Healthcare-workers and transgender clients: Mackereth

And just in case you thought we’d given up doing proper law…

In Dr David Mackereth v The Department for Work and Pensions & Anor [2019] ET 1304602/2018, Dr Mackereth had been recruited by Advanced Personnel Management Group (’APM’) as a Health and Disabilities Assessor (‘HAD’) on behalf of the DWP [3]. He was contracted to assess individuals on behalf of the DWP who were contemplating, undergoing or had undergone gender reassignment. However, as a result of his Christian beliefs he refused, in conscience, to refer to clients using the pronoun of their choice – as the DWP required. It later became apparent the issue also extended to styles and titles of address [8]. He was suspended and, ultimately, sacked [17]. Continue reading