NHS staff will be barred from wearing pro-Palestine badges and other politically themed items at work under new government rules aimed at tackling anti-Semitism within the health service.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that new uniform guidance will prohibit staff from displaying any political symbols, while allowing religious items such as crosses or Stars of David.
The move follows several incidents involving its staff accused of anti-Semitic behaviour, including a doctor who avoided suspension after making “slit your throat” gestures to Jewish protesters.
All 1.5 million employees will now be required to undergo mandatory training on anti-Semitism and anti-racism. The government has also commissioned Lord John Mann, the anti-Semitism tsar, to review how medical regulators handle racism cases to ensure offenders are held accountable.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he was appalled by recent incidents and warned that staff who use hateful language would not be tolerated.
“Patients put their lives in our hands. There’s no place in the NHS for those spreading hate,” he said.
The updated guidance from NHS England will aim to protect freedom of religious expression while ensuring that patients are not made uncomfortable by political displays. It comes after a Jewish mother-to-be complained that a member of her hospital’s birthing team wore pro-Palestinian symbols during her treatment.
Starmer said the measures reflect his commitment to rebuilding public confidence in the NHS and tackling rising anti-Semitism in Britain.
He also announced an additional £10 million in funding to enhance security at synagogues and Jewish schools following recent hate crime spikes.
“The NHS was founded on equality and respect,Discrimination of any kind has no place in our health service or our country,”Starmer said
