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Pressure is growing on the NHS to drop disciplinary action against a nurse suspended for misgendering a paedophile patient.

Dedicated Jennifer Melle faces the sack for breaching confidentiality after telling how she suffered sickening racial abuse at the hands of a bearded sex offender who she called "Mr".

Her hearing - scheduled for Tuesday - comes as the NHS is mired in controversy over its inability to accept biological sex.

A petition demanding single mother Ms Melle be reinstated by St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has gathered almost 10,000 signatures.

Tory MP Claire Coutinho, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, said: "We have created a hierarchy of diversity which means the right of a trans-identifying sex offender to be called 'she' is more important than the right of a dedicated nurse to believe in biological sex. This is clearly wrong."

Committed Christian Ms Melle, 40, was suspended on April 2 last year after chronicling the horrific onslaught she faced for indirectly referring to a male transgender paedophile as "Mr."

It is claimed she potentially breached the privacy of the 6ft trans-identifying male patient - a convicted sex offender - who arrived at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey, in May 2024, shackled to two guards from a men's prison for treatment for a urinary infection.

The patient, listed as male on medical records, was referred to as "Mr" and "he" while Ms Melle discussed the use of a catheter with a consultant. The Trust admitted his identity remains unknown.

When he was in for treatment she told the sex offender: "Sorry I cannot refer to you as 'her' or 'she' as it's against my faith and Christian values but I can call you by your name."

Ms Melle, an NHS nurse with an unblemished record for 13 years, claimed she was subjected to a racially and religiously motivated assault at which the aggressive patient lunged at her and repeatedly called her a "n*****".

She was subsequently referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and faces being struck off.

Her disciplinary hearing was set to be heard last month but was postponed at the eleventh hour by hospital bosses spooked by the outcry over her treatment.

Since then seven nurses won a landmark legal battle against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust which allowed a biological male trans woman to share their changing room and underdress in front of them.

That came after Sandie Peggie, a nurse working in Fife, Scotland, was found to have been harassed after complaining about sharing a changing room with transgender medic.

Ms Coutinho said: "Jennifer's case, as well as those of the Darlington Nurses and Sandie Peggie, serve as a warning.

"How many more women will face these investigations for stating the simple fact that biological sex is real?

"Our institutions have become so captured by radical trans ideology that Jennifer cannot be seen as the victim, despite the vile racist abuse she suffered.

"The treatment she has suffered because of radical trans ideology beggars belief. Common sense must prevail, and this dedicated nurse must be allowed to return to work as soon as possible."

In documents seen by the Express Miriam Phillip, Head of Quality at South West London Integrated Care Board, who carried out the internal investigation, said: "Although there is no evidence that Patient X was identified because of the disclosure, Jennifer Melle's actions breached the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Conduct, undermined Trust policies, and carried significant risks to confidentiality, patient trust, and professional standards."

Ugandan-born Ms Melle said: "I was racially abused in my workplace, and instead of protecting me, the Trust punished me. My Christian faith teaches me that sex is immutable. I should not be forced to deny that truth to keep my job. Nurses like me are left vulnerable while ideology trumps reality. This is not inclusion; it is discrimination."

In a letter ahead of her postponed showdown the Trust told her: "I must advise that following the conclusion of the hearing, a decision will be made as to what, if any, disciplinary action may be taken against you, up to and including dismissal."

The hearing comes as the NHS and wider public sector is engulfed in confusion and controversy despite the Supreme Court delivering an unequivocal ruling on April 16 that a woman was defined by biological sex under equality law.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) - regulator of the Equality Act - passed a revised code of practice to Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, on September 4. No decision has been made on whether the Government will accept it, and if it does, there's no indication of when it could come before Parliament.

The legal limbo means individual NHS trusts are free to decide which staff can use changing rooms, despite Health Secretary Wes Streeting promising to ensure "single-sex spaces are protected".

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Ms Melle, said: "Jennifer's case is not just about one nurse, it's about truth. It's about common sense. It's about the freedom to express truth in the workplace.

"The Supreme Court has made it clear that biological sex is legally recognised, yet institutions are ignoring binding law while clinging to ideological policies.

"Failure to stand with Jennifer sets a dangerous precedent: if professional bodies can disregard Supreme Court rulings and fail to protect the very people they were set up to look after then the rule of law itself is at risk.

"Jennifer's fight will determine whether legal rights mean anything in practice."

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Racial abuse of our staff is never acceptable, nor is discussing a patient's private medical information publicly. We are sorry that Ms Melle had this experience and we issued a written warning to this patient, but we expect all staff to maintain patient confidentiality at all times."