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Supporting our Muslim colleagues and patients during Ramadan

May 10, 2019

Ramadan began on Monday 6 May and signals the start of a period of fasting for Muslims across the world. Lasting from 29–30 days, Ramadan sees Muslims refrain from eating food, drinking or smoking from sunrise to sunset.

Muslim’s will commonly have one meal known as the suhoor just before sunrise and an evening meal known as Iftar after sunset. Ramadan is considered as a time of prayer and self-reflection, where Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur’an.

At our Trust, many colleagues have asked for information on Ramadan and advice on how they could better support both colleagues and patients during this period and listed below is some helpful advice from the BME Network and Muslim Liaison Group.

Some of the ways in which you can support colleagues during Ramadan:

  • Adjusting the rota to support those colleagues finding it difficult working day shifts whilst fasting.
  • Allowing colleagues to be able to go for their breaks/lunch at Iftar (breaking the fast time at sunset) and at Suhoor (starting the fast time at dawn) as well as time to pray. This could be done as a reasonable adjustment to support the staff member to practice their faith.

If it is clinically safe for a patient to fast here are some of the ways in which  you can support Muslim patients during Ramadan:

  • A patient who is fasting may prefer to have food brought in by their relatives ready for when it is time for them to break their fast at sunset.
  • A patient may ask to leave the ward to go to the prayer room or chapel to observe their worship during the holy month.
  • Patients who are fasting may require more water than usual out of thirst from fasting or to fully hydrate before they begin fasting again the following morning.
  • The Holy Quran and religious books can be supplied by the hospital chapel or by a Muslim chaplain or brought in by friends or relatives.

The Muslim Liaison Group and BME network are planning an Iftar meal on 15 May this year and all colleagues are invited. Managers are encouraged to allow all team members to rotate and come along to celebrate the welcoming of Ramadan at Arches café at City Hospital from 8.30pm-9.30pm with the fasting being broken at 8.45pm.

If you have any questions regarding Ramadan or how you can support patients, visitors or colleagues, please get in touch with the Muslim Chaplain on ext. 4055\5015 or contact the BME Staff Network on swbh.bme@nhs.net.