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       On Friday, UK Health Secretary Wes Straing wrote to the UK Jewish Community Deputies’ Committee that National Health Service (NHS) staff would soon be banned from wearing uniforms at pro-Palestinian protests and would not be allowed to wear pro-Palestinian badges at work.
       This letter was shared with The Jerusalem Post. The Board of Directors had previously discussed with Stein the challenges the Jewish community faces in accessing healthcare, particularly given the “horrific anti-Semitism faced by Jewish staff and patients.”
       Stretaine informed the Council that, with the exception of protests against government health policy, NHS staff should not wear uniforms at political protests. Badges should only correspond to professional qualifications.
       In December 2024, the Council asked Stretain to “ensure that clear guidance is communicated to every NHS trustee expressly prohibiting the wearing of any badges/jewellery featuring the Palestinian flag, maps clearly depicting a Palestinian state without Israel, slogans mentioning ‘from the river to the sea’ and ‘uprising’, or symbols resembling watermelons, in the workplace.”
       In November 2024, The Times reported that dozens of National Health Service (NHS) staff had been prosecuted for “intimidating and harassing” Jewish patients by wearing “Free Palestine” badges, which British or Israeli lawyers claimed “breached the Equality Act 2021.”
       Stritter’s letter also referred to the International Holocaust Remembrance Association’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which is currently recognised by the British government but not yet adopted by the National Health Service (NHS).
       Stretain stated that while all government bodies are encouraged to adopt this definition, it is not legally binding and is intended for guidance only. He added that the National Health Service (NHS) believes the Equality Act 2010 is sufficient to ensure that antisemitism in the workplace is not prohibited by law.
       Stretain also responded to the UK Jewish Representatives Committee’s call for mandatory anti-Semitism training in the National Health Service (NHS), stating that while some trusts had invited anti-Semitic police officers to deliver training, NHS England had chosen to forego centrally mandated training and interventions “due to a lack of evidence that they had achieved the desired effect.”
       One of the other issues discussed at the meeting was the need to recognize Jewish identity in National Health Service (NHS) databases and equality monitoring mechanisms. Currently, the NHS equality and diversity monitoring form does not include the option “Jewish” when describing an ethnic group.
       Users can select “Other Ethnic Groups” and then fill in the “Other” field. Stretain said he could confirm that the National Health Service (NHS) in England is reviewing its equality monitoring system, including patient and staff data, and is considering updating its monitoring program based on protected characteristics, in line with the Equality Act 2010. This is in response to queries about how to record Jewish and other ethnic groups not included in the program.
       Andrew Gilbert, vice-chairman of the Council of British Jews, explained that Strettin’s letter was a response to a meeting between a Jewish community delegation and Strettin in December 2024, when Strettin received more than 100 pages of documents relating to antisemitism in the National Health Service (NHS) and community health care.
       Gilbert said: “We appreciate that Mr. Streitin not only reviewed the relevant materials but also analyzed the situation and clearly stated the need for action.”
       ”We are pleased with this letter, as it addresses many of our concerns. We look forward to consulting with Mr. Straitin and Sir Jim McKee of the NHS Reform Group on next steps and exploring ways to root out antisemitism in the NHS and the health sector.”
       Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has seen numerous reports of antisemitism.
       In March 2025, the Community Safety Trust published a report on antisemitism in the UK’s National Health Service, which found that NHS staff were more likely than the general population to use antisemitic abuse.
       Over a period of 17 months, from around 7 October 2023, the number of reports of antisemitism in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) tripled.
       In December 2024, Stretain called on regulators to revoke the licences of doctors who expressed extremist views on Gaza in the workplace, as part of his efforts to combat antisemitism in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
       ”Any employee who promotes racist or extremist views should be aware that they could ultimately face a disciplinary panel,” he told The Daily Telegraph at the time.
       In September 2024, a National Health Service (NHS) trust in London sent its 9,000 employees a weekly notice advising them not to attend anti-Semitism training. The trust later apologized for the incident.