Spiritual Care
Introduction
“Health is not just the absence of disease, it is a state of physical, psychological, social and spiritual well being” (World Health Organization, Precis of discussion, 1948).
The NHS in Wales is working hard to deliver world-class health services for the people of Wales.
Meeting the needs of people in all their diversity is an essential part of how we do this. We are all different and one of the challenges to public services is to recognise this and to help support staff to deliver services that are sensitive to our individual needs. This is particularly important for people receiving health care, both adults and children, their families and friends.
The NHS in Wales aims to be aware of the diverse spiritual, cultural and religious needs of the people who use its services. It would be easy to assume that people with religious belief leave their faith at the door when they enter hospital or go to see their doctor. The reality is that these needs often become stronger at such times and can be central to a patient’s experience of health care. Similarly, for those with no particular faith, feeling vulnerable when they or a loved one are ill or faced with difficult decisions can present challenges in how to cope. They may need offers of support. All of these situations come under the banner of spiritual care and the NHS recognises that spiritual care forms an important element of the services the NHS in Wales provides to help prevent and treat illness.
Policy Context
It was evident when the Welsh Assembly Government went out to consultation in November 2009 that spiritual care was a service that needed to receive more recognition because of its importance to patients. There was a need to raise the profile of spiritual care and to make it part of the day-to-day work of the health service.
Following that consultation the final standards to the NHS in Wales were issued and these are available to download below:
The Standards for Spiritual Care have been mapped to Doing Well, Doing Better – Standards for Health Services in Wales, which provide the framework for delivery of high quality and safe healthcare, in order to embed their use in NHS organisations.
Spiritual Care Service Audit
NHS organisations are to carry out a baseline review of their spiritual care services using the Standards for Spiritual Care Services in the NHS in Wales. All standards will then be audited subsequently once in every 3 years.
Service Delivery
Healthcare chaplaincy has long played a key role in providing a spiritual care service to patients, their families, carers and staff. Throughout the NHS today chaplains/spiritual care-givers not only offer religious ministry to members of faith communities but are also called upon to give wider spiritual care to those who have no association whatsoever with religious groups.
Resources
The UKBHC is the self regulatory body for healthcare chaplains, supported by all four UK professional membership organisations. It sets standards, produces the code of conduct, maintains a register and deals with fitness to practice. A registered practitioner is known as a ‘Board Registered Chaplain’
Hospice and Palliative Care chaplains aim to: work within a multidisciplinary team committed to providing holistic care; be proactive in assessing and meeting the complex spiritual and religious needs of patients, their families and carers; discern and respect the cultural, spiritual and religious diversity of all patients, their families and carers; and ensure that all spiritual and religious care is patient led and focused on the needs of individuals, their families and carers.
The College of Healthcare Chaplains is a multi-faith, inter-denominational, UK-wide membership organisation that promotes the professional standing of, and provides training to, healthcare chaplains. It is an autonomous section of the trade union UNITE.
The professional body representing the interests of chaplains in healthcare in Scotland
St Michael’s is a constituent College of Cardiff University and a Church in Wales Theological College. It has a Centre for Chaplaincy Studies which provides educational, professional development and research support for chaplains working in various areas including healthcare. This support includes post-graduate qualifications in chaplaincy studies and induction programmes specifically designed for chaplains working in healthcare chaplaincy.
The Multi-Faith Group for Health Chaplaincy was established in December 2002 in order to advance multi-faith healthcare chaplaincy in England and Wales. The Group seeks: to facilitate a common understanding and support for healthcare chaplaincy amongst Faith Groups, chaplaincy bodies and users; provide a means of consultation between the Faiths about healthcare chaplaincy; and works in co-operation with healthcare and chaplaincy organisations, bodies and authorities.
The Healthcare Reference Group is concerned with supporting Catholics working in the Health and Social Care field. The Group comes under the Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship and can be found on the website at:
BACP seeks to advise and inform national and international policy and procedures concerned with counselling and psychotherapy, offering information and guidance to those involved in the process.
Diversiton provides a range of training programmes and resources in religion and belief for organisations throughout Great Britain.
The WCVA is the voice of the voluntary sector in Wales. WCVA represents voluntary organisations, volunteers and communities.
The role of the EHRC is to promote equality and human rights, and to create a fairer Britain. It provides advice and guidance, works to implement an effective legislative framework and raises awareness of the public’s rights.
The BIHR provides a range of information and other resources (including briefings and toolkits); develops and delivers training and consultancy for the voluntary and community and public sectors on both practice and policy; leads and/or collaborates on demonstration and pilot projects across the voluntary and community and public sectors; undertakes research and policy analysis; lobbies national government and Parliament; and conducts media activity and campaigns and occasional strategic legal interventions.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists - Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group (SPSIG) was founded in 1999 to provide a forum for psychiatrists to explore the influence of the major religions, which shape the cultural values and aspirations of psychiatrist and patient alike.
Publications
The NICE guidelines for Palliative Care (2004) include spiritual care as a necessary and integral part of a competent service.
