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Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy

.....advancing multi-faith healthcare chaplaincy.

MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT CHURCH HOUSE, WESTMINSTER ON WEDNESDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2004

Present:

Hon Barney Leith – in the Chair
Mrs Joy Conway
Dr Raheem Khan
Revd Edward Lewis
Mr Sital Maan
Mr Manhar Mehta,
Mr Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin
Rev Christine Pocock
Rabbi Martin van den Bergh
Rt. Revd Thomas Williams
Revd Peter Wells

In attendance:
Mr Tim Battle
Gen Tubchen Kelsang as an observer

37/04 Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Caroline Brock, Mr Ervad Bhedwar, Ms Valerina Clarke, Mr Bimal Krsna das, Rev Robert Evans, Mr Ronald Maddox, Mr Baldev Mawi, HM Shafique Rahman, Rev Preb Peter Speck, Mr Kishor Ruparelia, Mr Dhirendra Sanghrajka, and Mrs Barbara Walsh


38/04 The Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains

The Revd Peter Wells was welcomed to his first meeting as the representative of the Association.

39/04 Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 12th May 2004 were agreed

40/04 Review of Department of Health central allocation of funding for NHS chaplaincy (ref. min 20/04)

The Council noted that Mr James report had been published on the website of the Department of Health. In introducing discussion of the contents, the Chair indicated his concern about the potential impact on MFGHC. The report had provided an opportunity for the Department to show support for the Group, particularly as funding under Section 64 had been rejected. He regretted that such assurance was not included in the report.

On behalf of the Free Churches chaplaincy, Christine Pocock indicated that she was content with the agreement to continue funding of her post which would otherwise have lapsed. Similarly, Martin van den Bergh welcomed the agreement to continue funding his post for Jewish chaplaincy even though this was conditional on the acceptance of a wider remit. He shared the concern of the Chair that the Government appeared to pay lip-service to new ventures but had not provided actual support.

Concern was expressed that the report itself was not managerially credible as it did not deal with the implementation of proposals. It was not clear where the new posts would be based nor how their employment would be achieved. In discussion, it was clear that a number of different expectations had been raised on these issues and the report appeared to suggest that funding had been increased which members did not believe. The report did not cover the costing of proposals so the impact was not clear and the funding of the four posts appeared to be unequal and therefore inequitable.

Although the funding for world faith chaplaincies was welcomed, it was not clear how the detail had been determined, especially as the two largest Christian chaplaincies appeared to be excluded from funding support. This was particularly difficult when assumptions had apparently been made about the availability of their resources. It was suggested that the report was a vision limited by funding and one which therefore reduced support for the whole in favour of small unequal portions.

The Council considered that, despite the reservations expressed by members jointly and severally, there was an overall advantage in accepting the report as it sustained current funding which could have been removed. Several members spoke in support of Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin's proposal to avoid despair and non co-operation and to pursue a strategy which built on the progress made together.

Bishop Tom Williams was disappointed that a service focused on caring for patients had not struck more of chord with the officials. He considered that MPs would take the issue more seriously and that a united front with a patient perspective should be pursued. The Chair proposed that the resources of the various chaplaincies be put together to make a co-ordinated representation about the need to support the Group's activities. Martin van den Bergh supported the need for an approach direct to Government and Sital Maan indicated that he supported the need to lobby politicians more actively.

The Chair suggested that there was need for both public relations support and support for a political lobby. He suggested that the Group's strategy should include the following elements:

• The PR resources of individual faith communities be co-ordinated to develop a communication strategy which covers public relations, political lobbying and public information over the next 12 months.
• Individual faith communities support a common message which is fully supportive of the work of MFGHC and expresses disappointment that no money has been made available for its development;
• MFGHC seeks a meeting with officials to discuss the lack of funding for multi-faith chaplaincy given that two bids have been rejected in the face of public statements in support of such an approach;
• MFGHC seeks a meeting with ministerial and parliamentary contacts including Lord Warner to discuss the lack of funding for multi-faith chaplaincy;
• MFGHC seeks funding from SYWDC to support the reconvening of the multi-faith consultation group in mid-2005 in order to report progress following the end of the 1997 work programme and the two years of the Group itself.

