A nurse is facing sack after calling a trans paedophile “Mr” at a disciplinary panel after discussing her case with journalists.
Jennifer Melle received a final written warning following an incident at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey, in May 2024, when she addressed the patient using male pronouns.
The individual, a convicted paedophile from a high-security men’s prison whose medical records listed them as male, was referred to as “Mr” by Ms Melle during a conversation about catheter use.
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust now alleges she violated patient confidentiality by speaking publicly about the matter, a claim she disputes.
The trust maintains she breached the Nursing and Midwifery Council code despite not identifying the patient by name or age.
According to Ms Melle’s account, she informed the patient: “Sorry, I cannot refer to you as ‘her’ or ‘she’, as it’s against my faith and Christian values, but I can call you by your name.”
She alleges the patient then launched a racially and religiously aggravated attack, lunging towards her and using a racial slur three times.
Despite the alleged assault, the nurse was subsequently reported to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for potential breaches of its conduct standards.
Jennifer Melle is facing sack after calling a trans paedophile ‘Mr’ | Christian Legal Centre
The NMC code stipulates that nurses must not express personal beliefs “in an inappropriate way”, including those held for religious reasons.
“I was quite disappointed that they were siding with the sex offender paedophile – I don’t think they were concerned about my feelings or how I was racially abused,” Ms Melle told GB News.
“I’m a very passionate nurse, and I love my job. For 12 years of my nursing, I’ve always enjoyed my job and never had any complaints,” she said.
Ms Melle, described as a black Christian nurse with an unblemished service record, has lodged an employment tribunal claim against the trust alleging harassment and discrimination.
NHS nurse Jennifer Melle was racially abused and attacked by the individual
|
GB NewsShadow equalities minister Claire Coutinho has initiated a petition at SaveJennifer.com in an eleventh-hour bid to prevent the nurse’s dismissal.
Ms Coutinho warned the nurse “could lose her job at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday despite doing nothing wrong”.
Ms Melle, a single mother, said she was “deeply moved” by the support, adding: “This petition shows that people of all parties believe in fairness and truth.”
“I have always sought to provide the highest standard of care to every patient, but I cannot compromise reality or my faith.
“I pray that the Trust will do the right thing and allow me to return to the job I love,” the long-serving nurse told The Telegraph.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is backing Ms Melle’s legal case, said: “Jennifer has suffered at the hands of the NHS for nothing more than believing and expressing the truth, that men are men and women are women, rooted in her Christian faith.”
A spokesperson for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust stated: “Racial abuse of our staff is never acceptable, nor is discussing a patient’s private medical information publicly.”
The trust added: “We are sorry that Miss Melle had this experience and we issued a written warning to this patient, but we expect all staff to maintain patient confidentiality at all times.”