New 'hospital gown' for Muslim patients

Muslim hospital patients are to be offered a new burqua-style head-to-toe hospital gown to protect their religious beliefs, it was revealed today.

The "Inter-Faith Gown" has been introduced by hospital bosses in Lancashire, to allow Muslim women booking into hospitals to cover themselves completely, in line with their religious teachings.

The blue gown, the first of its type in the UK, has already been trialled on wards and will now be offered to all female Muslim patients at hospitals in Lancashire from next month.

Traditional gowns did not cover patients' heads, arms or legs, but the new gown will allow such patients to respect their religion, by covering their entire body, while staying in hospital.

However, the innovation will spark controversy in some quarters at a time when parts of the NHS are struggling with crippling debts and shutting hospital beds. Hospital bosses have not said how much the new gowns cost.

The Inter-Faith Gown is the brainchild of Karen Jacob, the linen services manager at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who designed the product.

Muslim patients at Preston and Chorley hospitals will have the opportunity to wear it if they wish from November 1.

Ms Jacob said: "I noticed a gap in the market and thought that it would be great if there was a gown that helped to preserve a patient's modesty."

The gown provides extra comfort and cover for patients undergoing medical procedures, and whose culture or religion requires them to be more modestly clothed, according to the Trust.

Ms Jacob took her idea to TrusTECH - the NHS organisation that manages innovation for the North West NHS - which liked the idea.

Trials of the gown were carried out at Royal Preston Hospital and the response was "overwhelming". There has already been considerable interest in it from other NHS Trusts.

The gowns are manufactured by Yorkshire firm Interweave Textiles.

Dr Richard Deed, TrusTECH innovation unit manager, said: "I am delighted that TrusTECH has played such an important role in the development of the gown.

"It has already made a big difference to patients at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and it is an excellent example of how innovation in the NHS helps improve patient care."

The poly-cotton gowns are sold to the NHS for £12 each.

Tim Meadows, customer service manager for Interweave, said: "We make gowns for obese people and others with necessary requirements - is that a waste of NHS money?

"Surely the point is to have people feeling comfortable and get them out of hospital as quickly as possible - saving money.

"There are far more important issues in the NHS than cost of a few gowns."

The gowns are believed to be a world first - and TrusTECH has the patent.

It means the market for the gowns among the globe's billion-plus Muslims is immense.

Mr Meadows added: "We think there is a large market out there. We hope it will be a success. We have invested a lot of time and money."

Copyright Press Association 2006