(BBC) NHS bosses are appealing to Isle of Wight businesses to stock halal meat in a bid to help retain health staff.
Muslims make up less than 0.4% of the island’s population and no butcher sells halal meat, a cornerstone of the Islamic faith, to the public.
Dr Syed Asim Ali Mukhtar said the NHS was “struggling” to keep staff who felt cultural needs were not catered for.
He said Muslim staff members were having to travel to the mainland for food shopping.
‘Doesn’t make sense’
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust, which carries out overseas recruitment, took on 35 international doctors in 2021, mainly from the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa.
