AIBU - problems with antisemitism amongst NHS medical staff?

[Twiglets1]

The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a prominent UK watchdog group, has identified five healthcare professionals whose public statements it considers antisemitic or anti-Israel.

The five individuals, all current or former National Health Service employees, include midwife Fatimah Mohamied, who allegedly endorsed a post supporting Palestinian “resistance” on Oct. 7, 2023 by responding “Hell yeah!!!” to a post during the Hamas-led onslaught of October 7, 2023, that said: “Palestinians have a right to resist their occupation — we have a right to support them.”

Additionally, physician Dr. Abdelaal Ragheb Elfarra claimed Zionists control the media and the world; psychiatrist Dr. Ahmed Sewehli said regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “you need to be dead”; and emergency physician Dr. Nadeem Crowe described Israel as a “terrorist octopus.” Occupational therapist Zaida Akhtar allegedly shared a video appearing to encourage violence against Netanyahu’s son and a “false flag” claim about the Bondi Beach attack in Australia last year.

The allegations concerning the medical professionals follow a review published in June by John Mann, the British government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, which found “routine ostracism” of Jewish staff and patients within the NHS.

Jewish community representatives have warned that antisemitism in healthcare can affect patients at moments of particular vulnerability.

Karen Newman, a vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, described that concern during parliamentary testimony on May 14. She spoke about Jewish patients hesitating to request kosher meals after seeing a Palestinian badge on a nurse’s uniform.

“That is not a moment when you feel good asking for kosher meals,” she said.

https://www.jns.org/news/world/medical-staff-antisemitism-flagged-in-uk

I know (or at least think it highly likely) that the vast majority of NHS employees are not racist in any way.

But - there should be NO racism whatsoever in the NHS.

One of the core values of the NHS is that everyone counts and that no one should feel excluded, discriminated against or left behind.

AIBU that it's not acceptable - to take one small example - that any Jewish patient should hesitate to request a kosher meal?

Strange that 17% think I'm being unreasonable.

The UK government and NHS England accepted all 36 recommendations of the independent review on antisemitism and racism in the National Health Service led by Lord John Mann in June 2026.

Key Findings of the Review

• Extent of Antisemitism: The review found that anti-Jewish racism, routine ostracism, and hostility are persistent and, in some cases, normalised across certain NHS settings.

• Impact on Staff and Patients: Evidence showed Jewish staff facing increasing discrimination from colleagues—with some considering leaving the service—and Jewish patients expressing reluctance to seek medical treatment.

• Regulatory Concerns: The report highlighted shortcomings in how health and care regulators (such as the General Medical Council) and NHS employers identify, report, and act on antisemitic behaviour.

What’s that got to do with British Jews? Are you saying they are responsible for it?

Is that relevant to a 45 year old woman in a Midlands hospital for a mastectomy where her notes show that she had brca testing due to her heritage, a 90 year old with a broken hip or the parent of a 6 year old who has a head injury?

The alleged genocide is being discussed on multiple threads.

This one is about the fair treatment of Jewish patients in UK healthcare settings.

Don't you think all patients should feel safe in the NHS?

There’s a huge difference between being anti semitic and anti Israel.

A lot of the comments in the OP are about Israel and zionists - what’s that got to do with British Jews?

Am I meant to assume that comments that criticise Saudi Arabia or Iran are Islamophobic and British Muslims are in danger? Or comments that criticise Islam (something much more prevalent) mean that Muslims are at risk?

There are definitely many examples of antisemitism amongst nhs staff, but calling Israel a terrorist and seeing Netanyahu as a problem and saying he should be dead (not as extreme as anything I would ever say just to be clear) really isn’t antisemitism. It’s stunts like this by the CAA, where they have pulled out random criticisms of Israel and named and shamed the posters as though what they have posted is an attack on Jews, that makes them
increasingly lose any legitimacy.

Who the fuck is voting that you’re unreasonable to think there’s a problem with NHS staff being openly racist?

I mean what kind of utter racist arsehole thinks that is ok?

It’s exactly this attitude that makes British Jews unsafe, you are the problem, not Jews

Eh? This is a thread about racism in the UK. It isn’t a thread about a conflict in the Middle East. Are you a bit confused?

Well they don’t. What about the failings people with autism are subjected to across the NHS, many staff come with ignorance and worse with autistic people not even bothering to mention reasonable adjustments they’re entitled to or hospital passports but those with autism just have to suck it up, people die. Ditto women experiencing medical misogyny which is also very widespread and people of colour…..

