Christian doctor ‘chose’ to leave his job over trans pronoun row

Dr David Mackereth, the Christian doctor who claims he was dismissed for refusing to use transgender pronouns, chose to leave his job, an employment tribunal has heard.

The Department for Work and Pensions and an employment agency, Advanced Personnel Management (APM), are defending a claim against the doctor, who says he was discriminated against because his religious belief means he cannot use a preferred pronoun for a transgender client.

Mackereth, who has worked as a doctor for 30 years, earlier told the tribunal that he was dismissed because he would not refer to “any six-foot tall bearded man” as “madam”.

However his manager, James Owen, said Dr Mackereth chose to leave his job assessing the health and disability of benefits claimants.

The doctor claims that no effort was made to accommodate his religious beliefs, such as referring transgender clients to another doctor.

The BBC reported yesterday that Owen said he had a meeting with Dr Mackereth and “respected his wishes not to work” in June 2018.

In a written statement Owen said he “asked the claimant if he would respect the customer’s wish to be referred to by their chosen sexuality and name and would he convey that in his written report.

“The claimant categorically stated that he would not do that due to his beliefs and he could not put that in a report as his conscience would not allow that.”

Owen said “at no point was David suspended from work,” adding that the doctor had “left work because he chose to do so”.

The case continues at the Midlands (West) employment tribunal.