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My middle son has recently finished his junior doctor foundation years and wants to go and work in New Zealand for a while. Almost all his friends and peers who are at the same stage as him, have also gone abroad, many to work in Australia. I can’t say I’m too happy about him being so far away but I know it’s something he’s wanted to do for a while. The general feeling is that the overseas lifestyle, pay and working and social conditions are much better. But I recently asked him ‘don’t you and your friends feel you have a moral duty to stay here in Britain, and work in the country which has invested so heavily in your education and training?’ He replied that ‘No one wants to leave long term. Everyone will eventually come back, mainly for family reasons. But I’m afraid for most of us, it’s not a matter of loyalty. For all the qualities of the NHS and we’re grateful for the opportunities, still we believe the system is breaking and we want to enjoy being a young doctor. We feel we won’t get that here.’

That’s his view – and there are many different assessments of the NHS at the moment – but it got me thinking about the recent news from the British Medical association that doctors may be considering strike action as they’re feeling burnt out and demoralised. The record staff exodus from the NHS is a complex issue with underfunding often cited as the main reason, but low morale in any organisation doesn’t happen overnight. Not everyone wants to leave or can leave but people need to feel valued for their work and contribution to society.

From an Islamic perspective, earning a living through lawful means, working heard for the betterment of your society, is a moral duty, often seen as an act of worship itself - alongside the understanding that a just wage is essential for a just life. With so much political and economic uncertainty right now, investing in people’s futures has become more important than ever. Loyalty and commitment to a workplace isn’t a given - This isn’t just about money but also peoples changing views of what makes for a good and flourishing life.

So if we as a country want to retain skilled people, our working environments need to focus far more on how we value and empower people whatever their job and wherever they work. In the end, people’s happiness matters, not just for them as individuals but for creating a more productive and hopeful society.

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