Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called on regulators to take action against doctors who promote antisemitism or bring extremist views on Gaza into the workplace as part of an effort to root out rising antisemitism in the NHS.
Streeting told the Sunday Telegraph he would take a “zero tolerance approach” to “anyone who uses the conflict in the Middle East as a pretext to attack communities” in the NHS.
The Health Secretary vowed that he would urge regulators to discipline NHS staff members who express “racist or extremist views” about the Israel-Gaza conflict with measures up to and including being removed from the medical register.
“I expect regulators to investigate any concerns suggesting patient safety is at risk due to discrimination or misconduct by a healthcare professional,” Streeting said. “Any worker espousing racist or extremist views should know they could end up in front of a disciplinary panel.”
Jewish doctors in the NHS have increasingly reported facing discrimination from colleagues since October 7, according to a report by the General Medical Council (GMC), the independent body which regulates the UK medical register.
In the 12 months following October 7, over 5,500 antisemitic incidents were recorded in Britain, three times as many as reported the previous year.
According to community security organisation CST, 78 antisemitic incidents have been reported in the health sector over the past 14 months, of which 42 were perpetrated by healthcare professionals.
“Regulators have powers to set conditions that a healthcare professional must work under, suspend them, or strike them entirely from the medical register,” Streeting said.
“Patients and members of the public are also able to raise concerns about a professional directly with a regulator, and regulators have a statutory duty to investigate those complaints.
“Any patient racially or violently abusing NHS staff, who are simply trying to do their jobs and care for us, can and should be turned away. We will ensure everyone working in or using the health service feels safe and respected, and stamp out this wickedness.”
In August Home Office minister Jess Phillips said she believed she received “quicker” treatment on the NHS because she had voted for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Phillips, who was one of eight shadow secretaries to resign from Labour’s top team in opposition over Gaza, claimed that a Palestinian doctor expedited her case when she was triaged at an Accident and Emergency unit in Birmingham because of how she had voted on the conflict.
Last week, Streeting met community leaders to discuss the issue of antisemitism in the NHS. The delegation, including officials from the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Medical Association (JMA), CST and Jewish Leadership Council, urged Streeting to make clear to NHS staff that wearing symbols of an overtly political nature is unacceptable, nor should NHS workers be able to wear their uniforms for any external political protests except those which are explicitly directed at the government with regards to NHS policies.