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Spiritual Care a Multi-Faith Resource for Healthcare Staff Spiritual Care A multi-faith resource for healthcare staff May 2021 Multi-faith resource for healthcare staff NHS Education for Scotland (NES) produced this booklet through its Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Programme. It was prepared with input from Interfaith Scotland, individual faith and belief communities in Scotland and Hospital Chaplains. A copy of this resource can be found: Online at https://learn.nes.nhs.scot. Find it in the Person-centred Care Zone. Contents Spiritual Care 01 cotland is a religiously The main groups include: Jewish, should be careful and well-motivated and culturally diverse country Muslim, Christian, Bahai’, Sikh, to treat people appropriately whatever Buddhist, Hindu and Pagan. Other their cultural or religious situation. and this resource is designed belief groups such as the Humanist to assist NHS staff and Society of Scotland do not regard Ongoing volunteers to address some themselves as religious but are part of the spiritual care spectrum. of the spiritual and religious religious People who practice their faith or needs of people in their care. religion as part of their regular life and practice as part of their identity have a right to The Scottish Government has stated continue to express this identity while As far as is reasonably possible that spiritual care, which includes undergoing healthcare. a person should be allowed and but is not limited to religious care, is encouraged to continue to practice There is in fact a strong tradition within a necessary and integral part of the their religion, if they so wish, within most faiths of rituals or prayers or whole person care offered by the NHS a healthcare situation. The public other activities which are particularly in Scotland and must be provided in an nature of many hospitals and the for, or relevant to those suffering from equal and fair way for those of all faith numbers being dealt with can make ill health. The very purpose of most communities or none. this problematic, but attempts should religious traditions is in part to enable There are many religious faith be made to enable people to use such people to achieve as far as possible a traditions practised within Scottish religious resources they wish to express state of well-being in relation to God, society. While perhaps not as their faith. This might include rituals to self, to others, in caring relationships prevalent as in other parts of the UK such as prayer, reading holy texts and with the poor and with the whole of there is a rich variety of smaller faith short acts of worship or meditation. creation. The ideas of respect, patient communities alongside the generally It should normally be possible focus and equality and diversity, more numerous Christian groups. to arrange for a faith or belief leader all suggest very positively that the NHS Spiritual Care 02 or representative to visit if a patient of considerable help in the healing so wishes and to share such rites which process. Research shows that using are possible within the environment. a holistic approach of treating mind, Healthcare units should, as far as is body and spirit can aid the recovery possible, provide a quiet room which of a patient. can be used for the purpose. Different faiths and belief groups have particular needs to do with their Religion care. A proper needs analysis which includes a person’s faith or belief will and Health be more likely to result in appropriate and high-quality care. Practical Religious practice has a long history things like the wearing of articles of being linked to health matters. of faith, diet, washing facilities, ways In days when medical services were of addressing people – which name hardly existent, people turned to their to use, birth rites, death rites, modesty religion as a way of coping and to and communication issues are often seek healing. Religious practice is still important to religious people. important for many people. For some, The NHS in Scotland recognises that their understanding of their illness is the healthcare challenges faced by the related to their faith perspective. It can people it cares for may raise their need be that a certain religious perspective for spiritual and religious care and is can add to the anxiety of ill health, committed to addressing those needs. but it is far more common that the To enable this, most Health Boards have support of a religious community a Department of Spiritual and Religious and the practices of religion can be Care staffed by a chaplaincy team, who Spiritual Care 03 are a good source of knowledge and terminology. A faith or belief system experience on how to serve the needs or faith community can be a major of a multi-faith population. help in supporting people through Often the chaplaincy team will be the healing process. the first place people call when When considering the religious and seeking advice or help in finding the cultural needs of patients, please bear right care. Chaplaincy teams help to in mind that people from Black, Asian facilitate spiritual or religious care for and Minority Ethnic communities all, whatever their faith or life stance are more likely to be diagnosed happens to be. They will usually know with mental illness problems and more who to contact when a person asks likely to be admitted to hospital. They to see someone from a particular are also more likely to stop attending faith community. mainstream mental health services during or after treatment. A note on There is also some evidence that mental illness in such minority groups mental health sometimes goes unrecognised. There are many possible reasons for this—but Mental illness is but one of many cultural and religious factors may well diagnostic areas: it has therefore be involved. In these circumstances, not been picked out for special healthcare staff will need to be aware mention in the separate sections on of differences in culture and faith when individual faiths. However, sometimes assessing the mental illness and well a person’s mental illness is expressed being of patients, whatever their in a religious way or with religious background or community. Spiritual Care 04 Research into clinical outcomes has This booklet may not cover all faith shown that patients benefit when communities and relevant issues their care plans take account of their therefore it is essential to talk to faith, religious practices and other the patient about their health personal beliefs. needs. All NHS Boards should offer access to interpreting services and it is essential to use these services When in doubt, when a patient has difficulty ask the patient communicating their needs. When you know a person’s faith You can resolve many of the issues community or group, you should arising from caring for people from a be able to use this document to faith community or culture unfamiliar deal with the main areas which to you by simply asking the patient, may be relevant. or their visitors, how they wish to be looked after. It is polite, for example, NHS Chaplaincy to ask how a patient wishes to be addressed. This is important because and Spiritual not all cultures have a pre-name then a surname. When in doubt, ask. Care Services It is also worth noting that, in some cultures, it is not acceptable for men NHS chaplains are there for people and women to shake hands in greeting. of all faiths and none. Everyone, whether religious or not, needs support, especially in times of crisis. Spiritual Care 05 NHS Chaplains are available to patients in a number of different How do I find a chaplain? Are chaplains ways, to: Every Health Board has a spiritual available 24/7? • Support people at difficult times. care policy which will tell you the Whole-time chaplains will type of spiritual care service you can mainly work office hours. • Listen to their stories. expect in your hospital. Every Health Part-time chaplains will work • Work in one to one situations and Board will have a department of in a pattern which suits the understand relationships. spiritual care and the details of this hospital. However, chaplains • Help people (re-)connect with what should be easily available on the are usually available on an really matters to them in times intranet, notices, leaflets, through on-call rota providing 24-hour of illness in ways that promote the switchboard. cover. The areas they cover recovery and wellbeing. Every hospital should have a will vary from place to place chaplain. They may work whole or but this is usually for acute • Provide training to help you develop hospitals. Information should skills in spiritual care. part-time, but it is important you get to know them because you need to be clearly displayed if this • Provide information about different know who you are referring people service is available where faith and belief groups and about to or whose advice you are asking. you work. bereavement. Sections of this text have been replicated from ‘Spiritual Care Matters’ by NHS Education for Scotland (2021) Are chaplains only a phone call away? Yes, each hospital will have its own referral system, and this is undergoing review in many areas, but the simplest way is always the best Telephone the chaplains’ office. Spiritual Care 06 Navigating this Communities document Baháʼí faith Hinduism Brahma Kumaris Humanism This document gives information, in the same order, for each of the Buddhism Islam communities listed on this page. Chinese faiths1 Jehovah’s Witnesses The format of each section on the communities follows the colour-coded Christianity Judaism infographic, also on this page, titled Paganism ‘Information areas’.
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