The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK is facing accusations of "anti-Semitic rot" following the release of interviews detailing alleged abuse experienced by Jewish patients and staff. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), a Jewish advocacy group, has shared accounts of incidents including a Nazi salute, racial abuse during surgery, and death threats.
According to the CAA, nearly half of British Jews polled expressed fears of receiving unequal care within the NHS due to their religion. Many reported taking steps to conceal their Jewish identity following the October 7th attacks in Israel. "At the very moment when they need the NHS the most, instead of being able to trust our national healthcare provider, Jewish people are having to hide their identity for fear of unequal treatment or abuse," stated Stephen Silverman, director of Investigations and Enforcement at CAA. "As long as that is the case, the NHS cannot be said to be for everyone."
The CAA's documentary, "Malignant: Anti-Semitism in the NHS," features accounts from individuals within the healthcare system. One nurse, Shelly Lipman, recounted a colleague performing a Nazi salute in her presence after discussing the meaning of her Hebrew calligraphy tattoo. "I was just absolutely gobsmacked. Right next to a patient's bed as well," Lipman said.
Patient Saul Freeman described an incident during surgery where his surgeon allegedly made derogatory comments about Jewish people. Freeman reported that the surgeon stated, "The Jews do it just for fun… They shoot children in the head or the legs for fun, and they do it differently for their own amusement each day." Feeling vulnerable, Freeman concealed his Star of David, concerned about the surgeon's awareness of his identity.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust acknowledged Freeman's complaint and stated they are reviewing the matter urgently, emphasizing that all such allegations are taken very seriously.
Other Jewish doctors and staff shared experiences of receiving antisemitic death threats, facing aggressive interrogations for wearing religious symbols, and some have reportedly left the NHS for private practice due to safety concerns. One dentist, identified as Adam, noted that colleagues with "Jewish sounding names" were removed from professional online forums after comments suggesting the expulsion of "Zionists."
The report also highlights concerns about the handling of complaints. A Jewish patient reportedly received a threat of dialysis treatment being stopped after complaining about a staff member wearing a "free Palestine" t-shirt. Many interviewees expressed fear of retaliation and a belief that complaints are not taken seriously.
Several medical professionals are named in connection with controversial statements. Dr. Rahmeh Aladwan, an NHS doctor who was charged with inviting support for Hamas, had previously been investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC) for social media posts that included descriptions of Israelis as "worse than Nazis" and the Holocaust as "a concept."
A clip from a British Islamic Medical Association meeting suggested that the GMC was closing a higher proportion of antisemitism complaints compared to Islamophobia, with no immediate plans to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
The documentary also mentions Dr. Abdul Wahid, a GP and former chairman of the UK branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is now a proscribed terrorist organization in the UK. Dr. Abed Alfarra, an emergency medicine specialist, was filmed stating, "Zionists control the media, Zionists control the world." Consultant plastic surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah faces a High Court hearing after the GMC appealed a decision that cleared him of claims of supporting terrorism.
In response, an NHS spokesperson acknowledged that the stories highlight "unacceptable antisemitism and racism in the NHS, faced by both our staff and our patients" and committed to rooting it out. The spokesperson added that the NHS is taking targeted action, including providing support for those reporting concerns and implementing recommendations from Lord Mann's review to combat antisemitism and racism.
Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, previously stated that there is "unacceptable anti-Semitism and racism in the NHS" that needs to be addressed. The Department of Health and Social Care announced plans for mandatory anti-racism training, including antisemitism, for NHS bosses and trust chairmen within six months, and updated equality training for all staff.
Lord Mann, who led a review into antisemitism in the NHS, emphasized the need for Jewish people to be confident they will receive equal treatment. He warned that if individuals feel they must hide their identity or suffer in silence, the "universality of the NHS is fundamentally breached."