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RELIGION AND BELIEF RELIGION AND BELIEF MATTERMATTER
AN INFORMATION RESOURCE AN INFORMATION RESOURCE FOR HEALTHCARE STAFFFOR HEALTHCARE STAFF
Geoff Lachlan,Geoff Lachlan,
Fair For All Religion & Belief Project,Fair For All Religion & Belief Project,
Scottish Inter Faith CouncilScottish Inter Faith Council
THE THE GODFACTORGODFACTOR IN IN HEALTHCAREHEALTHCARE
Fair for All Religion and Belief ProjectFair for All Religion and Belief Project
• Scottish Inter Faith Council
• Scottish Government Health Directorates
• Healthcare Chaplaincy Training and Development Unit
BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND
• HDL (2002) 76 Spiritual Care in NHS
• WHO Definition of “Health”
• New Religious Legislation
• The ‘need’ for FFA Religion ‘Guidance’
MethodologyMethodology
• Visit to all 14 territorial Health Boards– Lead Chaplains– Equality/Diversity Officers
• 13 Faith / Belief Focus Groups
• Literature search for evidence base
Aims of ProjectAims of Project
1. To review the context for responding to religious and belief needs
2. To review the evidence base for supporting Healthcare Chaplaincy
What is the Context?What is the Context?Christian 64% 3,294,600
Muslim 0.84% 42,000
Buddhist 0.13% 6,800
Sikh 0.13% 6,600
Jewish 0.13% 6,400
Hindu 0.11% 5,600
Others 0.53% 27,000
No Religion 27.5% 1,394,500
Not answered 6.5%
““RELIGION IN BRITAIN SINCE RELIGION IN BRITAIN SINCE 1945,”1945,”
Grace Davie (1994)Grace Davie (1994)
• “Believing without belonging………..”
Christian Roots, Contemporary Society,Christian Roots, Contemporary Society, Lynda Barley, 2006Lynda Barley, 2006
• 55% believe in a ‘patterning’ to life
• 67% believe in a Supernatural Force
• 69% believe in a Soul
• 76% admit to a ‘Religious/Spiritual’ experience
New Trends in Religions DataNew Trends in Religions Data
• % Attending church regularly now increased for first time since 1950s……….
..........nearly all due to Catholic East European migration.
New LegislationNew Legislation
• Employment Equality (Religion/Belief) Regulations 2003
• Equality Act (Part 2) 2006
Religion / Belief is Different Religion / Belief is Different to Other Equalitiesto Other Equalities
• Not so legislation- driven
• Chosen, unlike age, disability, gender, ethnicity, sex orientation
• Spiritual Care Providers are part of the M/D Health Team
What are Religious Needs?What are Religious Needs?
• Most people are not Religious
• All people are Spiritual in some way
How are Religious How are Religious Needs Responded To?Needs Responded To?
• Take account of/respect beliefs, rituals, practices, etc. appropriate
• Ensure NHS does not at any stage compromise or discriminate
• Where possible, ensure availability of Faith community reps. for religious care
Why Respond to Why Respond to Religious Needs?Religious Needs?
• The Moral Case
• The Legal Case
• The Business Case, esp. Medical aspects
What is the Link Between What is the Link Between Religion and Health?Religion and Health?
Just responsible members
of a ‘caring club’……?
……or is it or is it Psycho-Neuro-Immunology…..?Psycho-Neuro-Immunology…..?
The study of how psycho-social factors that affect our state of wellbeing can influence the body’s immune system through neuroendocrine pathways (nerve connections that regulate hormones)
How Stress Gets Under Your Skin;How Stress Gets Under Your Skin; Psychobiological Studies of Psychobiological Studies of
Social Status, Stress, and HealthSocial Status, Stress, and Health
“Social networks, etc. that boost
self-esteem are protective
against the effects of stress.”
Stress is a Normal Stress is a Normal Physiological ResponsePhysiological Response
Chronic Stress is not!!
Of Molecules and Mind; Stress, Of Molecules and Mind; Stress, the Individual and the the Individual and the
Social EnvironmentSocial Environment
“Chronic stress can produce changes to cellular structure of brain; can be reversed
by relieving the stress”
What is the Evidence Base for What is the Evidence Base for Responding to Religious Needs?Responding to Religious Needs?
• Harold Koenig, 2001, 1200 studies, “Religion and Health,” 1900-2000
““There is Evidence that There is Evidence that Something About Religion can Something About Religion can
Provide Health Benefits”Provide Health Benefits”
Basak Coruh, 2005, “Does religious Activity Improve Clinical Outcomes? A Ciritcal Review of the Recent Literature”, The Journal of Science and Healing, Vol 1, 3, 186-191
““A Consensus is Emerging in the A Consensus is Emerging in the Literature that Evidence Exists to Literature that Evidence Exists to
Support the Provision of Support the Provision of Spiritual Care in the Healthcare Spiritual Care in the Healthcare
Setting”Setting”
Peter Speck, 2005, The Evidence Base for Spiritual Care, Nursing Management,
Vol 12, 6, 28-31
““Spirituality Involves a Spirituality Involves a Dimension of Human Experience Dimension of Human Experience
that Psychiatrists are that Psychiatrists are Increasingly Interested in Increasingly Interested in
Because of its Potential Benefits Because of its Potential Benefits to Mental Health.”to Mental Health.”
Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Special Interest Group, Spirituality and Mental Health, 1999
““Such Evidence as We Have is Such Evidence as We Have is Strongly Suggestive of Positive Strongly Suggestive of Positive
Links BetweenLinks Between Religion/SpiritualityReligion/Spirituality and and
Personal WellbeingPersonal Wellbeing……
Sandra Carlisle, 2006, University of Glasgow Centre for Population and Health
“… “… Spiritual Awareness is to be Spiritual Awareness is to be Encouraged Because of the Encouraged Because of the Benefits it can Bring to the Benefits it can Bring to the
Human Experience, Including Human Experience, Including Disease in Our Society Today”Disease in Our Society Today”
““Absence of Evidence Does not Absence of Evidence Does not Necessarily Mean Evidence of Necessarily Mean Evidence of
Absence”Absence”
Harriet Mowat, 2007, The Potential for the Efficacy of Healthcare Chaplaincy – Spiritual Care in UK: A Scoping Study
Summary of FindingsSummary of Findings• There is a theoretical basis linking
Religion/Spirituality and Health• In practice, the link appears to be a positive one• The R.C. Psychiatrists are supporting this link• NICE including Spiritual Care in its Palliative
Care guidelines• Responding to Religious needs should support
Spiritual needs……• ……which will provide true HOLISTIC care
13 Faith / Belief Focus Groups13 Faith / Belief Focus Groups
“From a religious/humanist point of view, what was important for you when admitted to hospital?”
What are the Challenges?What are the Challenges?
• Responding to religious needs as Generic Chaplaincy
• East European arrivals
• Narrow interpretation of Data Protection Act
• Increasing out-of-hours work
What are the Challenges?What are the Challenges?
• Increasing demands of Pastoral care for staff
• Ongoing lack of clarity about Religion/Spirituality
• Staff enthusiastic for training – how?
• Lack of consistent data collection
ConclusionsConclusions
• You are a vital part of the M/D Healthcare Team…..
• ……and thus must become AHPs
• You have a large role in Pastoral care of the staff
• You need more practical research for your evidence base
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