NHS Chaplains should not be seen as ‘soft targets’
NHS chaplains should not be seen as ‘soft targets’ as managers gear
up for cuts
10 May 2010 PRESS RELEASE
NHS chaplains should not be seen as ‘soft targets’ as managers
gear up for cuts
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 emphasis 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 Stobert ( 07786 510217
Carol English ( 07919 324 716
Shaun Noble, Communications Officer (Health Sector)
( 020 7420 8951
( 07768 693 940
Unite Health Sector web page: www.unitetheunion.org/health
Unite is the third largest trade union in the NHS and represents
about 100,000 health sector workers.
This includes seven professional associations:
Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association
(CPHVA), Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP), Medical
Practitioners Union (MPU), Society of Sexual Health Advisors
(SSHA), Hospital Physicists Association (HPA), College of Health
Care Chaplains (CHCC) and the Mental Health Nurses Association
(MNHA).
Unite also represents members in occupations, such as allied
health professions, healthcare science, family of psychology,
counsellors and psychotherapists, the family of dental professions,
audiology, optometrists, opticians, building trades, estates,
crafts and maintenance, ancillary support staff and ambulance
workers.
