NHS Review Recommends Barring All Political Badges Including Pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israel Symbols Amid Antisemitism Concerns

A government-commissioned review has recommended that NHS staff be barred from wearing pro-Palestinian badges on their uniforms. The measure forms part of a wider set of proposals to address antisemitism and other forms of racism within the health service. Lord Mann, the government's independent adviser on antisemitism, led the review.

He was tasked last year with examining ways to protect patients from racism after reports of antisemitism by NHS doctors. The report was commissioned following the fatal attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester in October 2025. Lord Mann told the BBC that the NHS should not be a place where staff bring in their views.

"An 'I support Palestine' badge, or anything like that, is a problem for some people, just in the same way as an 'I support Israel' badge is a problem for some people. Don't wear either," he said. He added that patients fearful of political symbolism worn by medical professionals could experience worse health outcomes.

The review found that some Jewish patients and NHS staff have felt the need to hide their religious identity. It documented evidence of routine ostracism of Jewish staff, with Lord Mann stating that people are leaving and have left the NHS because of that. The report also raised concerns that some Jewish patients are avoiding seeking care due to fears of antisemitism.

"There are people who are not getting the NHS service that they need. The perception amongst the Jewish community is that people have been having bad experiences," Lord Mann said. " Additional recommendations include stronger accountability for NHS managers, improved recording and monitoring of racist incidents, and enabling more patients to record their ethnicity as Jewish.

The review also proposes that NHS staff should not wear uniform at certain protests. Health Secretary James Murray said the government would accept the recommendations in full. "I know that Jewish people – and everyone experiencing discrimination – need action not words," he said.

Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said the organisation accepts all recommendations and will act swiftly to implement them. A spokesperson for the Jewish Medical Association said the group would support banning political symbols including flags and symbols of any country, provided the policy is not discriminatory.

Karen Newman, vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said public services must set the standard for confronting anti-Jewish hatred and discrimination.

The recommendation on political badges is expected to be adopted by NHS England subject to consultation. NHS England's uniform policy was last updated in 2020. The government has previously said new workwear guidance will protect freedom of religious expression.

A Jewish A&E doctor in England told the BBC she had felt uncomfortable seeing colleagues wearing pro-Palestinian badges. "The public should have trust in healthcare professionals and if you express political opinions, it can undermine that trust," she said.

Two doctors and a nurse have launched legal action against Barts Health NHS Trust in London, arguing that its dress code policy unlawfully discriminates against them because of their pro-Palestinian beliefs.

Some NHS trusts already prohibit staff from wearing symbols that could be perceived as political. Prof Andrew Eder, chair of trustees of the UK's Jewish Dental Society, told the BBC that antisemitic incidents in dentistry have spiked since the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. "Antisemitism goes right through the profession, whether you are a dental student, practitioner, or patient.

I've been in practice for 40 years and I've never experienced this before at this level, with social media being a particular challenge," he said.