Legal action is brewing against a London hospital after a surgeon wore Palestinian insignia while treating a Jewish patient.
UK Lawyers for Israel has accused Royal Free London NHS Trust in Belsize Park of breaching equality legislation after a Jewish woman undergoing surgery spotted the Palestinian badge on her surgeon’s lanyard and was left “extremely distressed” by the display.
“I found it extremely stressful to be treated by this doctor, given her blatant political views,” the patient told the legal group, fearing “the doctor could do her some harm.”
UK Lawyers for Israel fired back with a letter to trust bosses, arguing that staff wearing Palestinian flag badges constitute harassment under Section 29 (3) of the Equality Act 2010. Such displays may create “an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment” for Jewish patients.
Beyond the legal violations, the badge “indicates support for the Palestinian cause, and conversely, opposition to the State of Israel.” They accused the unnamed surgeon of “prioritising her own political opinions over care and empathy for her patients,” breaching General Medical Council regulations.
“It is important that the hospital staff abide by the principles of political neutrality, as not doing so can harm vulnerable patients. We hope that the hospital staff who break these rules and blatantly display their political affiliations will be appropriately disciplined,” lawyers wrote.
David Crampsey, chief executive of Royal Free Hospital, acknowledged in his response that concerns “were being looked into, and the trust will consider any appropriate action having done so.” But Royal Free isn’t alone in facing these complaints. Similar pressure already forced policy changes at London’s largest NHS hospitals where staff have made Jewish patentes uncomfortable with their support for “Palestine.”
Earlier this year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting explicitly banned NHS staff from displaying pro-Palestinian badges after a young Jewish woman attending Whipps Cross for a caesarean encountered three staff members wearing pro-Palestinian badges within 24 hours. Even more brazen was an outpatient receptionist at Royal London Hospital spotted in January wearing a black T-shirt showing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf covering the map of Israel.
That ban now covers five hospitals – St Bart’s, Mile End, Newham, Royal London, and Whipps Cross.
Source link
