Poll reveals 76% of Jewish and Israeli NHS doctors consider quitting BMA

A confidential poll shared with Jewish News has revealed that 76 percent of 203 Jewish and/or Israeli doctors working in the UK have either left or are considering leaving the British Medical Association (BMA), accusing it of breaching its own code of conduct and enabling antisemitism in the health service.

Conducted over five days in closed, verified doctors’ groups, the poll was run by the UK Doctors Anti-Racism Group and asked: “Are you a Jewish and/or Israeli doctor who has left or is considering leaving the BMA due to the persistently antisemitic stance of the BMA?”

Of 203 responses, 155 said yes, 34 said maybe, and just 14 said no.

The results follow controversial motions passed at the BMA’s Annual Representatives Meeting (ARM), held in Belfast from 24–27 June 2025, including a resolution stating: “Criticism of the actions of the state of Israel is not per se antisemitic.”

Other motions, which were passed, called for the suspension of ties with the Israel Medical Association unless it condemned attacks in Gaza and backed international legal action against Israel – but omitted any mention of Israeli hospitals struck by Hamas or the targeting of Israeli medical personnel.

A London doctor and spokesperson for the UK Doctors Anti-Racism Group, who ran the poll, said the atmosphere within the BMA had become “hostile” to Jewish members.

“The BMA says it fights discrimination and celebrates diversity – but many Jewish and Israeli doctors feel utterly excluded. The BMA’s stance on Israel breaches their own code of conduct.”

The BMA’s own Code of Conduct, updated in January 2025, commits the association to “fighting prejudice and discrimination of all kinds”, “fostering respectful discussion of differing perspectives”, and “creating a culture that is inclusive of all members and staff”. It also pledges to “extend solidarity to each other and other groups”.

“Since 7 October 2023, they’ve issued one anti-Israel statement after another, but very little about other countries experiencing crises,” the London doctor said. “Why is Israel the main country singled out for persistent criticism? It is leading to hate speech against Jews and Israelis in UK healthcare settings and risks fuelling radicalisation and extremism.”

The BMA’s July 2025 update reaffirmed its position of “defending medical neutrality”. But the spokesperson warned that the union’s preoccupation with polarising geopolitical issues in the Middle East is fuelling growing fear among Jewish staff and patients, and undermining the principle of neutrality in clinical settings, which should be a safe space.

“We are not aware of the BMA cutting ties recently with any other medical association in the world.”

They added that many doctors feel unable to leave the BMA because there is no viable alternative union for legal and contractual support.

“We’re trapped. We pay into a body that has become openly hostile to us. The BMA is acting as a political lobby group for Middle East issues rather than focusing its energy on the burning issues in UK healthcare.” The group says the BMA’s stance will harm Jewish and non-Jewish patients in Israel alike.

“Israeli doctors have told us they now feel unwelcome at conferences and in education,” the spokesperson said. “And let’s not forget that 20 percent of Israelis are Arab – this detrimentally affects all patients, not just Jews.”

According to figures previously obtained by Jewish News, the General Medical Council received 402 complaints relating to antisemitism between October 2023 and November 2024. Of those, 350 were closed at the triage stage and just 25 proceeded to investigation. While the GMC stated that antisemitism is “completely unacceptable”, critics argued the process failed to deliver meaningful outcomes. Jewish News is awaiting updated figures.

The UK Doctors Anti-Racism Group is calling on NHS England, the BMA, the GMC, and government to take urgent action to safeguard Jewish and or Israeli staff and patients in light of the poll’s findings.

“We’re urging the BMA to step back from polarising geopolitical activism and focus on what matters: fairly representing British doctors and tackling a stretched UK healthcare system.”

Jewish News has approached NHS England for comment. The BMA declined to respond to the poll but said antisemitism is “not acceptable in the BMA, the NHS, or wider society”.