Islamophobia is not an abstract idea — it is a lived experience for many patients and health professionals across the UK. Recent official figures show a worrying rise in religiously-motivated offences targeting Muslim people, underlining the urgency for organisations to act decisively.
Healthcare institutions carry a distinct responsibility. They are places of care, trust and safety — yet when prejudice finds its way into policy, culture or practice, the consequences are clinical as well as social. Denial or minimisation of this problem compounds harm: Muslim healthcare staff report self-censorship, distress and a lack of institutional support, while a growing evidence base shows how discrimination translates into poorer health outcomes.
Below I set out practical, evidence-based actions that healthcare organisations can take now to create genuinely inclusive environments for Muslim patients and staff.
Collect better data — and act on it
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Trusts and commissioning bodies should systematically collect staff and patient experience data disaggregated by religion (as well as ethnicity, gender and role), and publish transparent metrics on incidents, reporting rates and outcomes. Data must be used to track progress and to hold organisations to account — not simply archived.
Invest in safe, trusted reporting and support pathways
Under-reporting is a serious problem: fear of retaliation, lack of faith in processes, or cultural and language barriers all discourage reporting. Organisations must create multiple, accessible, and independent routes to report Islamophobic incidents and ensure swift, supportive responses for victims.
Mandatory, evidence-based training — beyond checkbox exercises
Training should move beyond one-off modules to a sustained curriculum that addresses unconscious bias, religious literacy, and the structural roots of discrimination. Training must be co-produced with Muslim healthcare professionals and community organisations so it reflects lived experience and practical solutions.
Strengthen representation and pathways to leadership
A lack of representation at senior levels reinforces exclusion and erodes trust. Organisations should set measurable targets to diversify leadership, review promotion processes for bias, and provide sponsorship and mentorship schemes for Muslim staff.
Embed culturally-sensitive patient care and community partnership
Clinical pathways and health promotion must be culturally competent from halal dietary options and prayer spaces to mental-health services that understand faith-based concerns. NHS organisations should strengthen links with community groups, mosques and charities to co-deliver health promotion, and to ensure services are reachable, acceptable and trusted.
Transparent accountability and independent oversight
Good intentions are not a substitute for systems that enforce them. Organisations should publish action plans with milestones, invite independent scrutiny (including from faith-based community groups), and ensure consequences for failure to act.
Support research and workforce wellbeing
There is a pressing need for more UK-specific research into how Islamophobia affects health outcomes, staff retention and patient trust. Funded research and workforce wellbeing programmes can both inform policy and offer immediate support.
Islamophobia in healthcare is a structural problem that requires structural solutions. The practices above are practical, measurable and importantly achievable. They require commitment from boards, clinical leaders and policy makers, and close partnership with the communities we serve.
MDA stands ready to work with health trusts, regulators and policymakers to co-design training, improve reporting systems, support affected staff, and ensure that the NHS becomes the inclusive, safe and compassionate service it aspires to be.
If you are a decision-maker, commissioner, or clinician ready to act, please contact us at [email protected].
