Elham Asaad Buaras
A Birmingham nurse whose career spanned almost 45 years has been struck off the professional register following a Fitness to Practise hearing on December 23, after she shared a series of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant posts on Facebook in August 2024.
Roberta Batchelor, who was working as a ward manager at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust at the time, published several images and captions that were later described by regulators as racist and deeply offensive.
Among the posts, shared was an image showing a boat arriving at a beach filled with people, captioned: “These give nothing and get everything.” It was juxtaposed with another image of a homeless veteran, captioned, “These give everything and get nothing.”
In another post, Batchelor shared a picture of a child being chased by several men, one of whom appeared to be holding a knife. The image was accompanied by the caption: “Next time when you pay your taxes, remember some of your money goes for the ‘Protection of Mosques.’”
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said she also posted a highlighted passage from the biblical book of Deuteronomy, warning that foreigners would “gain more and more power” while others would “gradually lose” theirs, concluding: “In the end they will be your rulers.”
A fourth post showed a split image comparing airport security checks with a man stepping off a boat, captioned: “you at the airport” and “Muhammad at dover.”
Concerns were formally raised on August 5, 2024, when the Trust received a complaint from a member of the public about the posts. An internal investigation was launched shortly afterwards.
Batchelor admitted making the posts and issued an apology. In evidence submitted to the NMC, she said she was “disgusted” with herself and acknowledged that she had allowed her anger to override her professional responsibilities.
She told the panel she had been “posting horrible stuff on Facebook” during a period of heightened political tension, saying she was angry at the time about government proposals to withdraw free TV licences and winter fuel payments for elderly people.
“I allowed myself to get caught up in all the unrest in the country,” she said. “I cannot forgive myself for doing this, as all my family are of black and ethnic minority [backgrounds].”
She added that she had apologised to family members, friends and colleagues, and stated that she wished “to be removed from nursing as I don’t feel I should have that privilege”.
In its decision issued the NMC panel said striking Ms Batchelor off the register was necessary to protect the public and to uphold confidence in the nursing profession.
The panel said the sanction was required “to mark the seriousness of Mrs Batchelor’s misconduct, underpin the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and send to both the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse”.
Batchelor began her NHS career as a cleaner before working her way up to become a ward manager. In 2015, she was awarded a Pride of Nursing accolade at a ceremony held at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Feature photo: Nurse Roberta Batchelor was struck off the professional register after a December 23 Fitness to Practise hearing over anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant Facebook posts shared in August 2024. (Credit: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust)
