KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — A Malaysia-born junior doctor has created disposable sterile headscarves for use in a United Kingdom hospital trust’s operating theatres, believed to be the first in the country.
BBC News reported that Farah Roslan, now an F2 doctor, got the idea during her training as a medical student at the Royal Derby Hospital after she was “respectfully” removed from the operating theatre over infection concerns.
“I’d been using [the same headscarf] all day which obviously wasn’t clean and ideal,” she told BBC Radio Derby.
“I didn’t feel comfortable taking it off and I was pulled out from the theatre, respectfully, due to infection control.”
Farah reportedly looked to Malaysia for ideas before creating a headscarf design and testing materials, saying a middle ground must be found between “dress code due to faith” and the “passion” of working in an operating theatre.
“I’m really happy and looking forward to seeing if we can endorse this nationally,” she was quoted saying.
NHS England, however, reportedly said it would be up to individual trusts to use the hijab.
Consultant colorectal surgeon Gill Tierney, Farah’s mentor, reportedly said the disposable sterile headscarves didn’t “cost much” and that University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust was the first to introduce this hijab in the UK.
“We know it’s a quiet, silent, issue around theatres around the country and I don’t think it has been formally addressed,” she was quoted saying.
The new headscarves were available for use earlier this month, according to the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust.
