NHS chaplains should not be seen as ‘soft targets’ as managers gear
up for cuts
10th May 2010
The NHS chaplaincy service should not be seen as ‘a soft target’
as the financial climate becomes tighter, Unite, the largest union
in the country, said today (Monday, 10 May).
Unite, which embraces the College of Health Care Chaplains
(CHCC) representing 1,200 NHS chaplains, is worried that
cash-strapped NHS managers are already eyeing up the chaplaincy
service for further cutbacks.
Unite/CHCC is keen to emphasise that chaplains have the in-depth
knowledge and experience to fulfil the spiritual needs of hundreds
of thousands of NHS patients every year in a way that other NHS
professionals can’t match.
Carol English, the Unite professional officer for the CHCC,
said: ”Over the last 12 months, our members have reported a
continuing series of cuts which threaten the very valuable support
that NHS chaplains give to the sick and the dying and their
families.”
She cited the most recent examples of cuts at:
- The Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London
and,
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust where down-grading and
job losses are being imposed in the chaplaincy team.
The English, Scottish and Welsh departments of health all promote
health care chaplaincy and issue guidance and requirements to
health providers on the provision of the service.
But many NHS employers in these countries are choosing to
withhold some pay entitlements from their chaplains or to deny them
the time and funding for training and continuing professional
development.
The Unite/CHCC stand has been reinforced by a Royal College of
Nursing survey last month which revealed that only a small minority
of nurses felt they could always meet the spiritual needs of
patients.
Survey respondents cited having respect for privacy, dignity and
religious and cultural beliefs as the most important spiritual
needs. Spending time with patients, giving support and reassurance
and showing kindness, concern and cheerfulness when giving care
were also key concerns.
Carol English said: ”Nurses have an important role to play in this
area, but they don’t necessarily have the time when the needs of
patients become more complex and time-consuming - this is where the
NHS chaplaincy comes into its own.
”The Department of Health officially recognises the valuable
frontline role that chaplains play. However, chaplains should not
be seen as a soft target as NHS managers cast around for cuts. The
cuts that have already occurred should be reversed.“
President of Unite/CHCC, Revd. Mark Stobert, said: ”I think that
it is vitally important to emphasise that chaplains have specialist
knowledge and skills that enables them to respond in depth to
spiritual needs.
”Their care is not only to patients, but their visitors and to
ensure the well-being of staff working in the NHS. Chaplains
provide a service that no other discipline can.
Unfortunately, nurses neither have the time nor the specialist
skills and knowledge.“
ENDS
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
For further information, please ring: Mark Stobert07786 510217;
Carol English 07919 324 716 or Shaun Noble, communications officer
(health sector) 020 7420 8951 or 07768 693 940
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