The Government has announced that all 1.5 million NHS staff will be mandated to complete strengthened antisemitism and anti-racism training.
New assessment questions and refreshed content are being developed, and staff will be asked to refresh their learning immediately upon it becoming available rather than awaiting the usual three-year cycle.
At the same time, Lord John Mann has been asked to lead a ‘rapid review’ into how healthcare regulators handle antisemitism and other forms of racism – from hiring practices and oversight to transparency in investigations.
Alongside this work, NHS England will review its uniform and workwear guidance to ensure that staff expression of religious identity is respected, while maintaining patient dignity and equitable care.
And the Government plans to require that Trusts, Integrated Care Boards, and arms-length bodies adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism and review regulatory recommendations on Islamophobia.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: ‘The discrimination staff and patients have faced because of their race or religion goes against everything our country stands for.
‘The NHS was built on the principle that everyone should be treated equally and with respect, and I am determined to restore this to the heart of the health service.
‘That’s why I have asked Lord Mann to root out this problem and ensure perpetrators are always held to account.’
Health secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘The NHS should be there for all of us when we need it – regardless of income, race, or religion. Discrimination undermines everything our health service stands for, and undermines its ability to provide quality care.
‘I have been appalled by recent incidents of antisemitism by NHS doctors, and I will not tolerate it. There can be no place in our NHS for doctors or staff continuing to practise after even persistently using antisemitic or hateful language.
‘Patients put their lives in the hands of healthcare professionals. They treat us at our most vulnerable. They therefore have a special responsibility to provide total comfort and confidence.
‘I am grateful to Lord Mann for taking on this work. I expect his recommendations, and the action we are taking today, to help us enforce a zero tolerance policy to racism in healthcare.’
New training requirements in full
Existing equality, diversity and human rights programmes are being expanded to include:
- Enhanced content on discrimination and antisemitism
- New assessment questions to test understanding
- Training developed with equality and antisemitism subject matter experts
- Content aligned to core skills training framework
Source: DHSC
A version of this story first appeared on our sister title Pulse.
