Eight nurses are suing their employer for sexual harassment and sex discrimination because of a policy which allows trans women to use their women’s changing rooms.

The legal action began after 26 nurses wrote to County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust raising their concerns in March.

The nurses, who work at Darlington Memorial Hospital, must change in and out of their scrubs twice a day with no private cubicles.

They claim some international nurses wanted to sign the letter but were too worried about having their visas revoked and losing their jobs.

Bethany Hutchison, one of the claimants, says they have felt unsafe as a result of a male staff member who identifies as a woman and has not transitioned.

She said: “There’s been occasions where I’ve been in the changing room alone with this colleague who looks very masculine and that was a real shock because you feel you want to challenge them, you think, ‘Oh there’s a man in the changing room’ but you can’t because of the trust’s policy.”

Read more: Transgender people may be treated in own room if patients request single-space wards

Nurses ‘need to be re-educated’

One of the nurses who has objected to the hospital’s policy is a woman who was the victim of sexual abuse and says the presence of this trans colleague in an enclosed space triggers her PTSD.

Another of the women, Lisa Lockey, told Sky News: “We’re just ordinary nurses. Is it too much to ask for a private changing room where you feel comfortable?”

Lisa says their ward manager was called into a meeting with HR and senior hospital bosses and told that the nurses needed to be “re-educated”.

The situation has escalated, with Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has been highly vocal on trans issues, and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, posting in support of the nurses.

The Labour spokesperson said on X: “I support the nurses and I’m horrified that they’ve had to resort to legal action. We’ve got to find a better way through this and I’d be happy to meet them. We’ve got to find a way through that treats people with respect and respects women’s safe spaces”.

The nurses are being supported in their litigation by the Christian Legal Centre.

Ambiguity in the Equality Act 2010

Its chief executive Andrea Williams says: “This case and the Cass Review demonstrate how transgender ideology has led to a public health crisis, not only for vulnerable children and for patients on wards, but now also for NHS staff who are just trying to do their job.”

Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal to discriminate against anyone because of their sex. Some interpret sex as referring strictly to biological sex, while others believe it also applies to transgender people who have a gender recognition certificate.

The Conservatives have said they would amend the Equality Act so that it is clear, in this context, that it only applies to biological sex.

They hope this would prevent trans women from accessing single-sex spaces such as changing rooms. Keir Starmer says the Equality Act doesn’t need to change but says he’s committed to protecting single sex spaces.

Fear is hurting everyone

Balancing the rights of transgender people and women has been a heated topic throughout this election campaign but Cleo Madeline, head of public engagement at transgender charity Gendered Intelligence, says people need to be more accepting of trans people.

“Including transgender people isn’t hurting anyone, what’s hurting everyone is this fear that has been stirred up and that’s not just hurting transgender people it’s hurting everybody,” Cleo said.

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said: “The trust would like to emphasise that at this stage the claims being made are allegations which need to be fully investigated and reviewed.

“The trust has initiated this through its internal processes and this work continues. However, as the allegations are now also subject to active legal action, it would not be appropriate for the trust to comment further at this stage.”

There is an “alarmingly high” level of the E.coli bacteria in the section of the River Thames used for next week’s Henley Royal Regatta, making it unsafe for swimming, an anti-pollution campaign group has warned. 

Around 4,000 rowers will try to qualify for the regatta, which has taken place along the waterway since 1839, with the first of around 400 races taking place on Tuesday.

Henley and Marlow River Action Group tested the water 27 times between 23 May and 25 June, finding an average of 1,213 E.coli colony forming units (CFUs) per 100ml of water.

Anything higher than 900 CFUs per 100ml fails the Environment Agency’s inland bathing water quality standards, meaning it is unsafe for swimming.

River Action Group said the highest figure, recorded on 19 June, was 25,000 CFU, more than 27 times the acceptable limit and it was not included in their report.

The second highest reading reached 8,001 on 16 June.

River Action said that almost half (47%) of its measurements taken in Fawley Meadows, where effluent from the Henley sewage treatment works enters the river and where racegoers can hire hospitality chalets to watch the races, were above 900 CFU/100 ml.

