COVID-19 Vaccines
Further information about the COVID-19 vaccine for Muslim communities is available:
- Guidance for mosques and worshippers can be found by the Muslim Council of Britain
- Advice for those who have been admitted to hospital or know someone who has been admitted has also been developed by the Muslim Council of Britain
An assessment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been conducted by the British Islamic Medical Association, in collaboration with Islamic scholars in the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), Wifaqul Ulama, and the UK Islamic Mission
COVID-19 Vaccines – Members briefing
The Network will be holding a series of COVID-19 Vaccine briefing for our members and colleagues.
The briefing will provide an overview of the COVID-19 vaccines available in England, including key topics about:
- What is the clinical/science behind the vaccines? Is the vaccine safe?
- What is the Islamic perspective on the vaccines? What is the ruling on each of the vaccines?
- How will the vaccines roll out work? When can I get a vaccine?
- Open Q&A to our panel
We will be joined by several key speakers, including clinical experts, Islamic scholars and key figures in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Briefing 1: Thursday 28th January 14:00 – 15:30
Briefing 2: Tuesday 2nd February 17:00 – 18:30 If you would like to submit a question anonymously ahead of the session for our panel, then please email us at: england.muslim1@nhs.net.
Virtual Monthly Catch-ups
By popular demand, our virtual members catch ups are returning!
We have taken on board your feedback and have designed a schedule of monthly members’ sessions ranging in topics, from career development, Islamophobia and diversity to simple members’ chit-chat!
Please see below our schedule for the next three months – calendar invites will also be sent:
Islamophobia in the NHS – the next steps: Following on from Islamophobia Awareness month, what can we do going forward to eradicate the problem?
Wednesday 24th February 12:00 – 13:00
Muslim Career progression in the NHSE&I – an analysis of ESR: A deep dive looking into the data about career progression for Muslim’s in NHS England and NHS Improvement, launching our first annual report on the issue.
Tuesday 30th March 15:00 – 16:00 These sessions are open to all colleagues, regardless of background. If you would like to join the event and do not receive a calendar invite, email us at: england.muslim1@nhs.net
Islamophobia Awareness Month
In November, we held our very first event looking at Islamophobia in the NHS, as part of our participation in Islamophobia Awareness Month this year. Hosted in collaboration with the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) and the Muslim Doctors Association (MDA), we heard stories of lived experiences of Islamophobia in the NHS as well as what the NHS can do to take tackle this issue. The event was a great success, with over 180+ participants however this is the beginning of the discussion and not the solution. We will be holding several events and projects throughout the year to raise faith literacy and cultural sensitivity in the NHS, as well as working on an Islamophobia strategy to combat the issue for good.
Islamic Prayer guidance for NHS managers and employees
The Muslim Network, in collaboration with the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), BIMA and MDA have developed the first ever guidance for managers on Muslim prayer times.
The guidance is aimed at all non-clinical staff and managers in the NHS, and consists of information on:
- What is the Islamic prayer (Salah)?
- What are the requirements and timings?
- How can managers support colleagues who wish to pray during working hours?
If you have any feedback or would like to share wider, then please contact us at: england.muslim1@nhs.net
Support for staff
If you have experienced or witnessed Islamophobia in the workplace, there are several support points available to raise this. The Network will be looking to publish an Islamophobia pack with support services listed. These include:
- Speaking to your line manager
- Speaking to your Freedom to Speak Up guardian (FTSU guardian)
- Contacting the NHS Muslim Network for advice
- Reporting the incident with your HR department
- Speaking to your Diversity and Inclusion Lead
For those working at NHS England and NHS Improvement:
You can contact the Employee Assistance Programme which is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week confidential service, which can support colleagues with a range of issues including relationships, stress, legal and financial concerns, bereavement and discrimination. For more information please see: Employee Assistance Programme
You can also contact your Respect at Work contacts as we should all feel supported to raise concerns and feel empowered to call out poor behaviour; demonstrating a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment. For more information please see: Respect at workFurther health and wellbeing offers are available at: People.NHS
Bereavement guidance for the NHS
The NHS Muslim Network in collaboration with the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has been supporting the NHS People Directorate in developing bereavement guidance for managers across the NHS.
This guidance has now been published, and can be found on the NHS England.
The guidance includes key information about Islamic funeral rites, how to support colleagues and what may be expected for the family and friends of the deceased when returning to work. We encourage all members to share this across their teams and with their colleagues.
Islamophobia survey
The NHS Muslim Network is supporting the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) with a survey to gather experiences of Muslims in the community. The survey includes questions relating to Muslim perception of the police service, Muslims in policing, hate crimes and counter terrorism strategy.
All data will be anonymous and will be used to help drive improvement programmes in the police force and in the wider public sector. Please take 15 minutes to fill out this important survey:
Inquiry into Racial Inequality – Call for evidence
The Equality and Human Rights commission have launched a call for evidence on the topic of racial inequality in health and social care workplaces.
The aim of this inquiry is to understand the experiences of ethnic minorities working in health and social care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage all eligible members to submit information to the inquiry – more information can be found here: inquiry racial inequality health and social care workplaces
ConsortiuM GB Mentoring programme
ConsortiuM GB (a network of professional Muslim networks across different industries and sectors) have launched their acclaimed Professional Mentoring programme for Muslims.
The programme is designed to connect experienced professionals with those in junior/middle management who are seeking to develop and progress their skills and careers.
The programme is spread over approximately six months, starting in February. This is an excellent opportunity to:
- Unlock your potential, access support and build a network
- Share knowledge, nurture talent and build leadership
- Give back to the community and more.
To apply to be a mentee or a mentor, please go to: consortiumgb Colleagues across the NHS also have access to the Coaching and Mentoring hub, to get access to hundreds of coaches and mentors available from all backgrounds.
Workforce Disability Equality Standard
The Disability and Wellbeing Network (DAWN) are looking to provide feedback and support for the Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) from a Muslim Network perspective. If you have any long -term conditions, disabilities or mental or physical illnesses, then the DAWN network would love to hear from you. Please contact us at: england.muslim1@nhs.net
Become a Plasma Donor
Have you recovered from COVID-19 and want to help others?
NHS Blood and Transplant are currently running a Blood Plasma donation trial. They are especially looking for volunteers who are men, aged 35+ and Asian, to act as ambassadors at a donation session in the London Edgware donation centre in late January 2021.More information can be found at: https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/covid-19-research/plasma-donors/who-can-donate-plasma/
Join our NHS Muslim Network Executive Committee
The Muslim Network are looking to further recruit to roles on the Executive Committee.
The roles available are:
– Head of Faith Literacy: Responsible for developing and implementing a faith inclusion strategy to make the NHS a more inclusive place for people of faith.
– Head of Partnerships: Responsible for collaborating with key internal and external stakeholders and partners, including the Muslim Network Health Collaborative.
– Regional Representatives: Responsible for leading local Muslim Network committees, including running health promotion events, improving the well being of local staff and providing a link between local communities and national strategy.If you are interested, please get in contact by emailing us at: england.muslim1@nhs.net