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BMA suspends doctor who reportedly joked about the Holocaust

Medical union launches invesigation into 'unacceptable' remarks by former deputy chair of junior doctors committee

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LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: A general view of the central courtyard ahead of a memorial service for doctors who died of Covid-19 while working during the pandemic, at the British Medical Association on March 16, 2022 in London, England. Covid-19 restrictions continue to be lifted across the United Kingdom, despite infection rates doubling over the last two weeks. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The British Medical Association has suspended a junior doctor pending an investigation into tweets that reportedly included joking about gassing Jews.

Members of the medical union were told that Dr Martin Whyte, a paeditrician in Newcastle, had resigned from his position as a deputy chair of the UK Junior Doctors Committee, according to the Daily Mail.

A spokesman for the BMA said the tweets were “totally unacceptable and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. The views expressed in no way reflect the values of the BMA.

“Dr Martin Whyte has been removed from taking part in any and all BMA business with immediate effect and the BMA will be undertaking an external independent investigation.”

The Mail reported that in response to a tweet about a synagogue shooting in 2018, Dr Whyte had tweeted: “hahaha zeig heil hahaha gas the jews hahaha just kidding but have you seen these youtube videos about the holohoax the're pretty convincing imo [in my opinion]…”

The year before, he had also called on people to boycott Israel “out of spite”, the paper said.

The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where Dr Whyte works, said he was not around on Sunday.

Dave Rich, the CST’s director of policy, said, “The tweets in question are totally offensive and it is right that the BMA are investigating. Antisemitism is too often ignored and we hope that the strong statement from the BMA will make it clear that it is always unacceptable.”

A spokeswoman for the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospital Trust said on Monday, We condemn the tweets which have been reported in a national newspaper, which are totally unacceptable, deeply offensive and wrong."

Junior doctors during the duration of their training are employed by the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, she explained. "We have escalated our concerns with the lead employer trust, who will act accordingly," she said.

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