Politics
Wes Streeting plans law change to stamp out NHS antisemitism
The health secretary is looking to make it easier to have doctors who express ‘racist’ views struck off
October 5, 2025 10:17
The health secretary is looking to make it easier to have doctors who express ‘racist’ views struck off
October 5, 2025 10:17Health Secretary Wes Streeting is planning to change the law to make it easier for regulators to take action against antisemitism in the NHS.
Following Thursday’s attack on Manchester’s Heaton Park Synagogue, Streeting said: “Doctors making racist comments about Jewish people at any time, let alone in the wake of a despicable and deadly attack on our nation’s Jewish community, is sickening and demands action.
"It is clear that the current medical regulatory system is completely failing to protect patients and NHS staff, so I am looking at how we can overhaul the current regime, which has been found completely wanting.”
According to The Telegraph, this “overhaul” is set to include changing the law to introduce a duty on NHS staff not to make racist statements.
A government source reportedly told the paper that the change would “make it easier to kick racists out of the NHS”.
Streeting made the comments in response to the case of Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, a trainee in orthopaedics, who has previously claimed the UK is “occupied and controlled” by “Jewish supremacy”.
While she is not currently working in the NHS, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) declined last week to issue an order against her registration while allegations of antisemitism are investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC), the UK’s medical regulator.
In its ruling, the MPTS found that “a reasonable and fully informed member of the public would not be alarmed or concerned” by Aladwan being allowed to practise.
However, the JC subsequently revealed that, in a social media post made after the ruling, Aladwan had hailed Hamas and the October 7 attacks.
Responding to criticism from Heidi Bachram, whose husband Adam Ma’anit’s relatives were killed during the October 7 massacres, Aladwan wrote: “Glory to the Palestinian armed resistance. Glory to Al-Aqsa flood. Glory to Palestine.”
The “armed resistance” is a term often used by Hamas and its supporters to refer to the group, while Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was its military codename for the attacks, which left 1,200 people dead and sparked the Gaza War.
Asked by the JC whether it would reconsider its verdict in light of the new remarks, a spokesperson for the MPTS said it was not able to do so as it can only act on referrals from the GMC.
They added: "The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) has no powers to investigate doctors. We run hearings that make independent decisions about whether doctors... are fit to practise in the UK.
“It is the GMC's role to investigate concerns and, if necessary, refer them to a hearing at the MPTS.
"There is no legal mechanism by which we can reopen previous decisions made by our tribunals.
“These are legally binding and can only be challenged through the relevant court process.”
The GMC is currently investigating Aladwan over separate comments, but is yet to present any findings.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: “We are aware of the post, and we are considering what action we will take.”
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