Bishop of Carlisle is Lead Bishop on Healthcare Issues

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York appointed the Bishop of Carlisle, The Rt Revd James Newcome, as lead bishop on healthcare issues.

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.

Link to Bishop of Carlisle's website

From: The Bishop of Gloucester (Chair of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council)
Health Care Chaplaincy and the Church of England - a review of the work of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council - February 2010

As you will know, some months ago I commissioned a review of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council and its work. The review was intended to help the Church of England think more clearly about its ministry and mission in the context of the National Health Service, so that it can offer more flexible chaplaincy support and contribute better to the ongoing debates about the professionalisation, accreditation and training of healthcare chaplains. I was also aware of the long-standing tensions between different bodies representing healthcare chaplains and asked the review to look at what the Church of England could do to foster more helpful relationships.

The report of the Review Group.

I am very grateful to the many chaplains and others whose responses to the Review Group's questions are reflected in the report.

The report recommends that the existing Hospital Chaplaincies Council be replaced by a small reference group of expert members. Day to day support for chaplains will continue to be offered by MPA whilst the Medical Ethics and Health/Social Care Policy Officer will cover chaplaincy policy along with the Church's wider engagement with the NHS. The Archbishops are asked to consider appointing a lead bishop for healthcare issues.

Chaplaincy bodies such as the College of Healthcare Chaplains (CHCC) and the UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy (UKBHC) are assured of the Church of England's willingness to work with them on the issues facing chaplains and to develop channels conducive to two-way support and information.

It is important to bear in mind that he report, though thorough, is not a final authoritative statement about the Church of England's involvement in health care chaplaincy. But I believe it makes a useful contribution to future directions and developments.

+Michael Gloucester

The Review Group comprised:
Dame Janet Trotter (chair) - Chair of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Revd Professor Stephen Pattison - Professor of Religion, Ethics and Practice, University of Birmingham
Revd Mia Hilborn - Head of Spiritual Health Care and Chaplaincy Team Leader, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Chair of the College of Healthcare Chaplains, London Region
Revd Dr Malcolm Brown (secretary) - Director of Mission and Public Affairs, Archbishops' Coun