NHS Phone-a-Chaplain Service Proposed

National Health Service (NHS) proposals to try and provide better religious and spiritual support for patients have led to a ‘phone-a-chaplain’ style service being discussed. Under the new initiative, NHS patients that sought spiritual guidance would be able to gain easy access to religious leaders of various faiths and religions.

The scheme was discussed in a report prepared for the Department of Health by John James, who is a former NHS chief executive. He put forward the suggestion that an NHS ‘chaplaincy-direct’ service with a single phone number would potentially be ‘particularly helpful’ for smaller faith groups.

As well as Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Sikh faiths likely to benefit if the proposals go ahead, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, who is expecting a ‘significant shortfall’ of priests by 2014, would greatly benefit also.

The report was carried out with much guidance and discussions with a number of faith groups. This is clearly shown in the report, and it was highlighted that main faith groups that have been well-established in the UK would have a more ordered approach to the training and providing of ministers and spiritual leaders.

In the UK, more than 330 of the 425 full-time, and 1,700 of the part-time chaplains are from the Anglican Church. The Church of England pays out approximately £150,000 a year to cover the costs of the ‘Hospital Chaplaincies Council’ (HCC). The HCC is responsible for organising the supply of Anglican chaplains, but can of course run courses for any faith.