Infections are a major cause of patient death in hospitals and medical facilities. That’s why if you enter a hospital, the odds are good that you will shortly encounter soap dispensers and signs urging staff to make sure to keep their hands clean.

The NHS in the UK has long grappled with the problem of Muslim nurses choosing hijabs and purdah clothing rules over patient safety and welfare.

Now The Independent, a British left-wing paper, claims that expecting Muslim nurses to put patients over sharia is bullying.

“A recent study has suggested that some Muslim female healthcare professionals experience bullying and harassment in the workplace over covering their heads and forearms in surgery. “

Asking nurses to follow patient safety rules isn’t bullying.

Although the original 2007 guidance published by the Department of Health on uniforms and workwear became known as the “bare below the elbows guidance”, made famous in 2011 when a surgeon interrupted David Cameron’s hospital visit by asking him to roll up his sleeves, it is important to note that the guidance is actually about ensuring hand hygiene. The guidance was updated in 2010 and included recommendations to make dress code policies more sensitive to the obligations of Muslims and other faith groups whilst still maintaining equivalent standards of hygiene.

This is what happens when Sharia enters the workplace. Patient safety is compromised to ensure compliance with Islamic law.