"Darlington Nurses" vs County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust Tribunal Thread 5

[ThreeWordHarpy]

Thread 1, 7-Oct to 23-Oct; pre-hearing discussion, KD (day 1 of evidence) and BH (day 2).
Thread 2, 23-Oct to 28-Oct; BH (day 2), CH, JP, MG (day 3&4), TH, SS, ST, LL (day 4), JS, AT (day 5)
Thread 3, 28-Oct to 29-Oct, AT (day 5&6), TA (day 6&7)
Thread 4, 29-Oct to 31-Oct, TA, AM (day 7) JB (day 8)

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 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 Seamus Sweeney
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
SW - Sue Williams, NHS Trust HR
KD – Karen Danson, first claimant to give evidence.
BH – Bethany Hutchison, claimant
AH – Alistair Hutchison, husband of Bethany
CH – Carly Hoy, claimant
JP – Jane Peveller, claimant
MG – Mary Anne (aka Annice) Grundy, claimant
TH – Tracy Hooper, claimant
SS – Siobhan Sinclair, witness for the claimants, retired from Trust
ST – Sharron Trevarrow, witness for the claimants, retired from Trust, former housekeeper and wellbeing officer
LL – Lisa Lockey, claimant
JP – Professor Jo Phoenix, expert witness
JS – Jane Shields, witness for the claimants
AT - Andrew Thacker, NHS trust Head of HR
TA – Tracy Atkinson, NHS trust HR.
AM – Andrew Moore, NHS Head of Workforce Experience
JB – Jillian Bailey, NHS Workforce Experience Manager

I noticed that strange tic.

Remarkably obstructive. She seems to be on a mission to undermine evidence that doesn't fit in with how she believes things ought to be.

Makes me think of Miranda saying "sex"

I don't understand why she doesn't use her locker and leaves her clothes on the windowsill instead.

She said she did but changes under the bench - whatever that means. More to the point I bet Rose doesn't prance around in his boxers when someone so many grades senior to him is in there....

I wonder why a man might be absolutely fixed on getting into a room where women are taking their clothes off, but a woman really not want to be in a room of undressed men.

Can't think.

TW No recollections of the anaesthetist XX or her husband
NF U had a mtg w Miss Watson, Beckett and JR on 20 Sept 23 on Teams to discuss Cx and issues re sharing the F CR w Rose
Yes
NF It was explained to Miss Bailey and others that Rose had apparently stopped hormone
TW There were rumbles about this. In my mind transitioning meant medically and I wasnt aware of RH taking hormones or not
NF JB has said that RH had publicly said had stopped hormones
TW No-one knew if this was true, but we didnt know

Or why we need to know! 😂

She's a BE KIINND Believer. I suspect binary niece syndrome.

Hmm, ‘certain views’ won’t change with education and awareness.

Oh the irony.

TT
14.15 onwards...

J Also received yr email and attachment but not opened it yet. Tracy Wainwright is next [affirms and organises witness table]
SC Have we done the affirmation?
J Yes SC Turn to p130, your witness statement. In para 13 you want to add re 28 Dec mtg want to add Jody ?Robertson

SC In para 21, u say u have read the allegation but isnt how u recorded it. Shld it read "I may have heard it"
TW It shld say "I knew of"
SC Confirms signature and accuracy. Please wait there.
NF About nursing bands being sep from HR?
TW Yes
NF Became theatre man 7 yrs ago

Yes
NF Previously clin team lead
Yes NF Are u an operational manager
TW I'm a band 7 clin lead for teams in theatre and involved in some clin team mgmt. Manage over 170 staff, shared with band 6s and 7s across various hospitals

TW We share betwn the 3 over 2 sites
NF How many in DGH
TW Depends on theatre activity
NF Most at DGH?
Yes as more theatres
NF U were sent other evidence by Jane Foster George
TW Yes, shes a band 6 anaes nurse
NF Where's the office? On the plan?
TW Yes

[new bundle]
NF Hold it up and in para ? you say being on shift with JR (Jane ?Robinson, JR) TW It's not v clear
NF Can u see where theatres are?
TW I've found it [points on the plan]
NF Have u been following evidence so far and read WS
TW Yes

NF Had u managed T staff before
TW Yes. I've worked w them in theatre but only in role since 2018
NF Were u aware where they'd change
TW The lady doing OPD changed in F CR. The other person when he started as M and became F after he'd left theatres and the hospital

NF You describe yr duties. Were u responsible health safety and welfare
TW Yes
NF Safeguarding
TW Everybody is
NF With Rose, used the F CR
Yes
NF Look at the plan, where was yr locker from 2023-5?
TW Here but I dont use it and my clogs go under the bench.

TW I put my clothes there [points] I tend to get changed under the bench
NF Has yr locker moved
TW Always been in the same place
NF By the time of 26 signatories, Rose had been using CR for some time
Yes
NF Had there been a discussion
TW RH came to us a student. We were informed she'd be using the F CR and had been since training and qualifying

TW Believe came from Teeside uni
NF When she started u werent involved in the CR decision
TW No
NF Can u remember when that was, began using CR
TW Sept 2019 when started training
NF Were u told she'd be using CR
SC I'm going to interupt here re timings

NF [sound poor]
TW That isnt what was said
NF Turn to p274, email y've received in July 23. Miss Smedley addresses HR or theatres. [reads re JB coming to discuss and Miss Watson says thanks. A month later is just theatres and not DSU, saying not got any further but other ppl concerned
Has TW given any advice?
Yes
NF Miss Smedley says agrees needs addressing. Another gap before she writes to all theatres saying has this been sorted. U reply on 22 Sept to say No, certain staff's views wont change w educ or awareness ![my emphasis]
TW I think so, it's a long time ago

Damn I have to run downstairs to punch the bread. Damn.

I'm getting someone to tie my hands into boxing gloves because otherwise I might continue posting.

Yes she is.

Is a rumble greater than, lesser than or equal to a concern?
Discuss

To be fair to TA , if she ever spoke to this witness I can understand why she may not understand what some of the issues were.

To be fair to TA , if she ever spoke to this witness I can understand why she may not understand what some of the issues were.

She is getting the hump!

I keep seeing terfs being referred to as 'swivel-eyed loons'. I can help but think this is projection.

can't goddammit

What does lots of blinking mean, in body language?

Asking for a witness.

NF U wrote this
TW Yes, I did
NF Arent u saying there's staff of yrs that dont get this
TW Its not what I said. I said dome ppl dont understand transitioning. it doesnt mean they have a problem w it
NF [rereads above] Then u say staff struggle and this member of stff isnt transitioning
TW What staff say outside...staff are struggling she's not transitioning
NF Y're RHs manager
I am
NF Y're not saying there's a rumour but because this staff isnt transitioning
TW I had no evidence but was told this
NF A lot of staff struggle w the CR

So much is said by this witness through non spoken communication.