UK authorities close case against Christian nurse

Britain’s Nursing and Midwifery Council closed its investigations into Christian nurse Jennifer Melle, 41, after a controversy over her use of pronouns, the Christian Legal Centre said Monday. Melle in 2024 used male pronouns when referring to a male patient, a convicted pedophile who identified as a woman, according to the legal nonprofit. Her employers submitted two complaints to the council, one over her use of pronouns and one involving an accusation of breaching confidentiality, since she spoke to the media about her case.

The council determined that Melle was not acting maliciously toward the patient, but used his pronouns in an isolated incident as a protected expression of her Christian faith. Officials also noted that Melle made statements to the media because she believed she had no internal route to address her concerns. The council found her fit to practice medicine, according to the Christian Legal Centre.

How has Melle reacted? Melle said she was relieved and grateful, but that her suspension and punishment never should have happened, according to the Christian Legal Centre. The council’s decision to close its investigations marked an end to Melle’s struggles with regulatory authorities over the incident. Her employers settled with her in April after a more than 10-month legal battle. She returned to work in February after months of suspension.

Dig deeper: Read my report on the settlement between Melle and her employers.