A healthcare trust that runs a West London hospital is reviewing its dress code following complaints about multiple incidents of staff wearing pro-Palestinian paraphernalia at work.

Imperial College Healthcare Trust, which runs St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington has written to UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), confirming that the Trust is currently reviewing its Uniform and Appearance Policy, and that they will write again when this review is complete.

UKLFI had been contacted by concerned patients and staff regarding many of the staff at St Mary’s wearing  pro-Palestinian lanyards, badges, watermelon signs around the hospital with impunity. UKLFI was told that

• The head nurse of the Charles Pannett ward has been wearing a Lanyard with Free Palestine written on it.
• The head nurse of A&E has been wearing a Palestine flag badge,
• The site nurse practitioner also wore a Palestine flag badge on her lanyard.
• Many doctors in the first year of Foundation Training (F1s) have been wearing watermelon badges on their lanyards.
• One F1 had “Free Palestine” written all over her phone case

UKLFI wrote to Professor Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs St Mary’s Paddington to alert him to the distress that these pro-Palestinian items were causing to Jewish patients and staff.

UKLFI pointed out that the display of a Palestine flag indicates support for the Palestinian cause, and opposition to the State of Israel. This is the flag that appears in the “hate-marches” that have occurred on most Saturdays since 7 October 2023.  It is the flag that appears at the grotesque Hamas hostage handover ceremonies in Gaza, alongside the gun wielding Hamas terrorists.

The slogan “Free Palestine” indicates a wish for a Jew-free Palestine, and the obliteration of the State of Israel “from the river to the sea”.

The Watermelon is another symbol that is used instead of the Palestine flag, particularly since 7 October 2023, and is used to indicate support for the Palestinian cause and opposition to the State of Israel. It is also used commonly at the “hate marches” that have been going on almost every weekend since October 2023.

All these symbols could also indicate support for Hamas’s actions on 7 October 2023 when over 1200 people, including babies, children and women were horrifically murdered, raped, mutilated and burnt, and when over 250 people were taken hostage.

Jewish or Israeli patients and staff are likely to be intimidated by these pro-Palestine symbols and are likely to consider that it is a hostile act towards themselves.  UKLFI explained that the sight of these offensive political slogans and items creates an offensive and hostile atmosphere in the hospital for Jewish and Israeli patients and staff.

They are particularly upsetting for Jewish patients to see, as they will feel that they have to hide their Jewish identity for fear of being harmed by these staff members. The patients are already in a vulnerable condition, and this intimidation by staff may exacerbate it.

UKLFI pointed out that if a staff member is wearing any of these pro-Palestine symbols, it would be likely to breach Section 29 (3) of the Equalities Act 2010 (the Act) as it would harass Jewish and Israeli customers, in that it would create for them a hostile and intimidating atmosphere for them in the hospital.

Wearing the badges also goes against The Trust’s Policies, which say that they are “considerate and thoughtful, so everyone feels respected and included” and that they “see things from others’ point of view”.

Caroline Turner of UKLFI commented: “It does not appear that the Trust has been considerate or thoughtful, by allowing hospital staff to wear their pro-Palestinian insignia at work. We hope that following their review of uniform policy, these items will be prohibited.”