I’m not sure what you want to happen.

What’s the whataboutery about? This is a thread about racism, specifically antisemitism. Do you have a problem with the focus being on the suffering of Jews in this country, such that you feel an urge to deflect?

It’s crazy to me too.

I think everyone should feel equally safe and respected in the NHS regardless of race, religion or any other characteristic.

The HHS themselves have accepted the findings of the review and are working on being better. Good for them - denial or whataboutism doesn’t solve problems.

No however Netanyahu is a monster and genocide is happening( people will voice that) and until there is evidence of staff mistreating patients what do you want to happen? Every other vulnerable group has to go through the lengthy channels in place to complain about mistreatment. The same system is there for the Jewish community. What do you want to happen, a change to the system as a whole? I’m sure many would welcome that.

@Oak13af if the NHS are failing people with autism then start a thread on that containing evidence & I will agree YANBU to highlight the problem.

You haven’t said what you want to happen. There is a system people can go through to raise specific complaints the same as everybody else.

Your post seems to conflate anti-Israeli views with anti-Semitic views.

It’s completely possible to have very strong views against Israel but have no antisemitic views.

One of the people you critique said the Israeli prime minister needs to be dead. Many people say that about Donald Trump daily and they aren’t accused of anything. It’s also worth saying he does have an active arrest warrant by the ICC for war crimes.

What do you mean, what do we want to happen?

We want antisemitism to not exist in the NHS because what is happening in Gaza is not the fault of British Jews.

Luckily the NHS and British government are taking the evidence in the report more seriously than you and have now banned the wearing of badges for example. People argue they are harmless but they aren’t harmless if they are making Jewish patients feel more vulnerable in NHS hospitals and afraid to order Kosher food for example.

NHS staff should not be wearing political symbols at work.

i am a very strong supporter of free speech and don’t think people should lose their jobs for it; however publicly stating support for a racially motivated terror attack (7th October) would I think legitimately be breach of most organisations social media policy.

I don't think criticising netanyahu is racist. Also you've given a sample of 5, several of which don't even seem to be about Jewish people they are about the political actions by the Israeli government, there are tens of thousands of people turning for the NHS, will some of them be racist. Yes, it's inevitable. Does that mean the NHS has a problem with anti-Semitism, no.

I didn’t order a kosher meal last time I was in hospital, I just didnt eat. Jpost has a good thought piece on how the number of kosher request meals have gone down and for me it sums it up, I worry about being seen as a political symbol vs a patient. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901875

When the person in question ONLY criticises Israel over and over and never shows a wider concern for other conflicts/suffering, then it’s a pretty safe bet that the person is consciously or otherwise antisemitic.

Do these healthcare workers also post about the suffering and atrocities in Sudan? The persecution of the Uigyurs by China? Are they posting death to Xi Jinping? Or Putin? Are they raising awareness of the persecution of Christians by Muslims in Nigeria?

Or is it just they have an obsession where there’s a Jew to blame?

There’s no place for racism in the NHS and all UK citizens have a right to be treated fairly and without prejudice. I’m surprised and extremely disappointed that anyone would think differently.

Obviously people should receive equality of treatment in this country. However people are entitled to their views whether you agree with them or not.

Some of the examples if “anti-semitism” you give are in fact opposite to a genocide insinuated by the Israeli state, specifically Netanyahu. And if you agree that that what is being done in Gaza is not the fault of British Jews or indeed, Jews as a whole (which I entirely agree with) then how is speaking out against the mass killing of Palestinian people by the Israeli government anti-Semitic? Unless you feel so fragile in your beliefs that you in fact conflate Zionism and Judaism.

I do not conflate Zionism and Judaism. I can hold two things true at once: that the October 7th attacks and hostage taking were vile and unacceptable. And that the Israeli’s government’s response to target Palestinian civilians on the basis that Hamas use them as a shield are vile and unacceptable. I’m afraid I fail to see how saying that civilian toddlers shouldn’t be maimed and killed in retaliation for the actions of a terrorist organisation is anti-Semitic.

But - I also don’t think anyone needs to wear political symbols in a state or hospital environment. And I hope that any Jewish patient can have faith in their fellow Brits that they can hold two truths in their mind: anti-semitism is wrong. Genocide is wrong. And being a Jew doesn’t mean you support a genocide.