Seventeen baby boys received treatment for life-threatening complications related to circumcision at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in 2025, according to newly released data. The figures, obtained by the National Secular Society (NSS), highlight cases involving severe conditions such as haemorrhage, shock, or sepsis specifically connected to circumcision procedures.
Dr Alejandro Sanchez, the NSS’s human rights lead, criticised the practice as “medically unnecessary genital cutting” and described the situation as “appalling” and a “catastrophic safeguarding failure.” He emphasised the urgent need to address the risks, stating: “It is appalling that baby boys are suffering life-threatening complications as a result of medically unnecessary genital cutting. The inaction of those charged with protecting children represents a catastrophic safeguarding failure. This cavalier approach is endangering lives and must be remedied.”
Data spanning from 2022 to 2024 indicates that a total of 29 babies were treated for serious complications at Birmingham Children’s Hospital related to circumcision. The estimated cost of providing this care is around £264,000 to the taxpayer.
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These figures pertain to children treated at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC) who had circumcisions performed elsewhere. As the NHS only funds medically necessary circumcisions, many of these procedures are believed to have been carried out in the community for religious or cultural reasons.
Under current UK law, there are no restrictions on who may perform circumcisions on boys, meaning the procedure may be conducted by individuals without medical training. Since 2007, at least five infants-including Celian Noumbiwe, Goodluck Caubergs, Angelo Ofori-Mintah, Oliver Asante-Yeboah and Mohamed Abdisamad-have died following non-therapeutic circumcisions.
Despite the cases treated, the NSS has stated that BWC did not make any child safeguarding referrals linked to circumcision between January 2022 and March 2026. The society also reports that requests to engage with the Trust about its concerns have not been responded to.
A spokesperson for Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said the organisation has safeguarding policies and staff training to identify and act upon concerns. They stated: “Children who have undergone procedures elsewhere may occasionally attend our hospital for specialist treatment if they experience complications requiring medical care. The safety and wellbeing of all children and families who use our services is always our highest priority. We have established safeguarding policies and procedures in place, supported by appropriate staff training, to ensure that any safeguarding concerns are identified and acted upon. We would follow these procedures and take appropriate action in any circumstance where we suspected that a child had suffered avoidable harm.”
The issue has gained legislative attention, with Labour MP Sam Carling introducing an amendment to government legislation that would mandate all circumcisions be carried out by regulated healthcare practitioners and subject to inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Mr Carling remarked: “The need to strengthen the regulation of non-therapeutic male circumcision could not be clearer. The tragic death of Mohamed Abdisamad in 2023, and other tragic deaths and serious injuries in recent years, has shown that the legal framework in this space is simply not good enough. My amendment would enact the recommendations of the coroner in Mohamed’s case, who was clear that the status quo, in which anyone can perform a circumcision with no requirements on infection control measures or aftercare, would lead to future deaths.”
Despite these calls, the government stated earlier this year that it currently has no plans to introduce new legislation or guidance on non-therapeutic male circumcision. Religious or cultural circumcisions performed by individuals who are not registered healthcare professionals continue to fall outside the regulatory system.
Dr Sanchez concluded by praising Mr Carling’s efforts, saying: “Sam Carling deserves credit for confronting a dangerous gap in the law that successive governments have failed to address. Reforming the law to protect boys from death and serious harm is an urgent necessity. At a bare minimum, circumcision must be performed by a regulated healthcare professional and anaesthesia must be used.”