Islamophobia Awareness in Healthcare

What is Islamophobia Awareness Month?

Islamophobia Awareness Month was co-founded in 2012 by Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) and is dedicated to highlighting the danger posed by islamophobic hate crimes. The campaign not only celebrates the contributions of British Muslims in the UK but also sheds light on many underlying issues that they face daily due to their religion. Every November, many organisations such as workplaces, universities, shops and many more take part in raising awareness about islamophobia.

How does Islamophobia affect Muslims in Health?

The Muslim community in the UK experiences a range of health inequalities compared with the wider population. 24% of Muslims aged 50 years and over reported poor or very poor health which is double of the national average. A large number of the Muslim community also live in deprived areas, which recent research shows are disproportionately affected by cuts to public health funding.

Muslim patients are more likely to be dismissed and misdiagnosed, it's reported that concerns are not taken seriously and as a result infection and mortality rates are exponentially higher for them than other groups. Muslim women face stark inequalities in the access to maternity and young British Muslims suffer from clinical prejudice and cultural stigma. 

Over 40% of NHS staff are ethnic minorities making the NHS one of the leading diverse work forces globally. There is high expectation of maintaining equality and protecting staff in the NHS, but discrimination has remained rampant over the last decade. The influx of migrants, whom many are people of colour, working in healthcare has led to a rise in verbal, physical and psychological abuse that is faced by many Muslim healthcare professionals and patients alike. Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) healthcare workers were worse hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as 63% of the NHS staff that died to the virus were BAME.

The report ‘Excluded on the Frontline: Discrimination, Racism and Islamophobia in NHS’, highlights how students and workers who identify as Muslim or is perceived as within the healthcare system, face discrimination that begins in medical school and lasts throughout their respective careers. The study revealed 8 out of 10 Muslim workers had faced negative experiences in the NHS, majority of the survey respondents said they had to compromise their religion, raised issues such as the inadequate prayer facilities and the dress code preventing many Muslim women from pursuing a career in healthcare.

How is this being challenged?

The NHS Muslim Network is part of a programme to encourage inclusivity and diversity within the workplace. Membership is easily accessible for anyone and it’s main objectives include improving and tackling health inequalities. It aims to provide representation, personal, support, and increase awareness through partnerships with Public Health England. To join simply contact england.muslim1@nhs.net.

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination by public and private health and care services. Check if you’ve experienced discrimination under the Equality Act. 

Below you can find ways to report incidents of Islamophobia in healthcare:

Care Quality Commission

https://www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us

Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS)

https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/app/home

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) 

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/what-is-pals-patient-advice-and-liaison-service/

NHS Complaints and Advocacy Service

https://www.healthwatchnewham.co.uk/nhs-complaints-advisory-service