Setting the scene and legal framework
Setting the scene
The Spiritual Care and Wellbeing Service recognises the richness of a diverse population who seek support while receiving NHS care and treatment. Essentially, it is about the highest quality of care which takes into consideration what matters most to the individual including values and deeply-held beliefs.
When we ask the question of what matters to you, it allows you to identify and express your needs and hopefully gain a greater sense of empowerment in your healthcare journey. As staff and volunteers we are invited on your journey, walking alongside you every step of the way.
Spirituality can be seen as an umbrella term for religious and philosophical belief. Spirituality is a natural part of what it means to be human.
As people we can seek to find connection and discover meaning, purpose and hope in our life experience. We often search for our own truth about what gives our life most value and what matters to us. This is often referred to as spirituality. This search can inform the whole of our lives; influencing personal values and beliefs; affirming that tears and laughter, pain and joy are all part of the human experience.
Spiritual Care can empower and benefit both carer and cared for; nurturing the individual to celebrate and flourish during times of joy and growth. It can support people to find strength and comfort during times of transition, uncertainty and illness.
During times of change our needs can become more pronounced. Health and social care staff all play a part appropriate to their role in supporting people with their spiritual care needs. Together everyone contributes in some way to achieve person centred spiritual care (NHS Education Scotland, draft of the National Definition on Spiritual Care).
Over the past 20 years, NHS Scotland has actively sought to promote and support a broader understanding of human spirituality, shifting away from the perception that chaplains mainly provide religious care. They are now appointed as spiritual care specialists rather than to faith-specific roles.
Spirituality deals with issues of hope, meaning, purpose and belief, all of which can be vital to people experiencing ill health and those who are offering care and support to them (NHS Education for Scotland, 2022).
The Spiritual Care and Wellbeing department is integral to ensuring NHS Golden Jubilee has a wide focus for Spiritual Care delivery. In collaboration with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and spiritual care leads throughout Scotland, we are committed to quality that meets the NHS Scotland quality ambitions – person centred, safe and effective. (Scottish Government, 2010).
The role of specialist spiritual care providers - healthcare chaplains - includes helping to resource, enable and affirm colleagues of different disciplines in their delivery of spiritual care. This involves supporting them in reflecting on their own spirituality and that of patients and their significant others.
Spiritual Care has changed from the sole domain of chaplains and recognises as healthcare staff all have a part to play. Essentially, spiritual care is everybody’s business, with healthcare chaplains providing expertise in this specialty. There is a range of services from staff who provide ‘routine spiritual care’ to chaplains providing ‘complex spiritual pastoral care’ (NHS Scotland, 2009. pg.25).
Legal framework and other drivers
There are a number of key drivers that ensure the delivery of spiritual and religious care:
- The Equality Act 2010 that includes religion and belief as a protected characteristic.
- The European Convention on Human Rights (Freedom of thought, conscience and religion) as given effect by The Human Rights Act 1998.
- In addition, a National Spiritual Care Strategy is in development. We will review this and add any appropriate actions to our own strategy action plan.
