A LACK of availability of halal meat is driving doctors away from working on the Isle of Wight, the BBC has found.

Dr Syed Asim Ali Mukhtar, acute medical lead at St Mary's Hospital, is appealing to Isle of Wight businesses to start catering more for the Muslim population — and says three doctors have already left the Island due to the problem, with more expected not to stay past the end of their contracts.

He said "cultural needs" are not catered for on the Island and NHS workers were having to travel to the mainland during their time off, just to go shopping for halal meat.

He has found only one wholesale stockist of halal meat on the Island, which doesn't sell to the public.

What did Isle of Wight NHS Trust say about halal meat problem?

A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust said: "The campaign to local businesses has been led by Dr Asim and is not an IW NHS Trust campaign, although of course we support the availability of products that support the faiths of our team members."

The trust employs more than 500 members of international staff from over 60 countries.

During 2021, 35 international doctors joined the Island team after they came to England to work in the NHS.

In August of that year, St Mary’s Hospital's restaurant started to ensure all halal meat was fully labelled.

But it is the lack of halal meat generally found on the Island that is causing the problem.

The BBC reported that Dr Asim wants Island businesses to step up and help supply halal foods — a move which would be welcomed by the NHS workforce he represents.