Midwife loses her claim over scrub trousers

A Christian midwife who sued hospital bosses for making her wear scrub trousers rather than a dress in the operating theatre has lost her claim.

Hannah Adewole, 45, failed in a bid for £7,000 compensation after claiming that a command in the Bible forbids women from wearing trousers. However, the tribunal has not thrown out her claims of religious discrimination and harassment against Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

It ruled that the strict uniform policy at Queen's Hospital in Romford did not disadvantage Christians unduly and was "legitimate and proportionate for infection control". Mrs Adewole, of Hackney, had complained that Christian midwives were being treated less favourably than their Muslim colleagues.

Sue Lovell, head of midwifery at Queen's Hospital, said: "We strongly believed that we had done all we could to accommodate Mrs Adewole's wishes."