MON THE NURSES!!!!!! Royal College of Nurses supports the Darlington Nurses!

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/15/nhs-trust-breaking-law-trans-row-royal-college-nursing/

'The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accused the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust of breaching workplace health and safety law by not prohibiting a trans nurse from using female changing rooms.
The union intervened amid a legal battle between the trust and eight of its nurses, who are opposing its decision to allow Rose Henderson, who was born male, to use women-only facilities.
In a letter seen by The Telegraph, the RCN in March pointed to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which require all changing rooms to be male or female-only except when they are “single lockable rooms”.
“The RCN expects the trust to comply with these statutory provisions and provide single-sex changing rooms without delay,” the letter reads.'

This is such great news!

🥳

Excellent news. I hope my trust follows suit although my clinic has single lockable rooms.

Excellent news!

Absolutely brilliant.

Let it be the start. Let's see all the organisations that have fallen for bad advice reversing, very, very hard.

This is a massive reverse ferret. The RCN have been an absolute disgrace with their trans capture so it's a major development that they've finally noticed the law and are speaking out

That is amazing!

Previously, the RCN had listed 'eunuch' as a gender identity. Thread from 2022:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4682197-royal-college-of-nursing-guidelines-for-trans-and-non-binary-people-lists-eunuch-as-a-gender-identity

Oh finally!!!!! Help me recover some faith in the organisations that are meant to protect (female) workers .

The RCN also had refused to represent Sandie Peggie. Article from Feb 2025:

' ...the union has refused to represent Ms Peggie at the tribunal or provide legal assistance for another legal claim related to allegations she ‘misgendered’ Dr Upton. The RCN has posted on social media: ‘We celebrate trans nursing staff, and remain unwavering in our commitment to end transphobia in nursing.’'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14414931/Royal-College-Nursing-female-members-union-bosses-refused-help-nurse-misgendering-doctor.html

The Darlington nurses were so let down by their union (to be fair, that may have been the grim Unison not the RCN) that they started their own Union to protect women nurses:

x.com/darlingtonunion

Wow at long last, a union is supporting women!

Yes. This seems enormously significant.

Have they explained their change of heart?

I saw something that implied they were not aware of workplace law but when they came across it, it was clear it had to be followed. Which raises all its own questions as it’s not new law.

i suspect covering their own arses. They realised they could be liable for discrimination challenges.

<cautiously pleased>

Welcome, but rather late.

I wonder whether they'll apologise for forcing the Darlington Nurse into starting their own union.

Agreed! They're a bit late.

So they wrote in March? They've kept that very quiet haven't they. Wonder why?

Maybe they've been threatened with legal action for failing to protect their members? I also understand that Kemi B wrote to them pointing out the law. Presumably their lawyers had overlooked it for some reason?

Between the Supreme Court decision and the fact that employees can sue their union for discrimination same as they can sue an employer, I expect the RCN's minds have suddenly become very focussed.

Good news, definitely.

Something fell down the back of the sofa and has just now come back to light.

That's a major reverse ferret. Will they now be supporting Sandie Peggie?

I don't see how they can fail to support Sandie Peggie.

I mean they ought to obviously, but how would they explain away their previous refusal? "We didn't know she was right"?

I don't see how they can reverse ferret here and not include Sandie Peggie. Anyway, it's good news. Any move towards reality and sanity is welcome

Finally more sanity. Great news.