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