A Christian occupational therapist has been disciplined after she prayed for Muslim co-worker who had encouraged her to speak about her faith only to use that to attack.

Victoria Wasteney, who was the Head of Occupational Therapy at the East London NHS trust, prayed for a Muslim colleague who had been going through health issues.  Wasteney asked if she could pray and the co-worker willingly agreed to it.

She also gave the woman a book about a Muslim girl who converted to Christianity that the co-worker gladly accepted before going into a hospital for treatment.

The co-worker then came through treatment and filed a complaint against Wasteney.  She was immediately suspended for nine months pending an investigation into the incident.  The co-worker who filed the complaint had never told Wasteney she was distressed by the prayer or the book.

However, despite the co-worker not showing up to any disciplinary hearing and a witness saying she was pressured into testifying falsely against Wasteney, the Christian woman was found guilty of three offenses:  praying for her colleague, inviting her to a church charity event and giving her the book before her hospital treatment.

Wasteney is appealing the decision. She and her counsel are pointing out that the NHS is openly accommodating to Muslims but actively discriminating against Christians.  An example is allowing Muslims to take breaks five times a day for prayer but refusing to allow Christians to be off on Sundays to attend worship.   Christians are not even permitted to take time off during lunch breaks for prayer or worship.