Overview
- Jennifer Melle arrived Tuesday for a closed Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust meeting that could lead to dismissal, with a decision not guaranteed the same day.
- Her case follows a May 2024 encounter in which she used male pronouns for a transgender patient and later reported racial abuse; she received a written warning and the trust warned the patient over threatening and racist language.
- After she spoke to the press in 2025, the trust suspended her on full pay, citing concerns the patient could be identified and reminding staff of confidentiality duties.
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council was notified and has been reported to view her as a potential risk under its code, and she has an Employment Tribunal claim listed for April.
- Supporters, including cross-party MPs and campaigners, rallied outside the venue as a petition hosted by the Conservative Party urged the trust to drop the action, drawing on recent tribunal rulings in Darlington and Fife for context.