Eid Mubarak from the NHS Muslim Network
On behalf of the NHS Muslim Network, we would like to extend a warm Eid Mubarak to all of our members, allies and colleagues in the NHS. We hope that the month of Ramadan was a fantastic opportunity to reflect and reconnect, and we hope that everyone’s Eid is a day of celebration and festivity.
The month of Ramadan, consisting of fasting, reconnecting with Allah (God) and spiritual reflection, is followed by Eid ul-Fitr, which is traditionally a day where family and friends get together to attend special prayers and celebrate.
As we celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, we encourage all our members to follow the public health guidelines on social distancing, in order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect our loved ones. For more information on celebrating Eid safely, watch our recent #SafeEid webinar chaired by our co-chair, Zainab, where we heard from experts including Professor Chris Whitty and Nadhim Zahawi MP on celebrating Eid in a safe manner.
Eid Quiz Night
Our final event as part of our Ramadan schedule is our Eid Quiz night!
While we would normally do an Eid Party in person to mark the end of the month, this year we are hosting our first ever virtual Eid celebration and quiz night (by popular demand!) with a special prize for the winner of the quiz. We will also hear some reflections from colleagues who took part in the network #fastathon2021.
Date: 19th May 2021 | Time: 16:00 – 17:30
Mental health awareness week
This year has brought upon us all unprecedented challenges and obstacles, and many colleagues in the NHS and in our communities may be particularly affected by recent events occurring around the world. There are several resources available to support everyone in taking care of their mental health and wellbeing:
- The Every Mind Matters campaign – which includes videos and articles on dealing with COVID-19, stress and anxiety and what you can do to help others.
- Free counselling for NHS Muslim staff – a free faith-based counselling offer for Muslim staff working in the NHS.
- The NHS People Support page – which contains a direct helpline, text message line and other wellbeing apps including Headspace and Unmind.
- Bespoke resources for ethnic minority staff – qualified and trained professionals, all of whom are Tagalog speakers, ready to help you at our NHS Bereavement & Trauma Line.
- Support now – access to helplines, a text line and wellbeing apps.
- Support offers – access wellbeing support such as counselling, coaching, virtual common rooms as well as support with bereavement, substance misuse, gambling and financial wellbeing.
- Support for all leaders – access coaching, mentoring and leadership support circles.
- Support for exec leaders – access 1:1 psychological support, mentoring, chief executive common rooms and stories from other leaders.
Network support: You can also get in contact with the network directly, by emailing us at: england.muslim1@nhs.net.
Recent Ramadan events
We held various webinars and engagement sessions throughout the month of Ramadan with over 150 attendees and over 10,000 views on our daily Ramadan tips and engagements. We would like to thank everyone who participated in these sessions as well as supporting in this year’s Fast-a-thon challenge, up to now we have raised £530. If you still like to donate, please visit the fundraising page
- #Fastathon2021 Challenge – We saw members share their experience as well as their delicious Iftar food pictures over our social media, encouraging others to fast alongside their Muslim colleagues.
- Ramadan session #1 – We collaborated and shared topics covering the Importance of Ramadan, Spiritual and Health benefits, and Lailatul Qadr.
- Ramadan session #2 – We came together and reflected on Ramadan as well as made each other laugh.
- Zakat overview and Q&A – We were joined by Ustadh Aqeel Mahmood from Green Lane Mosque, Birmingham, who gave an overview on the importance of Zakat, rulings and common Fiqh questions.
Ramadan cook-along and competition
NHS England & Improvement London have organised an exclusive Ramadan cook-along with MasterChef contestant Raheel Mirza.
Raheel has a fantastic menu prepared for the occasion. He will be teaching you to cook a Tandoori Starter (chicken, salmon or veg) with a Chickpea Curry for your main course – a light and traditional dish that is perfect after a day of fasting.
The first 30 people to sign up will also receive a free spice pack from Raheel, so you have all the spices you need to make these incredible traditional dishes. As well as this, there will be a raffle with ten spice boxes to give away, so if Raheel chooses you, they will then be in contact with you over the weekend to collect your address if you win, so keep an eye out for another email!
Date: Tuesday 11th May | Time: 6.00pm
COVID-19 Vaccines Hotline
The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) have established a 24/7 email hotline open to all NHS staff, to answer any queries related to the COVID-19 vaccines.
If you have any queries related to the COVID-19 vaccines, get in touch by emailing: cv19staff@britishima.org
What stops people speaking up?
NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) are looking at what prevents people from speaking up in the workplace.
The 9th and 14th internal staff check-in survey highlighted that people working in NHSE/I have something to speak up about, but don’t. Following this, the Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) guardians are investigating how this can be tackled, by:
- Listening to and capturing people’ stories, and
- Conducting a research survey.
They will compile all of this information into a report that will contain analysis, case studies and recommendations that in time could transform our speaking up culture. The report will form the basis of comms and engagement in Speak Up month this October and help shape ongoing conversation between FTSU Guardians and their Executive Directors.
If you work in NHSE/I, you can share your experience by:
- Clicking here to complete an anonymous survey
- Emailing NHSI.ftsulearning@nhs.net to arrange to share your story
Visit the speaking up barriers research project on the NHSE/I Hub to find out how you can safely and confidentially share your experience.
#ProjectM
To support busy health and social care managers through the enormous pressures of Covid-19 and beyond, #ProjectM has been created by the NHS Leadership Academy to provide a safe space for you to connect, share and learn together.
#ProjectM tweet chats take place monthly and give participants the chance to get their voices heard and engage with peers from across the NHS. The #ProjectM webpage is regularly updated and provides valuable tools and resources that relate to themes in the tweet chats. This ensures that #ProjectM content is always timely and relevant. To find out more and get involved visit: www.people.nhs.uk/projectm and #ProjectM on Twitter.#ProjectM Mentorship: In the spirit of support and collaboration #ProjectM mentorship has launched. This is mentorship but not as you know it! This means getting involved is quick and easy and doesn’t require registration. The #ProjectM mentorship is based on harnessing social media (starting with Twitter) to enable the #ProjectM community to self-organise. To find out more visit: https://people.nhs.uk/projectm/peer-mentoring
