NHS staff are to be told the wearing of pro-Palestinian badges at work or on their uniforms at marches in unacceptable after Health Secretary Wes Streeting intervened following a meeting with the Board of Deputies.
In a letter written to the Board on Friday Streeting said he has spoken to NHS England and it was agreed staff “should not be wearing uniforms on political protests.”
Furthermore, national guidance to NHS staff stipulates that only badges denoting “professional qualifications” or memberships should be worn at work.
Streeting said the guidance gave trusts the framework to ban staff from wearing political badges with an exception for those protesting about “matters of health policy.”
Streeting wrote: “We spoke about staff wearing NHS uniforms whilst on political protests and about staff wearing emblems and badges to work.
“Staff should not be wearing uniforms on political protests, with the exception of protests against the Government about matters of health policy.”
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Justin Grainge Photography
He also reiterated guidance that states “one or two badges denoting professional qualifications or memberships may be acceptable on uniforms” but that “any more looks unprofessional”.
He pointed to the example of Manchester NHS Trust who have updated their guidance around badges and best practice and said NHS England had been asked to write to all trusts “sharing best practices from Manchester.”
At an earlier meeting the Board, the UK’s largest Jewish community organisation, had presented Streeting with a number of requests to clamp down on perceived antisemitism on wards.
Streeting has responded by asking NHS trusts to consider adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in staff handbooks and HR policies.
The Health Secretary has also encouraged trusts to roll out wider antisemitism training in the workplace. Such training has already been provided to some NHS organisations by the Antisemitism Policy Trust.
Following concerns over antisemitic activities in medical schools, the minister, seen by many of the natural successor to Keir Starmer, has said they should be adhering to wider university sector guidance on stamping out such behaviour.
Andrew Gilbert
Andrew Gilbert, a vice president of the Board of Deputies, told Jewish News: “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 anti-Semitism 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 Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “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.”
