HCA takes NHS to tribunal over expressing

[MrsBlob]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/15/cardiff-nhs-worker-wins-tribunal-claim-over-space-for-expressing-milk

So the HCA, after coming back off maternity leave in 2019, asked for a place to express milk at work. It wasn't a properly private space, and she had a male colleague come into the room accidentally. She complained to management.

She went on maternity leave again in 2021, and was encountering similar issues. It was suggested she put a chair up against the door. I think they finally put a lock on a mangers office and said she could use that.

I work in the NHS also; my trust has a bfing employees policy, most trusts probably do too. But they haven't followed it.

I believe believe her case rests on the equality act 2010; discrimination on grounds of sex. As only women breastfeed, it is sex discrimination.

One factor I think is relevant is that UK minimum maternity pay is fairly low Vs other developed countries. Length of time is pretty good, but that won't actually make any difference to a lot of people if they can't afford to be off work. If a BFing mother can't afford to be off work, there's more likely to be these sort of issues.

I do think it's good she's won this case; if there isn't case law on this, the rights exist on paper but aren't really there in reality. I expect it's a tip of the iceberg sort of case, where there's a lot of women who had similar experiences, but probably don't bring cases because it took complicated, difficult and worry their employers may treat them unfavorably in future.

Anyone here had any similar experiences?

Most people I know just get on with it. Our office literally doesn't have a room that would meet the requirements - all offices have internal windows of some description. I just go and express in a toilet cubicle and choose not to make a big song and dance about it. On a couple of occasions I've had to refuse meetings and when pressed I've had to say that I need time to express - at which point the person (almost always a man) involved goes as red as a tomato and never pesters me again!

No idea where we would be able to make any space on my ward for someone expressing. Our staff room is a cupboard that also has people working in it!

When I worked in a small supermarket (express) my dh brought dc to work on my break for a feed! Usually about 8pm.. Just sat in the staffroom! Was back in 2004.. Do people really not make proper provisions 21 years on??

There wasn't a specific room for me to use when I returned to work, but I was happily given the time to express when needed without issue so wasn't overly fussed to be honest. Personally I think that's the most important thing, the building was tax payer funded and there wasn't space for staff lockers or enough space for people as it was let alone magic-ing a room out of thin air.