The Muslim Doctors Association & Allied Health Professionals CIC started off as a small community organisation in Luton in 2004 providing free health checks and workshops to local residents.
Over the years we have expanded to include a diverse range of multi-disciplinary healthcare and allied professionals delivering outreach programmes across the UK as well as special projects supporting refugees abroad.
We use our community insights to advocate for policy and institutional reform to improve health outcomes, access and experiences for under-served Muslim, minority ethnic and marginalised communities.
Our mission, by using evidence-based faith and culturally sensitive methods, is to inspire physical, spiritual and emotional well-being amongst local communities and in particular, minority populations within the United Kingdom to reduce health inequalities.
What We Do
Our work focuses on 3 areas:
- Health promotion and outreach
- Health policy, research and advocacy on health inequities
- Equity, diversity and inclusion in the NHS
Health Education
The Muslim Doctors Association carries out the following activities during the year at various community centres and mosques throughout the UK.
- Basic Life Support Training
- Paediatric Basic Life Support Training
- Health Checks- Blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring
- Dietary Advice and Life Style changes
- Smoking Cessation Advice
- Alcohol and Drug Liaison
We aim to:
- Raise standards of health – through faith and culturally sensitive evidence-based health promotion campaigns focusing on education and empowerment, and holistic health checks linking person-centred approaches with wider determinants of health and access to healthcare
- Eliminate health inequities – through research, advocacy and policy work on health inequities in collaboration with partners across academia, third sector, public sector, government and the media using a cross-sectoral multi-level approach that is community-led
- Create a more inclusive and compassionate NHS – through providing a platform for marginalised voices to reform institutional policies, practices and cultures, enabling health and care professionals to thrive and bring their whole selves to work, with a special focus on addressing Islamophobia and intersectional discrimination and stigma in the workplace
Health Promotion and Outreach
The Muslim Doctors Association carries out the following activities during the year at various community centres, mosques and groups throughout the UK.
- Healthy lifestyle promotion using our 5 pillars of health model
- Holistic health checks with multidisciplinary health and care professionals to provide person-centred care
- Culturally sensitive social prescribing and care navigation to improve access to healthcare and address wider determinants of health
- Training on life support and mental health awareness
- Seminars, webinars, workshops and 1:1 advice on a range of health and wellbeing areas using culturally, faith and linguistically sensitive information synthesising the best available scientific evidence with community insights and lived experiences
Health Policy and EDI
For our health policy and EDI work you can find out more on https://muslimdoctors.org/policy-reports/
Current Campaigns and Projects
We run several campaigns nationwide throughout the year.
- COVID-19 – please see our COVID hub https://muslimdoctors.org/covid-hub/
- Digital social prescribing hub supporting culturally and faith sensitive care navigation
- Healthy living through a holistic understanding of health, wellbeing and healing
- Mental health awareness
- Women’s health, family planning and reproductive health
- Access to healthcare for migrants
- Cancer screening and early recognition of cancer symptoms
- Palliative care and dying well
- Blood and organ donation
- Healthy Ramadan
- Hajj Health Advice and Vaccination Clinics in collaboration with The Council of British Hajjis UK
- Islamophobia as a health risk
- Recognising faith as an important determinant of health
- Addressing intersectional discrimination in the NHS
You can find out more about our work in some of our reflections on our blog page: https://muslimdoctors.org/news-blogs/
Please do contact us to get involved with any of our campaigns and projects.
Seminars & Conferences
The Muslim Doctor Association enjoys hosting a wide range of seminars and conferences throughout the year in collaboration with other groups and organizations.
From career advice seminars to debates on NHS policy, there is certainly something for everyone!
Networking events
The Muslim Doctors Association provides the opportunity for like-minded people to network and exchange ideas.
We host annual dinners, iftaars, fundraising events and social outings- all accompanied with good food!
If you would like to help with this year’s social calendar please do contact us on [email protected]