Jewish patients 'don't want to tick kosher' on NHS dietary forms over fears of racism from staff, Wes Streeting says
The Jewish community have been left feeling 'frightened that they might get treated differently' following online comments - as he vowed to sack those responsible for discriminatory behaviour
Members of the Jewish community are failing to tick 'kosher' on dietary requirement forms over fears of racism by NHS staff - as Wes Streeting vowed to sack those who act in such a manner.
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Speaking with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the Health Secretary revealed that he has spoken to members of the Jewish community who have been left feeling "unsafe" while using the NHS over fears of discrimination.
He revealed that some Jewish patients receiving treatment in UK hospitals are now choosing not to reveal their religion - or even tick the kosher meals box on dietary forms during NHS treatment, over fears of racism at the hands of NHS staff.
In response, the Health Secretary vowed to dismiss any member of "NHS staff engaging in racism unapologetically".
"High profile cases of NHS staff engaging in racism unapologetically online, visibly. I've been in this very frustrating situation," he admitted.
With the "appalling" behaviour directed at patients taking place at a time of "great vulnerability", Mr Streeting admitted the behaviour should "shock and shame us".
"I have not known a level of fear and anxiety among Britain's Jews in the way that we see today and people questioning whether Britain is a safe place to be Jewish. And I think that should shock and shame us," he said.
It comes as two men were arrested on Wednesday after Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green, North London - with the NHS covering the cost of their replacement.
"I have seen and experienced high profile cases of NHS staff engaging in racism unapologetically online, visibly. I've been in this very frustrating situation where if I call people out individually and challenge them, I might prejudice their cases with the regulator," Streeting told Nick on Wednesday.
Highlighting that online comments made by NHS staff often result in no disciplinary action, he said that the NHS has "a visible, online problem with antisemitism".
It comes after one NHS doctor was suspended for 15 months over series of 'anti-Semitic and pro-terrorism' comments in November.
Dr Rahmeh Aladwan was being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC) over the series of posts and comments made across various social media platforms, including posting content that allegedly "justifies terrorism, denies sexual violence, includes antisemitic conspiracy theories, misuses Holocaust and Nazi imagery and expresses support for proscribed groups and terrorist acts”.
"These cases go in front of a regulator and they get off. And what this does - and it's not just about antisemitism, this applies to racism more generally," Mr Streeting said.
"The answer can't just be higher walls, thicker doors, more CCTV and more money spent at the problem," he insisted.
"I've got Jewish people in my own community who I represent as a local MP, who've told me when they go into my local hospitals, they don't want to tick kosher on the dietary requirements, they don't want to tell people that they're Jewish because they're frightened that they might get treated differently by our National Health Service at a time of great vulnerability.
"And not only is that just appalling, it is also unsafe," he continued.
Highlighting higher risks facing the Jewish community from a health perspective, he urged the Jewish community to continue flagging their backgrounds given particularly risk factors, including the BRCA gene
"If someone is of Jewish ethnicity and background, we need to know from a patient safety point of view. But more fundamentally we've got a real problem here."
Speaking on the subject of the recent wave of antisemitism sweeping the UK, the Health Secretary highlighted the arson attack on five Jewish community ambulances and the fear that continues to be felt.
"Even this week, as I looked upon the site of four burned out ambulances, the broken glass on the synagogue next door, there are still people in our country who think we're spending too much time talking about antisemitism. 'What's all the fuss?'
"And worse still, beneath what they might think are innocuous questions, is a really heavy dose of antisemitic racism.
"We cannot stand for this. And that's why every decent person in this country needs to speak up and why we, as a government, we've got to take action.
"We are investing in security, we are taking action to discipline and get racists out of the nhs. We're investing in education, in schools.
"But the answer can't just be higher walls, thicker doors, more CCTV and more money spent at the problem. And this is a hateful ideology, it needs to be beaten in the battle of ideas. We've got to call this out for what it is and go after it and build a common front in this country against racism of all types."