Sandie Peggie announces second legal action against NHS Fife over further allegations in Dr Beth Upton case

Lawyers for Sandie Peggie have announced new proceedings involving the health board, two doctors employed by the health board and a nurse manager.

Margaret Gribbon, solicitor for Ms Peggie, confirmed the move on Wednesday morning, saying the action related to harassment and victimisation.

She said further legal action was also being considered against other NHS Fife employees.

For this second round of action, senior managers Dr Kate Searle, Dr Maggie Currer and Esther Davidson were made aware on August 6. Their responses are expected in the next fortnight.

Ms Gribbon said: “The claim arises from these senior managers’ opposition to the decision by another Fife health board (FHB) manager in March 2024 to lift Sandie’s suspension.

“Sandie only became aware of this matter when the suspension review manager gave evidence at her tribunal hearing in July.”

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The employment tribunal centres on an altercation on Christmas Eve 2023 when Ms Peggie and Dr Beth Upton, who was born male, but identifies as a woman, were both in a woman’s changing room in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

Accounts of the dispute differ, but Ms Peggie was placed on administrative leave before being suspended and put through a disciplinary process before all allegations against her were dropped by NHS Fife. Meanwhile, the nurse began employment tribunal proceedings for harassment and discrimination.

The new claim is one of alleged harassment and victimisation under the Equality Act 2010 relating to Ms Peggie’s gender critical beliefs. It is a separate legal case from her ongoing claim against NHS Fife and Dr Upton.

A statement said further claims of harassment and victimisation would also be lodged in the coming months on Ms Peggie’s behalf against NHS Fife and possibly other NHS Fife employees.

The statement said: “These additional claims relate to the decision to subject Sandie to a disciplinary hearing process and the issuing of a FHB media statement on July 18, 2025.”

NHS Fife’s solicitors have been asked to confirm the names of employees who authorised the media statement in order that consideration can be given to raising legal proceedings against them as individuals.

Since July 19, 2025, the health board has failed to respond to repeated written requests to disclose the names.

NHS Fife’s internal communications policy states that all press releases must be approved by Corporate Communications, the relevant executive director and chief executive before release.

The health board was branded "irresponsible" by Ms Peggie’s lawyers after publishing a lengthy statement online in July, which it subsequently edited multiple times.

Scotland's information watchdog criticised the health board’s "petulant tone" and said the body would investigate whether to report NHS Fife for contempt of court.

The Scotsman also asked the health board for information on who wrote and approved the statement, as well as for copies of earlier drafts and internal correspondence relating to it. However, NHS Fife refused to provide this, citing Freedom of Information exemptions.

The statement of July 18 sought to defend its actions in relation to the employment tribunal.

The health board said the debate around the tribunal had “evolved into much more worrying behaviour, including a threat of physical harm and sexual violence”.

An earlier version of the statement referred to the wider involvement of the campaign group Sex Matters, which is supporting Ms Peggie, but this was later removed.

A note was added saying the board was “not seeking to suggest that Sex Matters have contributed to the behaviour or issues mentioned”, before this addition was itself removed.

NHS Fife has been approached for comment.