"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

"My Aunt Wainwright, a greying, portly woman whose face maintained an expression of permanent disapprobation except when her gaze fell upon my cousin Rose, was prone to portentous announcements regarding the Rumbles - which, in my childish innocence, I took to be a family in the neighbouring property, rather than the digestive complaints with which she in fact suffered."

I'm concerned you feel concerned that my answer does not address your concern. I'm also concerned you haven't yet set up the meeting to address all concerns with all concerned parties (except the nurses, let's not concern ourselves with their input).

Once the meeting is over you'll receive my concerns about your actual question attached to a pigeons leg some time in March 2026.

Genius!

(Sorry, that was in reaction to whoever said she was Dickensian. 😂)

Like a University Challenge sorta thing.

That witness was a real DUFF DUFF DUFF moment to end on.

TT

J Just one matter TW to do with JD's witness statement on p198. In para 34 if you read that and over the page into next para.
TW Sorry, I don't think I'm in the right place [finds it]
J To the end of the sentance about speaking to anyone else about it. JB is suggesting to speak to Rose

Came up earlier that this was an NHS Trust with a reputation for bullying, didn't it? I'm not finding that very surprising.

It’s sensitive, i say!

To those not watching you are missing the most amazing facial expressions depending on whether the witness likes the question or not.

TT

J She's suggesting u didnt want to speak to Rose and that no-one shld
TW It's a v sensitive thing
J Does JB have this right
TW Yes
J It's v sensitive. We'd like to understand why no-one shld speak to her. Why do u think it shldnt be right

She was too chicken to man up.

Sensitive is replacing concerning

JB? sorry please remind me someone

Lesbians needs air quotes does it?

Jillian Bailey - EDI Lead

TT

TW It's a very sensitive discussion. What the rumours are. I wldnt have felt comfy asking those Qs of anyone
J Cldnt it be done in a sensitive manner
TW probabaly it cld have been done in a sensitive manner
J So nobody had a discussion w Rose

Jillian the EDI woman.

I do wonder what it is that I don't understand about transgender, which if only I understood it would make me unconcerned about sharing a women's changing room with a male?

And I can't help wishing that TW had been encouraged to spell it all out in detail. Would have done for Darlington what Kirrin Medcalfe did for Garden Court Chambers.

TT

TW We were ve busy. Lots of staff v unhappy with what RH was being put thru. Lots of unrest and support for Rose. Lesbians asking if they had to leave the CR J I understand lots of positions and rumblings, but no-one spoke to Rose

Must be exhausting all this walking on eggshells!

Whaaaat?? Why are we bringing lesbians in?

This is very much giving me "Dave can't have beat the shit out of his wife as he always makes me a coffee at work" vibes

I bet he was happy. He was getting his own way.

Jo Phoenix is going to be glorious, isn't she!