Barts Health NHS Trust, is urgently reviewing its dress code following multiple incidents of staff wearing Palestine shirts and badges, and upsetting Jewish staff and patients. Hospital staff have even risked the patients’ health as a result of arguments over the offensive Pro-Palestinian clothing and badges.

Barts Health NHS Trust (Barts Trust) runs St Bartholomew’s, Whipps Cross, Newham and Royal London hospitals in London.  UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) reported a serious of incidents in October and November at hospitals within the Barts Trust. Initially the incidents were treated in a lackadaisical manner.  However, as more incidents piled up, eventually Barts agreed to review and amend its dress code immediately.

A Barts Trust spokesperson said: “I can confirm that in response to recent feedback and concerns raised we are about to commence a review of our Uniform and Dress Code policy and will not be wating until the October 2025 review date noted on the policy.”

Here are some examples of the incidents reported to the Barts Trust over the past few weeks:

• A Medical Laboratory Assistant in the Reception of the Pathology Department at Newham Hospital, as well as at the Royal London Hospital, has been wearing a black t-shirt emblazoned with Arabic writing on the front, and on the back two maps of Israel, and stripes in the Palestinian colours. This was actually the Palestinian Football Team shirt.
• Over the past year, many of the staff at Newham hospital have been wearing large badges, attached to their hospital lanyards, with the slogan “Free Palestine”. These badges were supplied by Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
• Other staff have been wearing Socialist Worker supplied badges in Black, Green and Red with the words “Freedom for Palestine” in English and Arabic.
• At St Bartholomew’s Hospital, a receptionist and a clinic manager staff have been seen wearing Palestine Flag badges.
• A student at Whipps Cross hospital, accompanying nurses as an intern, was photographed by a patient being treated on dialysis , wearing a Palestine football shirt, with the two maps of Israel on the back, along with the Palestinian stripes. When the patient complained about the shirt being worn by the student, the nurses carrying out his dialysis threatened to stop treating him if he didn’t delete the photograph, thus breaching a multitude of regulations for nurses, and threatening to risk the patient’s health.

Caroline Turner commented: “It is particularly concerning that some of the staff members wearing the Palestine Flag pin are in senior positions, setting a very poor example for other staff. It is important that hospitals promote an environment of neutrality. In such a diverse workplace, political displays can create division and discomfort.”

During a recent visit to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, an elderly Jewish man was deeply upset by seeing a staff member wearing the Palestinian pin. While the staff member may not have intended harm, the display of political symbols can upset patients from various backgrounds, particularly when they are at their most vulnerable and easily distressed.

In particular, Jewish, Israeli and Zionist patients may feel threatened, and scared to reveal their nationality or religion, for fear that they may be harmed by the staff member wearing the offensive clothing or badge. These patients have protected characteristics under Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) of race, religion or belief.

UKLFI has warned the Barts Trust that it is in breach of the Equality Act 2010 while it allows staff to wear the divisive political symbols. In relation to its employees, the Trust is in breach of Section 40 of the Act which says; “an employer (A) must not, in relation to employment by A, harass a person (B) (a) who is an employee of A’s…..”

In relation to the patients and third parties, the Hospital and the Trust are in breach of Section 29 (3) of the Act which says: “A service-provider must not, in relation to the provision of the service, harass—

(a) a person requiring the service, or

(b) a person to whom the service-provider provides the service.”

In this case the staff wearing the offensive badges and symbols created an intimidating, hostile, and offensive environment for Israeli or Jewish patients and staff, which amounts to harassment under Section 26 of the Act.

Caroline Turner commented: “We are pleased that Barts Trust is now reviewing its staff dress code to include a ban on political clothing and symbols, and we look forward to receiving the new version, and to it being properly enforced.”