First female Muslim chaplaincy team lead in NHS England appointed at Rotherham General Hospital

A female faith leader from Huddersfield has been announced as a senior chaplaincy role at a South Yorkshire hospital trust.

Maysoon Shafiq, 38, has become the first female Muslim Chaplain team leader for Rotherham General Hospital.

An award-winning community activist, she holds events, seminars, and conferences in West Yorkshire and across the UK for both Muslim and non-Muslim members of the community to fill the gaps of knowledge surrounding the religion. Maysoon won the Religious Advocate of the Year twice in a row at the British Muslim Awards and has been recognised as the Most Impactful Alimah at the British Mosque Awards.

Maysoon adds, “I have always advocated the rights of women and so this position will allow other female Muslims who are maybe nervous or shy from making such applications to see me as someone who is paving the way for them.”

The Chaplaincy Department is responsible for facilitating the spiritual, pastoral and religious care of patients, staff, students and visitors to the trust, providing specialist knowledge and expertise in matters relating to spiritual and religious beliefs, experiences and practices at all levels in the Trust.

Maysoon is currently completing her PhD at Sheffield Hallam University where her research is looking at the reasons why Muslims do not uptake palliative care so she can educate more people from the community and the medical practitioners too so that they provide culturally competent care.