1/08

Welcome

Revd Anne Aldridge, Mr Peter Hulme and Revd Derek Johnston were welcomed to their first meeting.

2/08

Apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Kobad Avari, Ervad Rustam Bhedwar, Mr Kishor Ruparelia, Mr Baldev Singh Mawi, Mr Jayman Mehta, Mr Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, Mr Keith Munnings, HM Shafique Rahman, Mrs Deborah Wheeler and Rt. Revd Tom Williams.

3/08

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 th September 2007 were agreed subject to correction of title for Mr Roger Green who also was not representing the AHPCC.

4/08

Central allocation for hospital chaplaincy 2007-08, 2008-09 (ref min 30/07)

The Administrator reported that the Department of Health had now invited bids against the central allocation for the years 2007-08 and 2008-09. Bids were due to reach the DH by 21 st January.

Members of Council were pleased that the central allocation had been confirmed for the two years. In discussion, it was agreed that the grant to individual faith communities should be made equitable and that the move towards an equitable distribution should be achieved only through an increased allocation. It was agreed that an opportunity should be sought to make these points to the Department of Health.

5/08

Advice to health commissioners about chaplaincy-spiritual care (ref min 33/07)

The Administrator reported that NHS Yorkshire and the Humber had now submitted its draft booklet for health commissioners to the Department of Health. It was hoped that this would form the basis of commissioning policy and be published as advice in due course.

Tim Battle reported briefly on his meeting with Mr Mark Davies in the Department of Health to discuss the commissioners' booklet and the end project report for the Caring for the Spirit NHS Project.

6/08

Impact of NHS dress codes on faith communities (35/07)

On behalf of Mr Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, the Administrator reported on the recent round-table meeting at the Department of Health about the impact of NHS dress codes on faith communities. Issues about the use of alcohol-based gels for hand washing and the “bare below the elbows” policy had impacted on members of the Muslim and Sikh communities. Rabbi Meir Salasnik reminded the Council that members of the Jewish Community were also concerned about the dress codes.

Tim Battle confirmed that the use of alcohol-based gel for hand washing had been agreed to be acceptable by the Muslim community because the prohibition was against intoxication and not simply alcohol. The Department of Health had agreed that the wording of notices drafted by the Chaplaincy for use in Bradford Hospitals would be recommended and a change of labelling to gel containers was also proposed.

The issues concerning a lack of modesty engendered by the “bare below the elbows” were still being considered. This was possible because the policy was mainly concerned to achieve compliance and the Muslim community had an appropriate approach to adherence to cleanliness and washing issues. Alternative suggestions were also to be considered including the availability of disposable sleeves and other proposals which may be elicited from Trusts preparing these policies.

Members of Council were pleased that the Department of Health was considering these issues seriously even in retrospect. A further report would be made in due course.

7/08

MFGHC Leadership Seminar 2008

The Council approved the note of the Leadership Seminar 2008. The Council agreed to discuss the action points individually and asked Revd Debbie Hodge to introduce them accordingly.

8/08

MFGHC Leadership Seminar 2008 - Developing a consistent approach to the central allocation for hospital chaplaincy

The Council noted that this had been a focus in the 2005 MFGHC Conference and had been pursued since then for that reason. The decision to seek a greater and more equitable allocation minuted earlier (min 4/08) was restated. A project plan to take this work forward would be developed for further discussion in due course.

9/08

MFGHC Leadership Seminar 2008 - Financial support for the educational aspects of developing world faith chaplaincies within the healthcare system.

There was discussion of issues around funding for education, training and induction in the UK Countries. The concern was not about inconsistency across Nations but more about how best to access funding to enable training of world faith chaplains within chaplaincy teams in England. It was not clear whether this should be pursued as educational or training funding nor whether NHS allocations included chaplains as a designated group.

It was suggested that there was a likelihood that chaplains would be better resourced as healthcare professionals. This was part of a wider concern about the status of chaplains in healthcare and included both the attainment of the status of healthcare professional and also issues concerned with statutory regulation. These latter were thought to be delaying the former but poor relationships between the different chaplaincy bodies appeared to obviate this being discussed between them.

A project plan to take this work forward would be developed for further discussion in due course.

