Nurse loses crucifix ban claim at employment tribunal

A nurse has lost her claim that being asked to remove her crucifix on the wards amounted to religious discrimination after a tribunal ruled that her employer, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospitals NHS Trust, had acted in a reasonable manner.

Shirley Chaplin, from Exeter, was moved to desk job after refusing her employer's request to remove her a crucifix necklace whilst working on the hospital's wards. The trust's uniform code prohibits staff working with patients from wearing necklaces in case patients attempt to grab them.

The trust told the tribunal that they offered to allow Mrs Chaplin to wear her cross pinned inside a lapel or within a pocket, but Mrs Chaplin said that being asked to hide her cross in this way was “disrespectful” and claimed that her treatment amounted to both direct and indirect discrimination on religious grounds.

In a statement, Jane Viner, the trust's Acting Director of Nursing, said: "These were very serious allegations of direct and indirect discrimination and we're satisfied that the tribunal has completely dismissed them."

Mrs Chaplin, who is scheduled to return to work on Wednesday, told the BBC that said she would continue to wear her crucifix on duty. She also said that she intends to appeal against the decision.