On the subject of false positives generated by counter-extremism referrals in the UK, and the securitization of health, this report by MedAct, published in July 2020, was among the first to examine the implementation and impacts of the Prevent counter-extremism strategy in the British National Health System (NHS).

It considers the interaction between Prevent and other professional duties across different NHS settings. It concludes that:

• there is racial and religious disproportionality in who is reported;
• people with mental health conditions are more likely to be reported;
• there are acute ethical concerns with Vulnerability Support Hubs;
• Prevent referrals can damage patient health, by impacting therapeutic relationships, interrupting care, and even triggering mental health problems.

The report may be read alongside MedAct’s recent report into the NHS’s “Vulnerability Support Hubs”, as well as other articles on racism in healthcare, and was part of a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur in July 2020.

You can find the full report HERE.

Find out more about Prevent Watch here.