Political badges should be banned from NHS uniforms

[Ihatetomatoes]

New report says political badges such as Pro Palestine shouldn't be worn on NHS uniforms. It's led to increased antisemitism and fear amongst Jewish patients.

Also NHS uniforms not to be worn on protests.

This report makes a number of suggestions and in my opinion must be implemented. All political badges off NHS uniforms. No NHS uniforms on protests such as pro Palestine. It contributes to racism and fear.

The NHS should treat all patients equally and individuals political opinions shouldn't be pinned on their uniforms.

Some posters keep cutting bits out and 'misremembering'

Even if all other views attributed to me will likely be misquoted or misrepresented, I am out

I thought that specious and vexatious imaginary instances did not deserve engagement

I’m pleased to see that 95% of people on this thread think that YANBU @Ihatetomatoes & that political badges should be banned from NHS uniforms.

The NHS is supposed to be welcoming to all not a place to showcase your affiliations to certain groups.

You were barely ‘in’. No position you would stick by.

Freedom of expression, but then only if the team agreed.

Worried about lynching and burnings, but then about scaremongering.

A rule that management should decide, without patients, but then not ‘your’ rule.

Merely an observer of the debate swirling around you.

Yet you don’t respect the feelings of others.

You’ve engaged plenty. You just haven’t said anything you stick by.

I'd have no problem with that.

Yes their views are irrelevant to their work, so are many other things people have and are not criticised for- hairstyle choices, tattoos, piercings earrings, they are part of who we are and remain part of who we are when we are at work-I find tattoes unsettling but I would dream of expecting thdem to be completely covered because of my feelings- you have to give people the space to express themselves, and no group, political colouration or religion has dibs on closing that down.

Well, no.

Tattoos/piercing/hairstyles that have no bearing on work being done, no problem, but there are plenty of situations where you might be asked to tie hair back or take out piercings if they're going to interfere with your ability to do the job. Same with political signalling.

Agreed, wholly inappropriate. The only badges permitted in our trust are ID badges, 'hello my name is...' badges and badges from nursing unions/professional regulatory bodies etc.

Then you have to ban everything identifying, religious symbols, tattoos,anything identifying you as LBGTQ, anything identifying you as disabled, no affliation to a union or association.
You basically want them to be blank, AI will probably bring your vision to fruition- then we can all be equally unhappy and dissatisfied.
It is absolutely not the same as being a teacher- there was no suggestion the NHS worker mentioned by the OP had expressed their views verbally, or was likely to do so- so this part of your argument is irrelevant.

hairstyle choices need to be appropriate to the work. Staff may be asked to remove or cover piercings, again depending on how appropriate they are. Tatts may not be irrelevant to work. The images or words may be inappropriate or the location of the tatts may give a problem....thinking of the effect of a heavily inked face on some patients with dementia. Certain piercings may also put the staff member at risk from patients with dementia.

Yes, its reassuring that the vast majority of people think the workplace is for work and healthcare in particular should welcome all equally.

There is no place for political badges at work. Patients shouldn't feel fear and staff in the NHS should be free of antisemitism and all types of racism.

Agree, but you ban all or nothing, heavy make up and heavy use of perfume can be very off putting- that has to go too.

I don’t think so. I’m a great fan of ‘treating different things differently’ when making policy.

Once you’ve got to the point in your argument where you think banning political symbols means disabled staff must pretend to be able-bodied (your earlier point), you’ve lost perspective and credibility.

Heavy perfume can cause a problem if you are caring for people with respiratory issues.

Just watched another article from a Jewish person being targeted for being Jewish in the NHS. This vile antisemitism must be stamped out.

Also a Jewish doctor shared his experiences.

The people that are carrying out antisemitic comments and actions against Jewish people who work for the NHS should be dealt with. They are vile individuals.

Thanks for voting.

95% feel political badges shouldn't be on uniforms. Hopefully following report these suggestions will be implemented throughout the entire NHS

I think that people who are upset and in pain don't always have the critical judgement to decide to look at the bigger picture, or to consider that the person with a triggering badge might have xyz feelings or feel whatever other way.

For me, a 'Free Palestine' badge makes me anxious. Not because I think every single person who has one is a terrible bigot who wants me dead. But because some of them are. And I have no way of knowing if my doctor is the sort who just waves a flag around and accessorises with a trendy keffiyeh, or the kind that attacks my 11 year old daughter in her school hallway, or the kind that marches around my workplace in masks telling Jews to 'go back' to Europe. So when I see a badge or a keffiyeh, I immediately start looking around and wondering if I need to be cautious, or need to be ready or need to grab my kids and go somewhere else before my daughter has another panic attack or my son runs away to hide (which has happened).

If I was at an emergency room unconscious and woke up to a Palestine badge in my face I could very easily panic which wouldn't help my health at all. If my daughter woke up and saw one, she'd immediately try to hide, she was very, very frightened at school and is in therapy now. I spend a lot of time checking insta for march info so we never, ever are surprised by one.

I think doctors and nurses have a responsibility to avoid these things. They shouldn't express political opinions that are divisive and triggering and they shouldn't wear Ukrainian flags or white power badges or anything that would make their patients frightened.

Me too. I used to work in a school and for the Alzheimer's Society and both banned any political badges. Their reasoning was that the organisation couldn't be seen as having any political bias. Fair enough imo.

When I saw this I was surprised they were ever allowed as well.

No you don't take your whole self to work. Nobody is interested, especially, in this context, your patients.

Colleagues just want you to be pleasant and do your job effectively.

I always think it's better to maintain a professional distance. That way, you don't find out things about your colleagues that you don't like (and vice versa!)

And yes - no perfume in confined spaces please.

If you work outside, fine.

💯

Perfume and aftershave aren’t permitted in NHS it’s part of the dress code