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Thames Water, the water company responsible for sewage along the Henley stretch of the Thames, says its monitoring has found E.coli levels in the Henley area at a level the Environment Agency would deem as “good” when the conditions are dry and said spikes only occurred on four days in May and June after rainfall.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: “What these laboratory tested results show so far is that E.coli levels in the Henley stretch of the Thames are consistently achieving levels the Environment Agency would deem as ‘Good’ for bathing waters, during dry conditions.

“There have been two days in May and two days in June where there were spikes in the readings following rainfall. Notably, our Sewage Treatment Works in the area have not released untreated effluent since 14 May, demonstrating that multiple sources are likely to have contributed to these elevated readings, which could include farming, industry, road runoff and wildlife.”

It accused River Action of taking “an alarmist approach that tries to apportion blame”.

The warning comes three months after rowers on the Oxford University crew complained of feeling sick and seeing “poo in the water” as they lost the Boat Race, further along the Thames, in London after warnings about pollution levels in the river before the event.

Regatta organisers have advised rowers to cover cuts, grazes, and blisters with waterproof dressings, try not to swallow river water, wear suitable footwear when launching or recovering a boat, and clean all equipment thoroughly.

E.coli, which is found in faeces and can survive in the environment, can cause a range of infections including urinary tract infection, cystitis, intestinal infection, stomach cramps, bloody diarrhoea, and vomiting.

Some strains can lead to life-threatening sepsis requiring urgent medical attention.

Water pollution has been a major talking point during the election campaign, with the Lib Dems promising to protect chalk streams and bathing areas from sewage dumping, while Labour have pledged to block bonuses to water company bosses “until they have cleaned up their filth”.

The Conservatives have said they have introduced legal requirements for water companies to reduce discharges and increased levels of investment.

Jay Slater’s mother has said the family are working with GoFundMe to withdraw some of the £36,000 that has been raised since the teenager disappeared.

Debbie Duncan, posting on the “Get Jay Slater Home” page which has been set up on the crowdfunding platform, said the money would be used to “support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay“.

She also said the money would be used to help cover accommodation and food expenses while the family are out in Tenerife helping to search for the 19-year-old.

Ms Duncan, who is on the Spanish island with Mr Slater’s father and brother, added that “part of these funds” will also be used to fly out the “loved ones” of the “wonderful people who are by my side” so that “we can support each other during these dark times”.

The fundraiser which was set up to support Mr Slater’s family had raised more than £36,400 by this morning.

Ms Duncan posted her update on the GoFundMe page as the search for her son entered its 11th day.

‘Not losing hope’

She wrote: “It’s difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now, but we are not losing hope that we will find Jay and return home together.

“We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held.

“I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.

“Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.

“I’m surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we’ll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times.”

She also thanked those who had sent “kind messages” and donations, adding: “This means the world to us.”

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Ms Duncan and her son’s friends have been at the centre of conspiracy theories on social media since the teenager disappeared.

The construction company which employs Mr Slater shared a post on Facebook earlier today urging people to stop sending them “cruel” emails and to stop posting theories online.

‘Cruel’ online messages

PH Build Group wrote: “These people are trying to ruin people’s lives and businesses (while) sat behind a screen looking for attention.

“Everyone may have their own theories and feelings but to publicly post them knowing you are going to hurt people is just cruel.

“Jay’s family shouldn’t have to endure this.”

Mr Slater, an apprentice bricklayer, had been holidaying with friends in southern Tenerife before travelling to the northwestern mountain village of Masca with two people he met at the NRG music festival on Sunday 16 June.

The teenager, from Oswaldtwistle near Blackburn in Lancashire, told a friend over the phone at 8.30am the following morning that he was walking back to his holiday accommodation after missing a bus – a journey that would take 11 hours on foot.

He also said he was lost, in need of water, and only had 1% charge on his phone.

The last person to see Mr Slater was Masca resident Ofelia Medina Hernandez who spoke to the teenager on Monday 17 June.

Ms Hernandez said she told him a bus was due at 10am as he seemingly hoped to get back to his accommodation.

However, he set off walking – and she said she later drove past him while he was “walking fast”.