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HOSPITAL/HEALTH
CARE CHAPLAINCY
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CHURCH OF ENGLAND "Hospital Chaplaincy ...... is a major part of the work of the Church of England "
The Bishop of Carlisle is lead bishop on healthcare issue in the Church of England). This appointment reflects the importance which the Church of England gives to healthcare as a national priority and the significance of physical, mental and spiritual care for the good of all. Alongside his diocesan duties, Bishop James will work closely with the Mission and Public Affairs Division of the Archbishops’ Council (MPA), which represents the church’s views on healthcare to the government, NHS and other agencies and is also responsible for supporting the Church of England’s healthcare chaplains across the country. As lead bishop, Bishop James will work to keep healthcare issues high on the agenda in the Church of England’s engagement with public policy. He will also work with the other diocesan bishops and MPA to ensure that the church’s healthcare chaplains receive the support they need from the dioceses and central church structures. For many patients, staff and relatives the Chaplain/Spiritual Care Giver is the only contact with a representative of their Faith in hospital/healthcare and that contact must be as useful as possible. HCC also is the interface between the Church of England and the Government's Department of Health. Since the inception of the NHS, whole and part-time Chaplains have been salaried members of staff. Their work in the various hospitals and healthcare institutions throughout the country furthers the mission and ministry of the Church in secular settings. It also carries forward the Dominical command to care for the sick and dying. HCC not only holds this National overview, but also provides guidance, advice and support to the Church of England Bishops (through their advisers for Hospital Chaplaincy), individual Chief Executives and Trusts in all matters relating to hospital/healthcare chaplaincy. The Council also ensures the professional development of serving chaplains through the work of the Training and Development department. Healthcare
chaplaincy is at the cutting edge of ministry, often touching peoples'
lives at times of great crisis and pain. The development in research
techniques, the human genome project, etc. throws up new ethical
dilemmas for chaplains and other colleagues to grapple with. Of
the 425 whole time chaplains in the UK, the 300 whole time and 1500
part time C of E chaplains also minister to the 1.3 million staff
employed by the NHS.
During
the February 2006 sessions of The General Synod of the Church of
England a debate about Hospital/Healthcare chaplaincy was held.
A number of Synod members from the three houses, Bishop,
Clergy and Laity took part and were most supportive of the
work being done throughout the NHS and in other areas which employed
chaplains, notably hospices and associated palliative care centres.
Contributions were also made on behalf of the 10,000 or so volunteers
connected with healthcare chaplaincy work. The Synod welcomed Father Peter Scott (the Catholic Bishops’ Conference), the Reverend Mark Fisher (Executive Secretary of the Free Churches Group), Rabbi Martin van den Bergh (Chairman of the Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy), Dr David Jones (St Mary’s University College, Strawberry Hill) and the Reverend George Cobb (Chairman of the Association of Hospice Chaplains) who were sitting in the public gallery. 15 The motion ‘That this Synod
End
of motion
Hospital/healthcare chaplaincy presents an opportunity to minister to patients, staff and relatives and to be a prophetic voice within a secular institution. Please pray for the work of the Health Service and the people who serve it.
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This page was updated 11 April 2011 |