British Hospitals Endanger Patients for Islamic PC
04/11/2010
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One of the more alarming problems in modern medicine is the increased danger from drug-resistant superbugs found in hospitals. MRSA is a type of staph infection that can’t be treated with basic antibiotics.

Therefore the best defense is prevention via simple hand washing, performed frequently.

But patient safety comes distant second in British hospitals because of the arrogant demands of Muslim employees that they not be required for follow the same rules as other people. In 2008, severe sanctions were threatened: Doctors and nurses to be sacked if they do not wash their hands, according to a Telegraph article. But now, hospital administrators have folded like a cheap lawn chair when faced with unprofessional Muslim staff.

Perhaps a preventable death in the future will result in a fat lawsuit …

Muslim staff escape NHS hygiene rule, Daily Telegraph, April 11, 2010

Female staff who follow the Islamic faith will be allowed to cover their arms to preserve their modesty despite earlier guidance that all staff should be ”bare below the elbow”.

The Department of Health has also relaxed rules prohibiting jewellery so that Sikh members of staff can wear bangles linked with their faith, providing they are pushed up the arm while the medic treats a patient.

The Mail on Sunday reported the change had been made after female Muslims objected to being required to expose their arm below the elbow under guidance introduced by Alan Johnson when he was health secretary in 2007.

The rules were drawn up to reduce the number of patients who were falling ill, and even dying, from superbugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

Revised guidance which relaxed the requirements for some religions was published last month.

Some Muslim staff and those from other groups may be allowed to use disposable plastic over-sleeves which cover their clothes below the elbow and allow the skin to remain covered up.

Derek Butler, chairman of MRSA Action UK, 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.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: ”The guidance is intended to provide direction to services in how they can balance infection control measures with cultural beliefs without compromising patient safety.”

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