NHS staff will be prohibited from wearing their uniforms at pro-Palestinian demonstrations and displaying related symbols in the workplace, under new measures aimed at tackling antisemitism within the health service.
The move follows direct intervention by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which raised concerns over what it described as “appalling experiences” faced by Jewish staff and patients.
According to a report in the Telegraph, Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed the changes in a letter to the Board on Friday, responding to complaints and formal requests presented during a meeting last December.
The Health Secretary said he was determined to eliminate antisemitism from the NHS and had already relayed the Board’s proposals to NHS England’s chief, Sir Jim Mackey.
These include a ban on staff wearing political symbols – such as the Palestinian flag or the watermelon motif associated with pro-Palestinian activism – on NHS premises.
“We spoke about staff wearing NHS uniforms whilst on political protests and about staff wearing emblems and badges to work,” Mr Streeting wrote. “Staff should not be wearing uniforms on political protests, with the exception of protests against the Government about matters of health policy.”
He reaffirmed current NHS dress code guidance, noting that while one or two badges related to professional qualifications may be acceptable, “any more looks unprofessional.”
At the forefront of the Board’s requests was the demand for direct guidance to all NHS trusts, making it “clear that no political symbols are to be worn or displayed by any NHS staff within NHS places of work.”
Such symbols, the Board said, should include “any form of badge/jewellery with the Palestinian flag, maps clearly intended to show a Palestinian State without an Israeli one, slogans mentioning, ‘From the River to the Sea’ and ‘Intifada’, or watermelon symbols.”
Mr Streeting also urged trusts to incorporate the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into HR policies and staff handbooks.
Some NHS organisations have already introduced antisemitism awareness training in collaboration with the Antisemitism Policy Trust, and the government is encouraging a wider rollout.
Amid growing reports of hostility on campuses, the Health Secretary said that medical schools must also adhere to guidance from the wider university sector on tackling antisemitism.
In an article last December, Mr Streeting warned that healthcare professionals who bring “racist or extreme views” about the Gaza conflict into their roles could face being struck off the medical register.
Andrew Gilbert, a Vice President of the Board of Deputies, told the Telegraph he welcomed the government's latest response: “When the Board of Deputies led a Jewish community delegation to meet with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care back in December we presented him with over 100 pages of documentation of antisemitism in the NHS and Community Health, and were appreciative that Mr Streeting had not only read but also digested the situation and was clear that action needed to be taken.
“We are reassured by the letter that responds positively to many of our concerns. We know already that making such changes across Britain’s Health service is a massive challenge, and is dependent not just on the leadership but will need cooperation at all levels.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told the Telegraph: “Actions speak louder than words, which is why we are working with the NHS to put concrete measures in place to stamp out discrimination and protect Jewish staff and patients.”
