LONDON (AA) - As the discussions on whether the National Health Service (NHS) staff can wear veil at work are heated in the UK, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella organization for British Muslims, voiced its discontent regarding the controversy on its website on Thursday.
The council published a statement after it was floated with media inquiries regarding the controversy. Dr. Shuja Shafi, Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, stated he was surprised with the latest discussion by saying that, “Having worked closely with hospitals and hospital chaplains, we have never been made aware of any concerns or complaints raised about doctors, nurses or healthcare professionals wearing the niqab. That is primarily because there are few, if any, who do adopt the face veil in hospitals.”
He complained the issue is ballooned by recent discussions, and noted there are more essential problems to tackle within the NHS system such as the quality and provision of care.
Mrs. Talat Ahmed, the chairwoman of the Muslim Council of Britain's Social and Family Affairs Committee, said recently, “Every time we discuss the niqab, it usually comes with a diet of bigoted commentary about our faith and the place of Islam in Britain.”
The veil controversy sparked after the UK Health Department has asked the General Medical Council to ensure there was appropriate face-to-face contact with patients. The number of women wearing niqab at work is thought to be low, but there is no national guidance on the issue. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC: "I think it is very important that patients do get proper contact with the doctors and nurses who are looking after them. Certainly if I was a patient myself, I'd want to be able to see the face of the doctor or nurse who was treating me."
Beside this controversy, there was a discussion whether a woman can give evidence at court while wearing niqab. A British judge ruled on Monday that a 21-year-old Muslim woman would be able sit in the dock while her face covered yet if she was giving evidence she had to remove the niqab throughout her evidence.
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