"Darlington Nurses" vs County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust Tribunal Thread 3

[AuthorisedCat]

Link to Thread 1, 7-Oct to 23-Oct; pre-hearing discussion, evidence from KD (Day 1) and BH (Day 2).

Link to Thread 2
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5432103-darlington-nurses-vs-county-durham-and-darlington-nhs-trust-tribunal-thread-2

Five nurses working at Darlington Memorial Hospital have filed a legal case suing their employer, an NHS trust, for sexual harassment and sex discrimination. The nurses object to sharing the women’s changing facilities with a male colleague, Rose, who identifies as female. The NHS trust’s HR department dismissed the nurses’ concerns, stating they should “broaden their mindset” and “be educated”. More details can be found at Sex Matters and at Christian Concern who are supporting the nurses via the CLC.
The hearing started on October 20th, with evidence starting on October 22nd and is scheduled to last 3 weeks. To view the hearing online, requests for access had to be made by October 17th. The hearing is being live tweeted by Tribunal Tweets who have background to this case on their substack. An alternative to X is to use Nitter: nitter.net/tribunaltweets or nitter.poast.org/tribunaltweets
The Judge made clear at the start of the public hearing on Day 1 that only TT or press have permission to tweet. If online observers see/hear something in the court that isn’t reported by TT, we don’t mention it until the next time there’s a break. This is a very cautious approach to avoid any accusations of “live reporting” on MN. Commentary on the content of TT tweets is fine as soon as they’re posted on X.
Key people:
C/Ns - Claimants, the Darlington nurses
R/T/Trust - Respondent, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
J/EJ – Judge/Employment Judge
NF - Niazi Fetto KC, barrister for claimants
SC - Simon Cheetham, KC, barrister for respondents
RH - Rose Henderson, trans identifying nurse
CG – Clare Gregory, ward manager
KD – Karen Danson, first claimant to give evidence.
BH – Bethany Hutchison, second claimant to give evidence
AH – Alistair Hutchison, husband of Bethany
Other abbreviations:
WFTCHTJ – Waiting For The Conference Host To Join
ET - Employment Tribunal
DMH/H – Hospital, Darlington Memorial Hospital
CR/CF - changing room or facilities
IX - internal investigation
XX – cross examination

Don’t forget ‘bincident’!

AT - there wa sa narrative that they were getting changed in a room that opened onto a corridor, a patient side room, so I went to the DSU for the first time to see what was available for colleagues, Single lockable cubicle and lockers. Cubicle for changing and locker room for

AT - storage. Wanted to visualise for myself what was being said in the media was inadequate.
NF - and what you saw, 26 signatures to the letter, was a room you understood for lockers and a single cubicle for changing
AT - yes
NF - again, are you saying that was an adequate

If memory serves it often doesn't The new changing room was also not a SSS and theoretically Rose could have used it too?

Never thought I’d see someone who makes Andrew Letton look good

NF - facilities for them
AT - not saying adequate, just wanted to see for myself. No idea how dept works, just went to see facilities for myself. That was the purpose.
NF - did you satisfy yourself it was lawful to use those rooms for those women to change and store things?

I’m surprised that Rose didn’t turn up in there as well.

Thanks . I’ve being trying that with no luck 😢I might investigate the app and try that instead.

AT - whether rooms were lawful?
NF - bundle 863 - exchange of emails, from mr cook to claire gregory and others 16th Aug, cost from contractor to change meeting room being used to a hazard room. £9200 roughly. FOrmer manager office now being used as a CR. Thats the temp. locker

NF - room?
AT - no involvement - don't know which rooms they are talking of
NF - will pick upwith other witnesses. 24th Sept from Helen ? to others, Hi Sandra, cubicle can only accom 1 person, not compliant with fire regs in locker room. Discussions with staff going ahead

I don't know, I can't really judge how it's going BUT in the Fife case, it was one woman employee being ignored, here it is twenty-six being ignored!
That makes 'women don't matter' 26 times more obvious.

Very very ridiculous. Between all the things posted on TT there are ridiculously long pauses and for most of it his eyes are darting around, with a glum look on his puce-coloured face.

It could almost be an audition for a 00s-style mockumentary. He is giving vibes of the character on The Office who described his 'weaknesses' in an appraisal as "eczema".

So also dgaf that it was not up to regulation for fire safety.

Lovely

Last week we got “it was Easter” from SC, does that count?

He almost made the Alan Partridge shrug face…

He does seem to have given up on trying to justify what happened.

yes I noted that too
cubicle can only accom 1 person, not compliant with fire regs in locker room.

But it'll do..😠

Hmm. Uncanny.

He's definitely going to go for a mixed grill at a Harvester tonight, and use the sausage as a breakwater.

Yes. The “nope” and almost-shrug there was particularly telling.

Gosh shrug will go down well

It’s interesting that there seem to be more people in this trust pointing out this may not be wise.

NF - I read that as the temp locker room not compliant with fire regs. Aware?
AT - no
NF - sept 24, C case is that room was in use in July 25, presumably you can't say if work ever done
AT - not involved in email chains about the conversion
NF - time?
J - 4:30 finish? Done?

NF - not quite
J - also need to talk about the statements, continue
NF - to bundle - back in time a bit, exchange btwn you and Noel Scanlon
AT - former director of nursing, retired dec 24.
NF - where is he in structure
AT - Exec Direct
NF - board member?

Oh God I would love a read of the bundle - lots in there I am sure

It was that exactly.

His heart must have sank when NF said that he'd not be finishing cross-examination today.

Ooh, missed that.

Yep, I think that counts under the heading of 'seasonal fuck ups'