'Taking the knee to Islam!' NHS executives 'reverse-mentored' on Muslim staff's 'lived-experience'

The Network states executives must meet with their Muslim reverse-mentees for a minimum of one hour per quarter.

Two of Britain's top civil servants, Hopson and Wilkinson-Brice, were paid £190,000 and £175,000 respectively in 2022/23.

The NHS Muslim Network is one of many networks set up to support NHS staff and Hopson is this Network's 'Executive Sponsor'.

In a message to the NHS Muslim Network's membership for Eid 2024, he congratulated the Network for "growing the membership", remarking on how they had "outgrown" their event venues.

He told the Network, "I love working with you", then congratulated them for "incorporating allies" (non-Muslim members of staff) to help expand the Network and further its aims.

GB News has revealed that the NHS Muslim Network published a guide for 'New Muslims' that has been publicised across the health service for general staff.

The guide details the process of conversion to Islam, while referring to the reader as the "convert".

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It tells staff converting to Islam will be the "best decision you ever make", while reassuring readers if family members and friends "initially [do] not have a positive reaction".

The guide says it has been written "with the intention of pleasing God by providing support to converts to Islam, their peers and colleagues".

It reads: "For many converts, becoming Muslim isn't always a celebration, as many friends and relatives need some time to accept the good news".

NHS staff are told that dressing modestly - described in the guide as 'lose-fitting, modest clothing covering all parts of the body aside the face, hands and feet', is 'completely possible' to maintain at work and 'by doing so, you are abiding by an obligation passed to us by God'.

The NHS Muslim Network has received at least £2,655 in public money in 2022/23, the Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed.

GB News awaits further information on any funds it may have received in other years.

The Network is run by NHS staff who are allocated "protected time" away from their regular duties to work on it. The NHS recommends a minimum of two days a month for this.

Its guidance sits under "training" on the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes health and care partnership website and the Network is "sponsored" by top executives of NHS England.

The NHS South East London Integrated Care Board admitted to GB News the Network has been publicised to its staff.

Ben Habib, formerly the Deputy Leader of Reform UK, fumed at the Diversity and Inclusion policies which he feels have allowed religion to creep into Britain's public services.

"Islam has successfully painted itself almost as a victim in the UK, which is why the term 'Islamophobia' has been capable of being coined.

"In the pursuit of wishing not to be part of that, people are taking the knee to Islam."

To the argument that Diversity and Inclusion policies promote staff productivity and retention, he retorted: "Garbage, absolute garbage."

Britons told about the Network's activities and its entitlement to use NHS time were baffled.

"I'm just disgusted. What's the matter with the British people? What are they pandering to?" retired civil servant Ruhi asked.

A mother whose son had waited for three years for surgery was furious, saying: "What does religion or spirituality have to do with medical care? It sounds bizarre, to be honest."

The NHS waiting list had reached nearly 7.5 million by December 2024, which consisted of 6.2 million patients across Britain. Of those, more than 3 million had been waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment.

In response to these revelations about the New Muslim Guidance, reverse mentoring scheme and the Network's events, NHS England said: "Senior NHS England managers regularly engage with staff across the entire NHS workforce to hear and understand their experiences of working in the NHS, in order to provide better care for patients.

"We are a diverse country and that is reflected in the NHS workforce - it’s vital that we make sure all our staff feel included so we can recruit and retain an NHS workforce that is as productive as possible."

Selina Ullah, Chair of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: "It is important that we support and celebrate the contribution of NHS Muslim colleagues.

"If all our staff feel included, we can provide patients with the best quality care."

The NHS Muslim Network is under new leadership, who claim they were unaware of the guidance.

The Network says it is reviewing its guidance and developing a new strategy to support Muslim colleagues across the NHS.

On the NHS Ramadan Challenge, NHS England said: "It is obviously entirely reasonable for NHS staff to take part in Ramadan if they would like to – including as a way to recognise the tens of thousands of Muslims working in the health service."