Doctors and nurses in Scotland should refrain from eating in front of their Muslim patients and colleagues during the month of Ramadan according to the Scottish NHS.

Staff in hospitals north of the border were advised by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish NHS to avoid “working lunches” and to move food trolleys away from Muslim colleagues in the month when Islam forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours.

The guidance, also sent to teachers and police stations by a Scottish Muslim consultancy, includes pointers on how to accommodate staff observing Ramadan. Flexible working hours and time off to break the fast are recommended during the four weeks beginning on September 13.

Mary Scanlon, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing in the Scottish Parliament said the move was a “step too far” for political correctness and unnecessary. “Scotland is a very tolerant, sensitive and welcoming country” but she added, “I don’t see it’s necessary for Ramadan to affect the lives of people of other beliefs,” she told Times Online, “It would be like saying Protestants shouldn’t eat meat next to Catholics who want to eat fish on a Friday.”

Osama Saeed, Scottish spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain supported the advice given about Ramadan. “My own experience when fasting is that non-Muslims do want to be sensitive about eating in front of those of us who are hungry,” he said.

Jim McCaffery, director of acute services and workforce, NHS Lothian said the email was sent to a number of senior managers in order to “continue to promote cultural awareness”.

A spokeswoman for Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS denied that staff had been “banned from eating food at their workplaces” but said they had asked employees “to show consideration” for colleagues and patients observing Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and this year begins between September 12 and 14.

It is considered the holiest of the four holy months in Islam and begins with the sighting of the new moon.

Eating, drinking and sexual relations are forbidden in daylight hours in order to promote spiritual purity.

The Qur'an stipulates that every Muslim who is at home during the month “should spend it in fasting” but "he who is sick, or upon a journey, shall fast a like number of other days” Qur’an 2:185.

The festival of Eid signifies the end of Ramadan and is celebrated with a three day feast.