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.

The rainbow badge which apparently makes people of all sexualities know they are 'safe' can also make a sex-realist woman feel very unsafe.

I’m ’far right’ if that what we’re calling it now?!

they shouldn’t be making any kind of political statement/virtue signalling at work - which is exactly what they’re doing with these silly little lanyards.

They should just get on with and focus on the job that they’re being paid to do.

The murder is an absolute tragedy. I abhor the far right and think anyone who votes Reform is an utter fuckwit. However NHS staff (and for that matter any employees in any business which is not a political or religious organisation) should not be wearing lanyards signifying any particular political or religious belief.

Likewise they should not be wearing trans-flag lanyards or rainbow lanyards.

The workplace is not a place to make overt statements about your personal belief systems unless that statement is part of the religion itself (eg head coverings).

Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected. Not just specific groups.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/l0058dtm/antisemitism-report-proposes-political-badge-ban-in-nhs

THIS!!

How about we just don't be homophobic, sexist or racist? No need to virtue signal with silly symbols. Some of them are conflicting too e.g. Free Palestine would mean the weather iikely is less in favour of the gay community or even possibly antisemitic. How about we do away with silly flags and just be basically decent to one another regardless?.

As a nurse no patient has ever been able to guess my beliefs based on what I wear or say at work.
My job is to be impartial and to treat everyone equally.

NHS staff and police shouldn't be signalling affiliation to any political or religious cause, they are there to serve the public and treat everyone equally. If you're displaying a palestine flag, an Israeli flag, a progress flag badge, a suffragette badge, then someone, somewhere is going to feel like you care for them less, or that you have a bias for/against them.

At home, wear them to your heart's content, but if you don a uniform and serve the public, those beliefs and symbols should stay at home as a reminder that we need to judge each individual based on their individual behaviour (or the content of their character as Dr Martin Luther King said!).

100%.

Get politics out of the NHS. All politics.

Same goes for police, fire, etc.

Same here.

agree totally

also the OP states that the lanyards are a good thing because it makes patients feel safe?!

WTF? You should not have to wear a rainbow lanyard to convey your safety as a practitioner. If that’s really the case then there’s a big fucking problem in the NHS isn’t there?!

'I don't support murder' badges could be a thing if people really want to signal their moral soundness. Or 'I am a good person' lanyards.

we wear trust branded lanyards and no others are allowed at my trust so this it’s just political soundbites but nonsense in reality as only a small handful of rebels would go against it. Our BMA rep does wear that one and students wear their uni ones. That is all.

I don't think poltial messaging was ever appropriate in the NHS or public facing services.

yeah what is this 'safety'? It's not like the non-rainbow lanyard people go round murdering people, is it?

You've been misinformed as to the root of this campaign OP.

But that aside, lanyards in the workplace just aren't a good idea. Nobody is ever going to wear enough lanyards to cover everything, and so that inevitably raises the question of why you've highlighted this one, even amongst people who disagree with you.

So let's say a person thinks there's been a genocide in Gaza, either according to the current legal definition or they want the definition changed like Amnesty and the Irish government. That's fine, it's a view people are allowed to hold.

Let's also assume this person is a reasonable human being and therefore also, for example, wanted the hostages returned. Did they wear a hostage campaign lanyard, pin or other such item during the period when they were still being held, starved, raped and so on, and if not, why not? Do they also wear lanyards/pins in relation to other genocides such as say Sudan, the Uighurs, and if not, why not? They've gone through a prioritisation process.

If a person is wearing a rainbow lanyard, this might tell us something about the way in which they feel about the protected views held by some people, which will include NHS patients, about sex based rights. Even if it doesn't, wearing that but not anything indicative of other protected characteristics or traditionally discriminated against groups still means you've prioritised. Decided one thing is more important than others.

Now we all do this in our daily lives of course. I give to Ukrainian defence and not animal welfare, others the opposite. Nothing wrong in either of those things, and nobody can do everything. But when people are at work and being paid out of the public purse, that's when active display becomes a problem.

I suppose we have this:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1710888377/lgbt-ally-youre-safe-with-me-subtle

Of course, nobody with nefarious intent ever lied about this kind of thing, ever.

I live in a very Jewish area and saw healthcare staff wearing watermelon pins.

A uniform should be just that. Not an opportunity to let everyone know your politics.

Imagine being a Jewish person attending A&E, scared because of where you are etc. Being treated by someone that thinks it's appropriate to wear that to work.

Available from all Good Stores near you.

A lovely sentiment and one i wish was a reality.

But its not ever going to be one.

We only have to look at the treatment of women by men to know that while things improve, women are historically and in modern times treated as less than.

Bias will always exist, there are many people in power who use their position to abuse, look down on and mis treat women.

So when I chose a GP I chose one who was women centred, worked to my needs and boundaries and made me feel safe in my most vulnerable times.

If I was gay, and had to attend a busy trust or Emergency room, I would want to know that the person seeing me doesn't have bias and will treat me regardless of their feelings or beliefs.

If I were black/jewish/Muslim, I would want the same.

So some indication of understanding and support is needed.

Health care workers/police etc are not all angels and heroes who care for all.

Oh my goodness.

Think how many lanyards I'd have to wear to show I was against genocide, and pro lgbt, and support women, and love kids, and hate murder, and am a member of Amnesty, and I'm a Humanist, but I also love Muslims, and Sikhs, and all religions really, (except Christians obvs) and I'm for the environment, and against capitalism.

Does everyone feel 'Safe' yet?

Do you see the problem yet?

Very sensible decision imo