Of key interest to researchers into the harms of counter-extremism and its self-reinforcement through statistics, this report reveals how ‘false positives’ are embedded in the pre-crime theories that underlie counter-extremism policies such as the UK’s Prevent strategy, posing acute ethical concerns where they are implement in healthcare.
This report by MedAct examines the implementation and impacts of the Prevent duty in the NHS, looking at the interaction between the duty and other professional duties across different NHS settings.
Released in June 2020, this report also provided the foundation for a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur in November 2020.
It concludes that:
- there is racial and religious disproportionality in who is reported to Prevent;
- 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.