A trans doctor has denied trying to end a nurse’s unblemished career as punishment for objecting to the medic’s use of a female changing room.
Dr Beth Upton, 29, said she was not interested in seeking vengeance against the nurse who challenged her use of the female-only space.
Sandie Peggie has taken Dr Upton and NHS Fife to an employment tribunal and has claimed being made to change next to the trans medic amounted to harassment under the Equality Act.
Dr Upton has made allegations of occasions where Mrs Peggie is said to have impacted patient safety – ones which she denies – but only raised them after being challenged in the female changing rooms by the nurse.
And yesterday Naomi Cunningham, Mrs Peggie’s lawyer, told the medic: ‘You have done your very best to end Sandie Peggie’s unblemished 30 year career as a nurse as punishment for defying you.’
But the doctor insisted she was not interested in ending Mrs Peggie’s career or having her kicked out of the hospital, but was interested in justice.
It came towards the end of a marathon run of evidence for Dr Upton, who has been subject to Ms Cunningham’s cross-examination for three days.
Mrs Peggie, 50, was suspended from work following Dr Upton making an allegation of bullying against her after an incident in the female changing room.
Dr Upton had been given permission to use the women’s room at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, by managers when they started working there in August 2023.
Mrs Peggie had encountered the trans woman doctor on three separate occasions, and the nurse waited in the corridor after the first two.
But on Christmas Eve 2023, the third incident, Mrs Peggie challenged Dr Upton on her use of the bathroom.
The exact nature of the interaction and what was said is disputed.
Ms Cunningham accused Dr Upton of ‘bullying’ Mrs Peggie by using the female changing room, and that the bullying was because ‘you’re male and she’s female’.
But the doctor said she disagreed, and said: ‘I’m not a man, it’s not bullying to get changed in a changing room which you have been advised to get changed in.’
During the closing parts of Dr Upton’s evidence, the tribunal was told Mrs Peggie was protesting against the violation of privacy during their final changing room encounter.
Ms Cunningham said it was ‘all about punishing her’ for standing up to the medic when she ‘harassed’ Mrs Peggie.
But Dr Upton strongly disputed this, and told the tribunal: ‘I didn’t harass her, she harassed me.
‘I stood my ground and tried to defuse the situation. I’m not interested in punishing Sandie for this.
‘I’m not interested in punishment, I’m not interested in vengeance, I’m not interested in retribution, I’m interested in justice.’
Dr Upton said she was ‘surprised’ to find out Mrs Peggie had been suspended, but was told it was a ‘neutral act to protect the investigation’.
The medic told of the potential consequences tribunal findings could have on her career, and at the end of evidence said: ‘I feel afraid and upset for myself and every other trans person in this country and world trying to live as themselves.’
The tribunal, which is being held in Dundee, continues.