Political advocacy in health care discussed after alleged antisemitism

The presence of political advocacy within Australia's healthcare system has been a central topic at the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion.

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I have people ask me, 'Am I safe going to the hospital?'

Victorian gastroenterologist Adam Gordon told the inquiry that some Jewish and Israeli patients have expressed a loss of trust in the healthcare system. He noted that following the war in Gaza and incidents of alleged antisemitism in hospitals, patients have asked if it is safe to seek medical treatment. "I have people ask me, 'Am I safe going to the hospital?'" Gordon stated, emphasizing that patients are in a vulnerable position, especially during procedures when they are unconscious and potentially unaware of their surroundings.

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Patients are in a very vulnerable position, and particularly patients who are having procedures, they're essentially unconscious, they're under an anaesthetic and they're worried about what's going to happen to them.

Gordon advocated for a nationwide ban on medical practitioners and health staff wearing political symbols, such as flag pins. He argued that political advocacy has no place in healthcare and that patients should not have the added concern of where they fit into the day's political discourse. "Health care should be a sacred space," he asserted.

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I have never been asked a question along those lines before October 7, 2023.

Victorian dermatologist Jack Green echoed these concerns, stating that visible symbols of political advocacy "fracture the doctor-patient relationship." He explained that medical practitioners operate under specific restrictions in their work environments precisely because of the trust and power differential inherent in the doctor-patient dynamic. Maintaining this trust, Green argued, is paramount for the healthcare system's integrity.

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There shouldn't be this additional concern placed on patients about where they fit in the political advocacy of the day.