Pro-Palestine Symbols Banned in NHS After Jewish Patients Intimidated

In a decisive step to address rising concerns over antisemitism in the NHS, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced on May 9, 2025, that NHS staff will be prohibited from wearing their uniforms to pro-Palestine protests and from displaying pro-Palestine badges at work. The directive, detailed in a letter to the Board of Deputies of British Jews and shared with The Jerusalem Post, follows discussions about the Jewish community’s struggles with antisemitism in healthcare settings. Streeting emphasized that uniforms should only be worn at protests against government health policies, and badges must be limited to professional qualifications. He has instructed NHS England to enforce this guidance rigorously.

The Board of Deputies had urged Streeting in December 2024 to ban symbols like Palestinian flags, maps denying Israel’s existence, and slogans such as “From the River to the Sea” or “Intifada” in NHS workplaces. This followed reports, including a November 2024 Times article, of NHS staff intimidating Jewish patients with “Free Palestine” badges, which UK Lawyers for Israel deemed a breach of the Equality Act 2010. Streeting’s letter also addressed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, noting its non-legislative use as guidance, with the NHS relying on the Equality Act 2010 to combat workplace antisemitism.

Further, Streeting responded to calls for mandatory antisemitism training, noting that NHS England has shifted away from centralized mandates due to their limited impact. He also addressed the lack of Jewish ethnicity recognition in NHS data sets, confirming a review of equality monitoring to align with the Equality Act 2010, with a report expected by late 2025. The Community Security Trust’s March 2025 report highlighted a threefold increase in NHS antisemitism since October 2023, underscoring the urgency of these measures. Board Vice President Andrew Gilbert praised Streeting’s proactive response, expressing optimism for continued collaboration to eradicate antisemitism in the NHS.