Just days after Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he expected NHS chiefs to “take action against anyone working in the NHS who promotes hatred against Jewish people”, the General Medical Council has revealed shocking figures about what has happened to complaints of antisemitism.
The GMC, the regulatory body for doctors in the UK, has provided Jewish News with figures about complaints made between 7 October 2023 and 19 November this year. The data shows that out of a total of 402 complaints of antisemitism made in that time frame, 350 cases were closed at “triage” stage, or assessment level.
Only six complaints were said still to be at triage stage, while 25 further complaints are still under investigation, the GMC said, while adding that “of the 402 complaints relating to antisemitism we have received, 376 of those complaints were made against 98 identifiable doctors and 26 were made against doctors where we have been unable to verify the doctor’s identity on the medical register”. That meant, the regulatory authority said, that the GMC had received “multiple complaints about the same doctors.
“Our triage department can and does receive multiple complaints, often about the same doctor, regarding the same matter. These are considered separately as complaints and are triaged separately. For example, if 10 people referred the same post on social media to us, it would count as 10 complaints. However, if the complaint became a full investigation it would become one investigation rather than 10”.
The GMC added that “It should also be noted the data we have provided shows the number of complaints we received about conduct that may relate to antisemitism. This is not a direct indicator that the complaint relates to antisemitic conduct or solely to antisemitic conduct”.
At least one doctor who was the subject of a GMC complaint was Rehiana Ali, who used social media posts to describe the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a “legend”. She is a consultant neurologist who has worked for the NHS for 21 years and spent a decade at London’s Imperial College.
Among many of her Twitter/X posts and re-posts, she responded to a post claiming 800 IDF soldiers had been killed in the conflict by writing: “Music to one’s ears. Fewer child killing demons.” She reposted conspiracy theories claiming “4,000 Jews did not show up to work” on 9/11; and responded “Excellent post. Spot on” to a comment suggesting Israel should be wiped off the map, claiming “I don’t want a ‘two state’ solution. I want a ‘one state solution’ and I want it to be Palestine”.
The complaint figures make it clear that there is a rising tide of concern among Jewish health professionals about the level of antisemitism displayed by colleagues. But very little action seems to have been taken once the complaints are lodged with the GMC, with the overwhelming majority of cases being dismissed. One doctor told Jewish News that at least two Jewish complainants had themselves become the object of counter-complaints from those accused of anti-Jewish racism.
The data has been made public after a meeting between the Jewish Medical Association and communal leaders with Wes Streeting, and a separate such meeting between the Jewish Medical Association and the GMC.
Streeting told a delegation which included officials from the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Medical Association (JMA), Community Security Trust and Jewish Leadership Council: “I am grateful to members of the Jewish community delegation for raising these important issues with me, and I will work with employers and regulators to address it.
“We are fortunate to have an NHS built by people of all different faiths and backgrounds, and everyone working in or using the health service has the right to feel safe and respected.
“I expect employers and regulators to take action against anyone working in the NHS who promotes hatred against Jewish people, and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards racism, aggression or intimidation.”
There were calls for action in a number of key areas, including making clear to staff across the entire NHS that wearing symbols of an overtly political nature is unacceptable, as well as emphasising that no NHS workers should be wearing their uniforms for any external political protest — save ones explicitly directed at the government with regard to NHS policies.
Streeting will now seek to work directly with both the GMC and NHS England on their attitudes and response to reports of antisemitism.
It was made clear in the meeting that as things stand, multiple definitions of antisemitism are being accepted, significantly complicating reports of antisemitism.
Public-facing health organisations were also urged to recognise the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and that alone, in line with the government’s position.
Wes Streeting. (photo credit: Stefan Rousseau)
The Health Secretary also discussed looking into data collection around the subject of recognition of Jewish ethnicity, with a view to further discussion about including this as a specific option within NHS Systems.
As things stand, Jews have a religion option on NHS forms, but not a specific ethnicity option – an issue which medical experts present stressed had a significant effect on data collection with the understanding of certain conditions.
The Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust was cited as an example of how a trust could effectively work with Jewish medics and the wider Jewish community to create positive change, and the Health Secretary discussed working with Mark Cubbon, chief executive of that trust, to see how that model could be replicated around the country.
Board President Phil Rosenberg, commenting in the wake of the meeting, said it had been “extremely productive and with clear moves towards changing the existing culture, which has proved so challenging both for Jewish NHS staff and patients.”
Other representatives to make crucial points included Dave Rich, director of policy at the CST, the JLC’s Marc Levy and Professor David Katz and Professor Fiona Sim, co-chairs of the Jewish Medical Association, Emma Orrock, co-chair of the NHS Jewish Staff Network, and Dr Ilan Lieberman, a Manchester-based consultant in pain medicine who has worked closely with the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust on improving its responses to antisemitism.
The GMC told Jewish News that it met stakeholders. including the Jewish Medical Association, regularly, adding: “We are very clear that any form of antisemitism is completely unacceptable. We can and will investigate serious concerns that suggest patient safety or the public’s confidence in doctors may be at risk, and we are clear that the standards expected of doctors do not change when they are communicating online. We consider all concerns that are raised with us and we take this responsibility very seriously”.