It begins! Calls for NHS lanyards to be removed because of the Nowak killing

[SocialistMammy]

I suppose this knee-jerk over-the-top reaction was inevitable.

There are calls today - including from Kemi Badenoch - for public sector staff, including the NHS! to stop wearing "political" lanyards.

These could be just showing that you're a decent person who opposes genocide, or that your patient is safe with you regardless of your sexuality or gender identity when they are being treated.

And this is all because .. of the murder of Henry Nowak.

So, despite the calls from Nowak's family not to politicise their poor boy's death - that's EXACTLY what the far right are now trying to do. And the NHS has NOTHING to do with that police officer.

Where this is heading looks very ugly - we've got a World Cup starting shortly, and that's going to mean England flags being used to attack minorities. Will footballers have to make statements about diversity being anti white? Probably - it feels like the far right think this is their time now and ANYTHING is up for grabs.

It will be lanyards today, deportations tomorrow. Mark my words.

Bit of a jump from lanyards to deportation. Do you usually act this dramatically?

Finally.

Politics has no place in the health service.

I suppose this knee-jerk over-the-top reaction was inevitable.

Think OP was referring to themselves here

Apparently Toni Blair is far right these days..

I think we should be able to expect all NHS staff to treat patients properly without wearing badges to signal their political allegiance.

What relevance does a pro Palestine badge have to a nurse or doctor treating patients in England? How is it enhancing their care? The only possible effect can be to make Jewish patients feel unwelcome (which has indeed been happening, as per the report being discussed today). Why would any medical professional want to wear something that makes some patients feel unwelcome?

Ditto the “progress pride” flag, lanyard etc. For any women (or men!) who hold (lawful, WORIADS) gender critical views, it can make us feel unwelcome. Without these symbols, do we think doctors and nurses will treat LGBT patients less well?

And where are all the badges for other protected characteristics - where is a pin badge/flag/lanyard for people with disabilities, who still face massive discrimination in society and I expect from the NHS.

Where is the pin badge for pregnant women to signal that they won’t be “cared for” by misogynist maternity staff?

In fact, where is the pin badge for ALL women to signal we won’t be treated by misogynist medical staff? Or that we won’t be expected to share wards with men?

Well I was pretty uncomfortable when NHS consultant was wearing Palestinian flag on his top and I'm not even Jewish.

I think I would have been scared he would do me harm if I was Jewish...

"Mark my words"

😆

That's even better than "End of."

Who said it on BBC radio?
I could phone in to Jeremy Vine and say Zack Polanski ate my hamster. Random people saying stuff on the radio doesn't necessarily make it true.

This is what happens when people follow news only when something big happens.
It started years ago.
It is imho correct as well. Staff should be neutral so everyone feels comfortable

Are there not Palestinian people in the UK? Do they not deserve to feel safe?

Also there is a very long history of doctors and nurses treating gay people appallingly.

There should be something to denote a safe place for them.

And for women.

And for people with disabilities.

Its not either/or. It can be all.

"These could be just showing that you're a decent person who opposes genocide"

As opposed to all those Pro-Genocide people everywhere in the UK?

Are you on glue dear?

Please keep you political campaigning out of our national healthcare - I don't want to know about the politics of my health care providers thanks. You would clearly have no interest in mine.

Good, NHS staff shouldn’t be wearing political symbols or badges at work. NHS staff are supposed to provide the same care to everyone regardless of their political opinions.
I fail to see how this is “far right” or linked to Henry Nowak’s tragic murder.
It was always the case until 10-20 years ago, keep your politics for your personal life.

There should be no place in the NHS for any form of personal or political belief sharing. Nor should there be in any workplace, especially one funded by every single tax payer in the country. Political neutrality should be the norm.

Yes to sunflower lanyards if required and badges or pins supporting the organisation e.g. NHS workers wearing NHS rainbow badges or NHS Charities badges.

When I was a teacher in schools, I would see things like NUT or NASUWT mugs being used in classrooms when pupils were present (back in the days when teachers could have a hot drink in classrooms). At the time, I thought it was off. Fine in the staff room but not in front of the kids. Save your union advertising for the picket line when on strike (and therefore not in receipt of a day’s pay from the tax payer).

I suspect they got it wrong...not surprising really.

It is the output of the investigation of anti Semitism in the NHS due to PROVEN (and multiple) cases where Jewish patients were badly treated. You appear to be seeking to link the issues and disregard the reason.

Do you really think the NHS & UK government could get it's act together and action this given the case was only this week?? It's takes over a year for the investigation into the anti Semitism by some NHS staff and hostile environment for Jewish people

I work where political badges are banned and I think that’s a fair policy. Unfortunately Pride is considered not political but it’s optional so I don’t wear the badges. I’m surprised that the NHS allow political badges tbh because they must be making lots of patients uneasy. eg Seeing a pro Gaza badge when you’re Jewish. Not wearing political badges probably keeps staff safer too. There will be people who are triggered by the pro Gaza badge and verbally abuse the staff member wearing it. I used pro Gaza as a political view but there’s obviously many others that I could have mentioned.

Some of my colleagues know my views but random customers don’t need to know.

Would it be offensive if you flipped that and said you would feel scared if the consultant wore a Jewish flag or star etc?

I'm retired now, but as an ex NHS employee I am completely in favour of this. I have my own quite firm religious and (distinctly left wing) political views and as far as I am concerned they have absolutely nothing to do with my ability to provide clinical care to patients and hence there is no need to advertise them at work. By showing support for any group you inevitably risk alienating another hence neutrality is the best way forward. Whatever my personal views, my job is to treat all patients to the best of my ability. They don't need to know my politics and I don't need to know theirs. I can go on as many marches as I like as a private citizen and wear whatever badges I want on my own clothes but there is no place for that kind of thing at work.

Well I'm at least one Jewish person who disagrees with you ...the huge Jewish bloc on the pro Palestine marches might be another clue that your "everyone" isnt true

It must be for ALL.

Staff can't wear badges/lanyards for everyone.

NOT wearing political lanyards/badges IS the sign that they are there to treat everyone equally.

EDIT to add its preposperous to think a gay person wouldn't feel safe with a health worker who wasn't wearing a loud "I'M GAY FRIENDLY" badge.

I'm only surprised it was allowed

of course people should keep their personal opinions to themselves

Kemi Badenoch is not far right. Don’t be ridiculous. And the only thing patients need to know about health care professional or police officers or any other public sector staff are their name and job title. Their personal views aren’t welcome, they shouldn’t be bringing their whole selves to work, no one should know or care what they think.

Keep politics, religion and activism out of the working environment. Do it on your own time.

OK, but if everyone must feel safe and it can only be done by badges, how does that work in practice?

Let’s say no one on staff wants to wear the Sex-Based Rights pin or the Russia flag or the Straight Pride badge.

Canada and Australia have made great strides in visible indigenous representation. What if NHS staff feel uncomfortable promoting white rights because they disagree with the premise?

Draw lots?

Agreed. I interpret those as pro-genocide, given the frequent link to 'From the river to the sea' genocide-support chants, and minimisation of Hamas' genocidal attack on Israel on October 7th 2023.

I'm not sure what kind of lanyard would performatively signal being against genocide. Like the pp, it's something I would assume of most people... unless they show otherwise with their lanyard of course.

Many NHS staff were at one time encouraged to wear rainbow lanyards , I refused to wear one as I consider it both performative and as a health professional should treat all fairly and without discrimination.