A former friend of nurse Sandie Peggie has alleged that she referred to a transgender doctor as “it” and “asked for pictures of that weirdo”, a tribunal heard.
Ms Peggie was suspended after she complained about having to share a changing-room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on Christmas Eve 2023.
She was placed on special leave after Dr Upton made an allegation of bullying and harassment, and cited concerns about “patient care”.
Ms Peggie has lodged a claim against NHS Fife and Dr Upton, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment; harassment related to a protected belief; indirect discrimination; and victimisation.
Lindsey Nicoll, an emergency nurse practitioner who became friends with Ms Peggie in 2010 and began holidaying with her in 2017, said the veteran nurse would use racial slurs and posted jokes about floods in Pakistan which killed 3,000 people into a “Benidorm group chat” in 2017.
Ms Nicoll said that in 2024 the pair were at an airport when Ms Peggie allegedly saw a group of women wearing burkas and appeared “disgusted”, the tribunal heard.
The witness said that after the trip she removed herself from the group chat and explained she “wouldn’t be spending time in Sandie’s company”.
Ms Nicoll alleged that at a lunch on September 4 2023, Ms Peggie referred to Dr Upton as “it” and “weirdo”, the tribunal heard.
Ms Nicoll said: “I can distinctively remember her saying ‘weirdo’ at lunch.”
She said that in February 2024 her ex-friend had posted in a group chat “well it appears official, Sandie Peggie vs Beth Upton”, and that Ms Peggie had inadvertently messaged someone in error “asking for photos of that weirdo”, the tribunal heard.
Asked about a message sent by Ms Peggie which read “can you post a picture of that weirdo”, Ms Nicoll said: “I obviously didn’t realise the weirdo she was referring to was Beth.”
She said that Dr Upton was mentioned at the lunch “immediately”, the tribunal heard.
The witness said: “She started talking about a doctor who had been working in A&E about three or four weeks, she was really angry about the doctor being there, referring to the doctor as ‘weirdo’; ‘it’; ‘him’.
“I remember someone saying ‘why can’t you live and let live?’ She seemed full of anger and hate about this doctor who she had only just met.”
During cross-examination by Ms Peggie’s lawyer, Naomi Cunningham, the witness agreed she was aware of allegations Dr Upton had “caused chaos” in a previous job including allegedly complaining about being misgendered by dementia patients and admitted patient confidentiality could have been breached in the group chat, the tribunal heard.
Ms Cunningham said: “Do you agree your regulator places some stress on confidentiality, so sharing patient details, chatting about patients by name on a chat like this would be breach of regulations?”
Ms Nicoll said: “Yes, it would.”
The witness provided 10 jokes shared by Ms Peggie regarding flooding in Pakistan, branding them “racist”, but admitted posting a laughing emoji when Ms Peggie posted saying “Sorry folks if that makes me racist”, the tribunal heard.
Ms Nicoll said she may have “enabled” Ms Peggie and that it was “likely” she had behaved as alleged towards Dr Upton, describing her as “rude” and “bigoted”, the court heard.
Other users of the group chat posted jokes including about the adult baby diaper loving community, the tribunal heard.
Ms Cunningham said: “Do you disagree you were the only member of the Benidorm group who disagrees with Sandie’s stance?”
The witness said: “My reason for feeling the way I do is to do with Sandie’s views and how she likely behaved to the doctor. I accept everyone has got different views about being in a changing room with a transgender person.”
The witness denied she was “hostile” to Ms Peggie but added: “It’s something I certainly felt strongly about and felt I needed to do.”
Messages written by Ms Nicoll were shared, including: “She’s a fanny who is going to end up with a massive payout, I hope she’s struck off”, and “if anyone was to ask for statement about Sandie’s character I would do it. She should be struck off, I hope she is”, the tribunal heard.
Ms Cunningham said she was “attempting to end Sandie’s career”, but the witness said she felt there was no place for “bigotry” in nursing.
The witness said: “I’ve watched her stare in disgust at people walking through an airport in burkas, I’ve heard her calling a transgender woman a weirdo, and I don’t think it’s acceptable, no.”
She added: “I think it’s important for people to understand Sandie’s character, the bigoted racism that Sandie is all for. I don’t think there is a place for it in nursing. I think we should be showing people compassion and empathy, and respect, and I don’t think Sandie does that.”
Ms Peggie will be recalled at the hearing on Tuesday for further questions.
The tribunal continues.
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