Re: Alfie Evans case: Proposed law aims to prevent conflicts between parents and doctors
The chaplain as neutral external facilitator
Religious care is given in the context of the shared religious beliefs, values, liturgies and lifestyle of a faith community. Spiritual care, on the other hand, is care that recognises and responds to the needs of the human spirit when faced with trauma, ill health or sadness and includes the need for meaning and self-worth, to express oneself, for faith support or simply for a sensitive listener. Spiritual care is usually given in a one to one relationship, is person centred, makes no assumptions about personal conviction or life orientation and is not necessarily religious’ (NHS Education for Scotland 2009) (1).
NHS chaplains provide generic spiritual care (2). Perhaps their involvement as neutral external facilitators in discussions with other professionals and families to explore and implement new constructive solutions to avoid, mitigate, and resolve disagreements about treatment (3) should be considered.
References
1. NHS Education for Scotland. (2009). Spiritual Care Matters – An Introductory Resource for all NHS Scotland Staff. www.nes.scot.nhs.uk. Accessed 5th May 2018.
2. Engelhardt H.T. (2003). The dechristianization of Christian hospital chaplaincy: Some bioethics reflections on professionalization, ecumenisation, and secularisation, Christian Bioethics, Volume 9, Issue 1.
3. Wilkinson D. (2018). Alfie and Charlie: should the law change? BMJ, 361;k1891.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
05 May 2018
Ian Jack Hamilton
Researcher
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
Rapid Response:
Re: Alfie Evans case: Proposed law aims to prevent conflicts between parents and doctors
The chaplain as neutral external facilitator
Religious care is given in the context of the shared religious beliefs, values, liturgies and lifestyle of a faith community. Spiritual care, on the other hand, is care that recognises and responds to the needs of the human spirit when faced with trauma, ill health or sadness and includes the need for meaning and self-worth, to express oneself, for faith support or simply for a sensitive listener. Spiritual care is usually given in a one to one relationship, is person centred, makes no assumptions about personal conviction or life orientation and is not necessarily religious’ (NHS Education for Scotland 2009) (1).
NHS chaplains provide generic spiritual care (2). Perhaps their involvement as neutral external facilitators in discussions with other professionals and families to explore and implement new constructive solutions to avoid, mitigate, and resolve disagreements about treatment (3) should be considered.
References
1. NHS Education for Scotland. (2009). Spiritual Care Matters – An Introductory Resource for all NHS Scotland Staff. www.nes.scot.nhs.uk. Accessed 5th May 2018.
2. Engelhardt H.T. (2003). The dechristianization of Christian hospital chaplaincy: Some bioethics reflections on professionalization, ecumenisation, and secularisation, Christian Bioethics, Volume 9, Issue 1.
3. Wilkinson D. (2018). Alfie and Charlie: should the law change? BMJ, 361;k1891.
Competing interests: No competing interests