NHS Fife boss urged to resign as trans tribunal nurse Sandie Peggie cleared of misconduct

The chief executive and board of NHS Fife have been urged to resign after a nurse at the centre of a gender tribunal was cleared of misconduct.

Sandie Peggie, who worked at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, was accused of misconduct after she raised concerns around sharing the women’s changing rooms with Dr Beth Upton, who is transgender.

The nurse was suspended from her role in 2024 and had been accused of misconduct, failures of patient care and misgendering Dr Upton.

Ms Peggie’s suspension led to an employment tribunal, which is ongoing, in which the nurse launched a claim against Dr Upton and NHS Fife, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, harassment related to a protected belief, indirect discrimination and victimisation.

On Tuesday, NHS Fife said there was “insufficient evidence” to support a finding of misconduct against Ms Peggie.

Now NHS Fife chief executive Carol Potter is being urged to resign, along with the authority’s board.

Conservative MSP Tess White said: “They have lost complete confidence and trust from the Scottish public. If I was working in NHS Fife, I would be shocked – 80% of the employees at NHS Fife are women.

“If I were John Swinney, I’d finally accept that there is no trust and confidence in the board of NHS Fife.”

Both NHS Fife and the Scottish Government say it would be inappropriate to respond to the MSP’s comments while the employment tribunal is ongoing.

On Saturday, Sandie Peggie alleged her union, the Royal College of Nursing, failed to support her during her suspension from NHS Fife, claiming it “failed to act like a trade union”.

The RCN has denied these allegations, and said the union had responded to the claim.

The employment tribunal will continue in Dundee on Monday.