Rose and Bethany are both women and they both work for the same NHS and they both use the same changing room in their hospital. However, Rose is transgender and Bethany vocally objects to Rose using the same changing room as her. When asked about this by reporters, Bethany calls Rose a ‘man’.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council who regulate Bethany have clear guidance on dignity, respect, inclusion and discrimination.

We believe that Bethany's behaviour goes against the code of ethics for an NHS nurse who is supposed to respect all people equally as a healthcare professional - we call for zero tolerance of this kind of behaviour in our NHS.

If you feel that these behaviours are not acceptable in our NHS then you can add your support right here and Stop Hate Now.

The NHS and the healthcare professionals that work within it are dedicated to caring for people with compassion, every individual - be it a patient, like you or me, or a healthcare colleague (in this case called Rose) - everyone deserves respect, empathy and dignity. Because one day we will likely all need the help of the NHS at maybe the worst time in our life. Let’s ensure that we keep the NHS a place where everyone is cared for equally and can work diligently without harassment to achieve this aim.

Sadly, recent events have highlighted a very troubling deviation from these, our core values.

We need to ensure that our NHS doesn’t falter and allow prejudice, hate, discrimination and disrespect inside our hospitals, GP surgeries and clinics. Let's Stop Hate Now by signing this petition!

They are publicly funded and available to us all - let's keep them as spaces that are safe and where mutual acceptance and respect is thriving!

The Incident:

On April 3, 2025, Nursing Times reported an incident when the President of the Darlington Nursing Union, Nurse Bethany Hutchison allegedly misgendered her colleague Rose Henderson, publicly stating:

"We are nurses … and … want to be afforded the dignity of getting dressed and undressed for work without a man present."

Ms Hutchinson’s statement was directed at Rose, her NHS colleague, who happens to be transgender. For the president of the local nursing union, a figure of authority in a care setting, which should be safe, to be blatantly disregarding her colleague’s affirmed gender identity and equating her to a man is unacceptable.

Rose is a woman. It is not only disrespectful but risks fostering a harsh environment in which discrimination and transphobia can exist in our NHS.

Why This Matters:

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) upholds a Code of Professional Standards for a reason - to protect patients, healthcare colleagues and the reputation of our nurses. In this code they emphasise:

• Treating people with kindness, respect, and compassion (1.1 of the NMC Code).
  
  
• Acting with honesty and integrity, ensuring fairness without discrimination, bullying, or harassment (20.2 of the NMC Code).
  
  
• Making sure you do not express your personal beliefs (including political, religious or moral beliefs) to people in an inappropriate way (20.7 of the NMC Code)
  
  
• Respecting and upholding people's human's rights (1.5 of the NMC Code)

Ms. Hutchison's public comments appear to us to violate these core principles, potentially eroding public trust in the nursing profession and jeopardising the creation of a safe, inclusive environment for all.

Legal Perspective:

In Forstater v CGD Europe [2021], the courts clarified that while individuals may hold gender-critical beliefs, this does not grant them the right to misgender, discriminate against, or harass transgender individuals with impunity. Ms. Hutchison's statement seems to contravene this legal standard.

We are asking you to:

Join us in formally requesting that the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Fitness to Practise Directorate investigate Nurse Bethany Hutchison for potential breaches of professional conduct.

Sign this petition to protect your NHS from being a place that allows bullying, discrimination and hate inside its walls!  Advocate for:

• Upholding professional standards that ensure respect and dignity for all.
  
  
• Fostering an NHS (healthcare environment) free from apparent discrimination and bias.
  
  
• Holding professionals accountable for actions that risk undermining inclusivity and trust.

Your signature sends a powerful message that discrimination has no place in our NHS or any healthcare setting.

View the Letter to the NMC

Together, we can champion an NHS where every individual - regardless of gender identity - is treated with the respect and compassion they deserve. 

SIGN THE PETITION NOW!