| The Public Bodies Liaison Committee for British Paganism |
NHS and Hospitals
Hospital Visiting
First it is important to recognise that a Hospital Visitor is not replacing the role of the Hospital Chaplian. The role of the Hospital Chaplain is to give patients comfort and support from a religious perspective, providing this service to anyone in hospital, whatever their religion. Ministers from any religion can come into a hospital to support members of their own religion, and they are usually referred to as 'Official Hospital Visitors'. These visitors are not Chaplains. When PF Hospital Visitors work in a hospital we take care not to call ourselves 'Pagan Chaplains', since understandably that may upset those who are actually working as official Hospital Chaplains.
The main service that PF Hospital Visiting Service offers is to provide PF volunteers to visit Pagans in hospital, initially as a friendly fellow Pagan to chat with. At the same time we plan to be able to offer Pagan reading materials, for Pagans in hospitals, for hospital staff and for hospital chaplains. Visitors who could act also as Pagan Ministers would be great but all Pagans who are prepared to do the PF hospital visitors training and to be approved by PF and local hospitals are very welcome to work as visitors. It is of course essential to work closely with the Hospital Chaplains in arranging these visits and to this end we are working to foster links with Hospital Chaplains wherever the opportunity arises. This is welcomed now by many hospital chaplains, in large part because of all the hard work of the various Interfaith groups. Also, under the Patient's Charter, all patients can expect the NHS to respect their privacy, dignity and religious and cultural beliefs. Hospitals now try to keep a list of ministers of all faiths and chaplaincy departments will try hard to arrange for a suitable minister of the patient's choosing to visit them if they wish.
My hope and plan is that the PF hospital visiting service will take root with a sound and sustainable infrastructure and grow into a well resourced, well used and sustainable function, hardy, vigorous and well known.
For further information: Please email John Chidlow, PF Hospital Visiting Services Manager.