"Darlington Nurses" vs County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust Tribunal Thread 6

[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)
Thread 5, 31-Oct to 04-Nov; JB (day 8), SW, CG, JR (day 9)

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, NHS 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
AT – Anna Telfer, NHS Deputy Director of Nursing
SW – Sandra Watson, Matron for General and Elective Surgery
JR – Jodie Robinson, manager of Rose

@ThreeWordHarpy maybe she doesn't want her name publicised outside the ET?

Fuck sake Rebecca.

TT

NF you say you avoided as to ‘avoid bigotry and hatred against me’
RH I was looking for trolleys.
NF But you say had a reason for just turning up on the ward
RH don’t recall it happened many times.

NF you say you avoided as to ‘avoid bigotry and hatred against me’ -
not much room for understanding his female colleagues' concerns, is there?😒

Maybe she should take more care when listening to live legal proceedings while walking the dog?

TT

NF ‘looks’ ?
RH I didn’t know who any staff were.
NF you ended up at DSU
RH I went range of places and coordinator suggested that.
NF why not go elsewhere?
RH DSU closer

these poor women having to share a changing room with him.

She has a dog called Patrick? unusual...
edited cos I've just thought of 'Pat the dog' taking on new meaning😄

I am getting liar liar pants on fire vibes

TT

NF you say I went to SEAL and there was a nurse there.
RH she took me to ward 14. I was accompanied by the nurse. I was given one

Just between meetings trying to catch up before next one. Wonder when lunch will be.

look forward to views on what I’ve missed!

It's the rapid blinking.

TT

NF we’ve heard before that you asked for a consent form and she said we don’t have paediatric ones .
RH no I got one
NF you came back with Ms Henderson. Same day you met two DSU nurses in corridor and again gave them a hard stare.
RH I had to reason to give them a hard stare

TT

NF some weeks later, posters were put up. Please go to interview you gave during investigation. (Reads)

"RH I had to reason to give them a hard stare"

What? Like Paddington?

NF .... Same day you met two DSU nurses in corridor and again gave them a hard stare.
What is a hard stare? how can it be proven? isn't it very objective subjective?
Not sure that it's a useful point to make.
edited to correct objective

Lunch!

I’m not watching but I’m guessing “to” is “no”?

😡at judge

I'm not sure if I can continue watching the self-satisfied "why would I give anyone a hard stare" smirking creep

(Posting in break - not live, not a transcript, just notes of interesting parts with commentary on what we are seeing as observers)

Rose looks fresh faced and lightly made up, and poised, sitting with hands clasped in front of him. Wearing a flowy fabric blouse cinched at waist, and feminine looking glasses with thin gold sides. Small gold pendant necklace on thin chain that isn't quite long enough for pendant to fall below neck. Well-spoken with very male voice.

RH: never occured to him that using CR would be a risk, or frighten or embarass women. Confirms with surprised expression. Sips water delicately, with massive hand and giant tattoed arm.

It's quite surreal to watch. Tbf, on slightly fuzzy screen, when looking at side profile with hair swept over, he coud be mistaken for a woman. Until he speaks.

NF: Did you consider their perspective, what was upsetting them?

RH: Yes I did wonder why now

NF: That's not quite the same thing

God, I feel so angry with him and wish he had been made a respondent.

His voice has dropped even lower now. Not under particular stress, just seems to have run out of steam.

Smug, smirky headshake when asked if continued attendance at DSU was defiance.

NF: more than not avoiding (reads RH's evidence)
RH: Gruff voice, beigerent tone, clipped words when defending mutiple visits to DSU 'to check for troleys'

NF: gave evil looks?

RH: innocent shocked face. Smugly says not in the business of leveling evil looks (whie looking domineering and speaking in clipped tones)

NF: Jane Peveler's uncontested evidence re RH's request for consent form 2 that they don't have on DSU as is for paeds. Displayed amusement when saw BH

RH: (smiling now as he answers ) may have found something else amusing not BH

RH is looking only at NF to respond and I wonder if it's deliberate so tribunal aren't seeing his smarmy expression or bald patch?

As he reads the notes with head down, his hair looks so weird. It is washed and blow dried and looks like normal fine thin hair, excepy for a weird tuft in the midde high forehead, that is side swept into a clumpy fringe that is thicker than the rest of the hair.

Break for lunch. Back at 2.

My thoughts on Rose now that we are on a break:

• Arrogant prick

• Just started using the female changing room without consulting anyone and without considering the possibility that some women would have an issue with his presence

• Incredibly self aware of his movements and utterly performative….there is nothing natural about the way he holds himself

• Well rehearsed answers

• Same hairdresser as IW

• Smug and exceptionally pleased with himself

TT

NF 18 November 2024. You were asked about the posters. You say the first I saw was a photo on social media. You say I rang and asked for it to be taken down. Did you know who put poster up. You say good intentions?
RH I don’t know who but there were a few people who were supportive.
J we’ll have lunch now. Resume at 2pm. Orderly exit from the room please.

I disagree the judge has been welcoming to witnesses even warning them about the flimsy water cups.

Judge directed the observers in the room to leave first. That is the first time I have heard him do that!