NHS Muslim Medics and MRSA

Muslim doctors and nurses have been allowed to opt-out of NHS hygiene rules in a move that has been blasted by critics as double standards. Critics compared the opt-out given to Muslims to cases of Christians being marginalised by the NHS. NHS guidance to curb the spread of superbugs in hospitals states that staff must be “bare below the elbow”. But Muslim staff have been given an exemption to the rule and will be allowed to wear disposable over sleeves instead.

Sikh doctors and nurses have also been told they can wear a bangle around their arm, as long as they push it up when treating a patient.

Former Conservative Minister Ann Widdecombe said: “Minority groups are unquestionably getting more sensitive treatment than Christians and this is yet more proof.” And Dr Andrew Fergusson of the Christian Medical Fellowship, which represents 4,000 doctors, said that “Christians in health care seem to be particularly vulnerable at the moment”. The move was also slammed by an anti-superbug campaign group. MRSA Action UK’s chairman said: “My worry is that allowing some medics to use disposable sleeves you compromise patient safety because unless you change the sleeves between each patient, you spread bacteria. “Scrubbing bare arms is far more effective”, he added. Since 2007 many hospitals have insisted that staff involved in patient care wear short sleeves at all times. The move came in an attempt to combat superbugs, such as MRSA.

The special treatment given to NHS Muslim medics treating patients with the superbug MRSA surprises me. Yes, the Muslims are certainly being treated very differently to their Christian counterparts, but it is more than that. I know these superbugs are smart, but it appears that they can tell the difference between Muslims, and all nurses of other faiths! It's as though the risk must be lessened when you are being treated by a Muslim. After all, it stands to simple logic that our NHS wouldn't put patients at risk, now would they?

Now the serious part. These are deadly superbugs, and not to be treated lightly. The NHS has been trying to improve hospital cleanliness, and insisting on a policy of the staff being bare below the elbows, especially when dealing with superbugs, so that it reduces the risk of transferring infection from sleeves. It also makes the washing of arms and hands easier, and isn't that a key to keeping MRSA under control? That seems reasonable. Why, why, why then it is ok for some nurses to have to adhere to the strict hygiene rules, but not others? The answer is really very obvious.

We don't want to upset our minority groups. It's as simple as that. Patients will live or die with the risk while the NHS bosses play the PC game. Ann Widdicombe got it right when she said above,  “Minority groups are unquestionably getting more sensitive treatment than Christians and this is yet more proof.”  

I suppose the key question is, "will the superbugs give preferrential treatment to the Muslim medical staff?". Answer, absolutely not, so why allow it? Know what? I think the NHS (like lots of government bodies) are 'feart' to tackle the obvious problem! Apparently, equality is not enough!