more 'inclusive'.
Anonymity application
A preliminary hearing addressed an application for anonymity filed by Henderson, which was denied based on the principle of open justice.
Preliminary hearing
An application by the Trust to suspend management directions made by the Tribunal and to adjourn the trial was heard on 2nd April - see live tweet threads below. The full merits hearing has been moved to 20 October - 14 November 2025. Various other matters were agreed, dates for an amended response, bundle management and dates, disclosure, etc.
Case Status
The hearing is scheduled to be heard from 20 October - 14 November 2025 at Newcastle employment tribunal.
Abbreviations
C/Ns - Claimants - the Darlington nurses
PV - Pavel Stroilov, C’s barrister
R/T/Trust - Respondent, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
RH - Rose Henderson
SC - Simon Cheetham, KC, barrister for respondents
J/REJ - Regional Employment Judge Robertson
EJ - Employment Judge
ET - Employment Tribunal
Possible additional abbreviations for today:
DMH/H/Hospital - Darlington Memorial Hospital
GR - Grounds of Resistance
IX - internal investigation
UCL - unreasonable conduct of litigation
CMD - case management directions
NCWTO - non-compliance with the Tribunal’s orders
D - disclosures
ECHR - European Convention on Human Rights
SH - sexual harassment
SD - sex discrimination
SA - sexual abuse
PA panic attacks.
HM - hospital management
RE - re-educated
I - inclusive
TG - transgender
CR/CF - changing room or changing facilities
Live tweet sessions
Preliminary hearing - morning session part one, morning session part two
Press Coverage
This section includes links to a selection of press coverage, that may include blogs, videos and interviews about the case. These links are included without comment and are not endorsed by Tribunal Tweets. This is a sample of coverage only - it is not comprehensive. Please DM our main Twitter account to submit coverage from an established news outlet. Any paywalled article must be archived.
11th May 2025
Daily Mail - I begged my bosses not to let the trans nurse take part in my intimate operation
[VIDEO] Christian Concern - Darlington nurse speaks out
22nd April 2025
Northen Echo - Trust called to 'comply' over Darlington nurse trans row
Pink News - Darlington NHS trust must ‘comply’ with trans Supreme Court ruling, says government
3rd April 2025
Personnel Today - Darlington nurses’ changing room case delayed to October
2nd April 2025
ITV - Nurses taking trust to tribunal over trans colleague’s use of changing rooms at Darlington hospital
BBC - Staff object to trans nurse using changing rooms
1st April 2025
Christian concern - Darlington nurses in court as NHS Trust accused of ‘deplorable behaviour’ for trying to delay case
30th March 2025
[VIDEO] GB News - Nurses on their case against NHS Durham & Darlington Foundation
27th February 2025
The Telegraph - Nurses win battle to name trans colleague who was in their changing room
23rd February 2025
The Telegraph - Wes Streeting ‘kicking can down the road’ over single-sex spaces
20th January 2025
The Telegraph - Trans nurse at centre of changing room row ‘intimidated female colleagues’
2nd December 2024
GB News - Trans people banned from women’s changing rooms, under proposed NHS guidelines
1st December 2024
The Telegraph - Trans people not allowed in women’s changing rooms under proposed NHS guidance
9th November 2024
The Times - Darlington nurses won’t be silenced in their fight for single-sex spaces
21st November 2024
Northern Echo - Darlington nurse spoke of transgender row on Woman's Hour
1st November 2024
31st October 2024
27th September 2024
[VIDEO] Talk TV - NHS nurses complain with sharing changing room
25th Sept 2024
Talk TV - Nurses offered temp locker room after complaining of trans woman
29th July 2024
Northern Echo - Trans groups worry Darlington nurses row could cause violence
Fox News - Female nurses vow to keep fighting over hospital trans policy: Won't be 'ignored' or 'threatened'
4th July 2024
Pink News - NHS nurses in trans changing room row say they’ve been ‘made to feel like bigots’
3 July 2024
[VIDEO] Fox News - UK nurses speak out on transgender policy lawsuit
2nd July 2024
Talk TV - Susan Smith on ‘Nurses forced to strip off in front of transwomen’
30th June 2024
The Times - Don’t care about trans issues? Wait till you’re eyeballed in the changing room
28th June 2024
Sky - Nurses suing their employer for allowing trans women to use their changing rooms
26th June 2024
Telegraph - I salute the nurses who took a stand against this women-have-penises nonsense
25th June 2024
Northern Echo - Wes Streeting 'horrified' at Darlington Memorial Hospital trans row
24th June 2024
Christian Concern - Nurses forced to share changing room with trans colleague
The Times - NHS nurses sue over transgender policy that ‘puts them at risk’
23rd June 2024
Christian concern - Nurses speak publicly on legal action against NHS Trust saying transgender policies on female changing rooms are putting ‘women at risk’
22nd June 2024
Daily Mail - 'You need to be re-educated': What nurses claim they were told by bosses after transgender complaint
28th May 2024
Personnel Today - NHS trust faces legal action over trans changing room policy
Christian Concern - Nurses challenge harassment by male ‘trans’ colleague
26th May 2024
Express - NHS legal action after nurses forced to share changing room with transgender woman