Elham Asaad Buaras
A veteran nurse who claimed there was “no place” for Muslims in the UK following the Southport attack has been permanently struck off. A disciplinary panel found that Simon Watts’s “offensive, discriminatory and racist” Facebook posts demonstrated “deep-seated attitudinal problems” that made him unfit to practise.
Watts, who had 30 years of experience and was employed by medical provider Mitie to work with Norfolk and Suffolk Police, made the posts on his public Facebook account on August 2, 2024. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) tribunal concluded his comments, made in the wake of an attack that killed three children and injured ten others, were a fundamental breach of the profession’s core tenets.
The ruling noted his posts were “specifically relating” to the attack, which triggered disorder amid false online rumours about the perpetrator. Watts called for mass deportations “before more bloodshed occurs,” stated that “this is not a Muslim country and there should be no place for them,” and referred to “the scum of this country.” He also wrote that immigrants should be “screened and deported if they do not follow or help our infrastructure.”
Although Watts admitted the charges and expressed remorse, the panel found his insight to be “limited” and “still developing.” A critical moment occurred when he was asked what steps he had taken to better understand different cultures. The panel reported he justified his inaction by stating he “did not need to,” a response they found deeply concerning.
The panel was unconvinced by his attempts at remediation, dismissing an online equality course as insufficient and noting a ‘PREVENT’ course he cited was irrelevant, as it focused on radicalisation in others, not personal racism.
Ultimately, the panel determined there was a “serious risk of repetition.” They stated his actions had brought the profession into disrepute and that public confidence could not be maintained if he remained on the register.
Watts argued the incident was an “isolated lapse” in an otherwise unblemished career and that suspension would be sufficient. However, the NMC’s own presenter revised their position during the hearing to argue for a striking-off order, which the panel agreed was the only proportionate outcome.
An 18-month interim suspension order was imposed, covering a 28-day appeal period. Watts will be formally struck off once this period concludes. The panel concluded his behaviour was “fundamentally incompatible” with being a registered nurse and that removal was the only way to protect the public.
Feature photo: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) tribunal concluded that anti-Muslim comments made by veteran nurse Simon Watts constituted a fundamental breach of the profession’s core standards. (Credit: CC)