In further discussion, the Council discussed aspects of its current role and its way of working. There was some concern that support for the Group was not unanimous amongst chaplaincy bodies and worry that would be seen to weaken the partnership approach to chaplaincy-spiritual care. The Council agreed however that it was not necessary to re-examine the Group's remit even if the achievements were presented more clearly. In the context, there was support for the production of a biennial report.

After further discussion, it was agreed that the Chair and Chief Officer should take the emerging communications strategy forward in conjunction with Mr Sital Maan and Rabbi Martin van den Bergh.

41/04 Launch events for Caring for the Spirit (ref min. 22/04)

Tim Battle reported that five events had been held across the country with speakers from the MFGHC and from SYWDC. The events had been well received but there was concern that only about one third of attenders had been Board members. There was agreement that the awareness of Boards about spiritual healthcare should be raised and SYWDC was to take this forward as part of its workforce strategy.

42/04 Marshalling resources for world faith chaplaincies and multi-faith chaplaincy (ref min. 25/04)

It was noted that the sub-group reviewing the resources sent in by chaplains was meeting on 13 th September 2004.

43/04 Election of Honorary Officers (ref min. 27/04)

It was noted that the Chief Officer had written to members about the election of Chair 2005-07 in accordance with the process agreed at the last meeting.


44/04 Continuing Personal and Professional Development

The Council received copies of correspondence following the meeting facilitated by CNO including her statement of the agreed outcome and Barbara Walsh's letter convening a meeting of the stakeholders on 17th September to discuss continuing personal and professional development.

The noted that four members had been asked to attend this meeting on its behalf and received the paper prepared by SYWDC which was to form the basis of discussion at the meeting. The Council supported the development of partnership working and looked forward to a further report in due course.

The Chair reported correspondence from the President of CHCC about a joint training event. As this had not been part of the agreed action from the facilitated meeting, he had suggested that the other actions should be concluded first. It was noted however that MFGHC and CHCC had agreed to exchange observers at their meetings.


45/04 Draft standards for spiritual healthcare

The Council received a copy of the draft standards proposed by the Standards Committee in response to those outlined by the Department of Health for the NHS generally. These were welcomed and endorsed.

Tim Battle reported that he had received advice about the presentation of standards to healthcare organisations generally during a recent meeting with the Health Quality Service, formerly the accreditation arm of the King's Fund. He had agreed to accept proposals for re-drafting the draft standards into a more “acceptable” format which he would submit to the Co-Chairs of the Standards Committee when received.

On this basis, it was agreed to postpone discussion of the consultative process until the next meeting.

46/04 MFGHC work programme

It was agreed to postpone this discussion to the next meeting


47/04 Chief Officer's report –September 2004

Edward Lewis reported that replacement members were needed for Paul Seto who had returned to Australia, Valerina Clark who had indicated her wish to stand down from membership and Christine Pocock who was retiring in October.

He also noted that, in discussion with the President of CHCC and as already reported, it had been agreed that the Council should send an observer to the CHCC meetings. These were planned for 24/25 November 2004 and 25/26 April 2005. It was agreed to ask Tim Battle to write to all members to ask who might wish to attend in this way.


48/04 Dates of next meetings

The Council agreed to meet again on Tuesday 18th January, Wednesday 18th May and Wednesday 14th September 2005 and on Wednesday 18th January 2006.

49/04 Chair's closing remarks

In concluding his work with Council meetings, Barney Leith thanked all members for their help and support during the Council's first two years with particular reference to Paul Seto and Valerina Clark who could not be present. All members had helped provide the feeling of fellowship and unity which had carried the Council and its Chair through challenging but enjoyable times.

Christine Pocock whose impending retirement had already been mentioned, was also thanked for her contribution to the work of multi-faith chaplaincy and of the Council. She had given unstintingly of her time, energy and love for which all members were grateful.

On behalf of all members, Martin van den Burgh thanked the Chair for his tireless efforts on behalf of the Council.

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