The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a consultation on changes to legislation governing the General Medical Council (GMC), aiming to make it easier to strike off doctors who express racist or antisemitic views, particularly on social media. The DHSC says there have been 'too many' recent examples of such behaviour without swift action.
The reforms, described as the biggest in four decades, would give the GMC new powers to challenge interim decisions of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). The Professional Standards Authority would also gain greater scrutiny and challenge powers. However, the line between antisemitism and anti-Zionist or pro-Palestinian views remains contentious, with some doctors bringing lawsuits under the Equality Act 2010.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'The NHS is a universal health service, which means that everyone, regardless of race, religion or belief should feel safe seeking its care. It is unacceptable that this is not the current reality for many patients and staff, and I will not allow it to continue.'
Labour peer John Mann, who conducted a rapid review of racism in the NHS, described the current system as 'too slow and too cumbersome'. He said: 'Racism, including anti-Jewish racism, has no place in the health sector or our NHS, and those who engage in it should face swift and meaningful consequences.'
GMC chief executive Charlie Massey welcomed the reforms, stating they would allow the regulator to 'respond more quickly and flexibly when patient safety is at risk' and improve efficiency. The consultation follows recommendations from Mann's review, which are expected imminently.
