A petition demanding action against Dr Eastland Staveley, a GP who called for the killing of Palestinian babies, has now surpassed 11,000 signatures.
Organised by Friends of Al-Aqsa, one of the UK’s leading advocacy organisations for Palestinian rights, the petition demands that the General Medical Council (GMC) investigates and suspends Dr Staveley, a GP employed by DHU Healthcare.
Dr Staveley is reported to have responded to a social media question referencing Palestinian children in Gaza, “how many babies have you sniped?” with the reply: “not enough.”
Despite this, Dr Staveley reportedly continues to work as a GP providing NHS services through DHU Healthcare in the East Midlands, and remains on the GMC medical register with an active licence to practise.
Friends of Al-Aqsa says endorsing the killing of infants on ethnic grounds constitutes a fundamental breach of the values upon which the entire enterprise of medicine rests.
Ismail Patel, Chair of Friends of Al-Aqsa, said: “The GMC exists to protect patients and uphold the integrity of the medical profession. That is not a discretionary function; it is a public duty. When a doctor publicly expresses what amounts to an endorsement of killing children on ethnic grounds, the GMC is duty-bound to open an immediate and transparent investigation.
“Over 11,000 members of the public have made clear that silence and delay are not acceptable responses. We call on the GMC to act without further hesitation, not as a favour to campaigners, but as a fulfilment of its obligation to every patient in this country who deserves to be treated as a person whose life matters equally.”
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Ismail Patel further stated: “DHU Healthcare describes itself as a values-driven, not-for-profit organisation providing care to communities across the East Midlands. We call on DHU to honour those values in practice. It is wholly inappropriate, indeed, it is a safeguarding failure, for someone who has publicly expressed what Dr Staveley is alleged to have expressed to continue serving within the National Health Service.
“DHU Healthcare must suspend Dr Staveley immediately and initiate full disciplinary proceedings consistent with its own published standards. The Health Secretary must also intervene and call for an immediate investigation.”
DHU Healthcare statement
DHU Healthcare issued the following statement regarding Dr Staveley several months ago but has not updated it:
“We are aware of social media commentary regarding our organisation, DHU Healthcare Community Interest Company (CIC).
“As a values-led CIC committed to providing compassionate, high-quality patient care, any concerns that bring our values or behaviours into question are taken seriously and reviewed through established internal governance, safeguarding and professional standards procedures, with organisational action taken alongside external and regulatory processes where required.
“We can confirm these current matters are subject to both internal review and oversight by relevant external regulatory bodies.
“We encourage everyone engaging online to remain respectful and mindful of platform standards, including avoiding discriminatory language, hate speech, harassment, and the sharing of unverified information.
“Additionally, we would strongly discourage speculation or the sharing of unverified information regarding individuals, workplaces or locations associated with these matters. The circulation of inaccurate information online can cause significant distress, disruption, and safety concerns for everyone using our services.
“Our focus remains on supporting our patients, colleagues, and communities while ensuring that any concerns are handled respectfully and fairly through the correct channels. We don’t discuss individual cases or situations like this on social media, and we will continue to handle them through the appropriate channels.”