10/08

MFGHC Leadership Seminar 2008 - Supporting the development of a curriculum for healthcare chaplaincy

Revd Debbie Hodge reported on the outcome of a meeting in Leeds of HEIs undertaking chaplaincy education with members of CAAB and of the MFGHC Education Committee. The meeting had been convened by Cardiff University on behalf of the NHS Yorkshire and the Humber in order to progress the development of a chaplaincy curriculum. A further meeting between the chaplaincy educational interests was planned for the end of January and a report would be made thereafter via the Education Committee.

11/08

MFGHC Leadership Seminar 2008 - Challenging NHS Management about the soul and spirit of the NHS

The NHS was thought to have suffered considerable challenge to its value set because of the pressure exerted to develop a culture based around performance of politically led targets. These values were summarised by Derek Johnston as including care, wholeness, humanity and companionship.

It was not clear how far these values had been eroded by the adoption of new aims and motivators nor the extent to which their erosion affected the NHS. The concerns of members were that the NHS would become less supportive to aspects of spiritual care as this was embedded within values currently. The reduced emphasis on spiritual care would impact adversely on the health of individuals and of their community.

Members suggested that the lack of adherence to the WHO statements about spirituality and holistic care would of itself change the way the NHS worked. The failure to adhere to any national aspects of the NHS and the tendency to leave all aspects to local determination meant that the majority of commitments were personal and the others political. The lack of agreed values either corporately or from national leadership reduced commitment and effectiveness.

A project plan to take this work forward would be developed for further discussion in due course.

12/08

MFGHC Leadership Seminar 2008 - Developing spiritual well-being

It was suggested that there might be worth in considering how best to develop the concept of spiritual well being. This could be seen as an outcome of NHS activity and could be relevant to all professional groups. A project plan to take this work forward would be developed for further discussion in due course.

13/08

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy

Edward Lewis reported that Mr Mike Penning MP had agreed to convene and chair an All Party Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy (APPGHC) to which the Bishop of St Alban's had also agreed to be Secretary. The Group was likely to be launched in late March with a formal constitution. The existence of the Group would need to be restated after each election.

Barney Leith spoke in support of this development which he suggested was very significant and required as much support as could be generated. It was important to be clear what the Group was wanted to do and to keep regular contact with members giving them briefings and opportunities for meetings/ events.

In discussion, it was suggested that the intention of the Group should be to persuade the Government to agree a NHS standard for chaplaincy-spiritual care to which NHS Bodies should adhere. Such a standard was currently implicit within NHS organisations but would be eroded by other factors unless it was established more clearly. Other issues to do with the delivery of chaplaincy-spiritual care could be allied to this primary aim.

Detail as to how the APPHC would work in practice would be reported in due course.

14/08

Chair/ Vice-Chair reports – January 2008

The Chairman reported on his attendance at the November 2007 meeting of the College of Health Care Chaplains and on an invitation he had accepted to the St Thomas' Hospital Fire Brigade day in March. He also updated the Council on issues currently facing the Sikh community in accessing chaplaincy support in hospital.

Both Chairman and Vice-Chairman had recently attended a day to discuss volunteering in the NHS organised by Baroness Neuberger on behalf of the Prime Ministers delivery unit. This had seemed to be directed towards management of volunteering rather than as a celebration of volunteers.

The Vice-Chairman had accepted an invitation to address the Trent Branch of the College of Health Care Chaplains in March.

15/08

Chief Officer report – January 2008

Edward Lewis noted the progress with the APPGHC and reported on a meeting with Stephen Timms MP currently First Secretary at the Treasury to discuss chaplaincy-funding issues. He also reported that comments had been received saying that the website was found to be useful.

16/08

Jain faith in the NHS community

Mr Manhar Mehta explained some of the issues which his community were tackling to bring spiritual care for Jain patients and staff within the NHS chaplaincy. He touched on funding and educational issues and also explained the need for individuals to state their faith on admission so that appropriate arrangements could be made.

17/08

Chaplain to HM The Queen

The Council congratulated Edward Lewis on his appointment as Chaplain to HM The Queen. The Chairman indicated that this was a prestigious and important post which reflected well both on the incumbent and on healthcare chaplaincy.

18/08

Local Information Networks (LINKs)

In response to a question, Edward Lewis indicated that L ocal In formation Networ ks had replaced community health councils and public patient fora as the mechanism for capturing patient views about NHS issues. He was preparing guidance about these changes and new mechanisms for engagement with the NHS which he would make available to the Council at their next meeting.

19/08

Date of next meeting

The Council agreed to meet again at 11am on Wednesday 7 th May 2008 at Church House.