The National Secular Society (NSS) has launched another attack on Christian principles and services. It called for an end to NHS funding for hospital chaplains, arguing that it is for the church to fund hospital chaplains and for the NHS to focus on medical services. NSS says chaplains cost the NHS around £32m a year, which would be better spent on nurses or cleaning staff.
According to the overall figures, trusts spent £26.72 million a year on paying clergy staff, with an average spend per chaplain of £48,953. The NSS extrapolated these figures for the whole of the UK to suggest such services currently cost the NHS more than £32 million a year.
After obtaining the data under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, NSS is now calling for Health Minister Ben Bradshaw and the Department of Health to conduct a full scale investigation into whether this money could be better spent elsewhere. Terry Sanderson, the President of NSS, suggested that the money could be used to pay for 1,300 more nurses or 2,500 cleaning staff, both of which were ‘much needed’. He said patients who need religious support should contact religious representatives in their area instead of relying on the NHS to provide the service.
However, a Department of Health spokesman said it was 'committed to the principle of ensuring that NHS patients have access to the spiritual care that they want, whatever faith or belief system they follow’.
‘Chaplains do an extremely demanding job, often in difficult circumstances, and their skill and dedication is highly valued by patients, relatives and staff within the health service.’
Paul Woolley, Director of Theos think tank, said:
‘Hospital chaplaincy plays a vital role in patient care. It’s not an optional extra. £32 million pounds is a tiny fraction of the £100 billion NHS annual budget - 0.032%. Chaplains give unique support to patients, relatives and staff, especially in times of personal crisis. Our research indicates that chaplaincy care is greatly valued.
‘The choice for NHS Trusts is not between the clinical or pastoral needs of patients. Clearly Trusts are under financial pressure, but if they are to provide holistic care the provision of appropriate chaplaincy support must be a priority.’
A spokesman for the Church of England said: 'Spiritual healthcare has long been acknowledged, by both medical practitioners and the churches, to be an intrinsic part of caring for people in hospital. NHS Trusts pay for chaplaincies because they see them as part of their duty of care to patients, not because the churches force them to.'
Revd Dr Chris Swift, a former President the College of Health Care Chaplains, said:
‘The NSS report is based on erroneous and simplistic assumptions that do not delve into the real work that chaplains from all faiths carry out in the NHS on a daily basis in often emotionally fraught situations.’
‘Over and over again, our members receive feedback from relatives and friends on how useful and comforting it was to have a NHS chaplain on hand. I would like to see more independent research and objective study into the value of NHS chaplaincy. This research would demonstrate that chaplains are worth more than the notional GBP40m quoted by the NSS.’
‘The value of the chaplaincy service has been repeatedly recognised by the Department of Health.’
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7990099.stm
BBC News (Video)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7989206.stm
The Times (Letters)
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6073769.ece
Christian Today
www.christiantoday.com/article/church.defends.hospital.chaplains.from.secularists/23014.htm
Theos News
Telegraph blog
PR Newswire Europe
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=253823
Nursing Times