The importance of offering spiritual care to our service users

As a Trust, we aim to provide inclusive care that meets the needs of our diverse population. Birmingham and Solihull is home to 1.3million people, each with their own thoughts on spirituality.

In healthcare, spirituality is identified with experiencing a deep-seated sense of meaning and purpose in life, together with a sense of belonging. It is about acceptance, integration and wholeness.

Our Spiritual Care team support patients, their carers and staff during times of emotional stress, physical and mental illness, loss or bereavement. They are also here to help us mark important religious festivals and deliver training and teaching.

Their day-to-day work consists of visiting wards across the Trust, offering spiritual, pastoral, religious care and sacraments to all, including some of our most unwell patients.

Our Spiritual Care team is an inclusive, multi-faith, multi-cultural team consisting of a priestess, priests, pastors, imams, and spiritual care practitioners. Traditionally known as chaplains, the team have a wide range of professional expertise in other fields that informs and facilitates spiritual care?work.

Sharon Watkins , Head of Spiritual Care said:

“Spirituality is unique to you and is closely linked to the way in which you understand your core values, meaning and purpose.?This may include a faith or belief, culture, traditions, and the things that lift your spirits such as art, music, poetry and nature.”

The team includes staff from specific faith traditions and others working from a non-religious perspective.

One service user complimented the team saying:

“Thank you for all the serene encounters you’ve given me over the last few months, I’ve learned so much from our mindful moments together and the conversation we’ve had.?Your wise words will stay with me long after leaving hospital and the kindness you’ve shown me, I will have in my heart forever."

The Spiritual Care team have recently been nominated for an Excellence award at the Trust for the work they did to support a team at BSMHFT following the sudden passing of a colleague. A member of staff said:

“The team have been nothing short of amazing, attending site, checking in with staff- providing much needed words of comfort and just generally providing compassion to the team. This has made such a difference to the experience of the staff here as they come to terms with such a sudden passing of a much-loved colleague.”

For more information about the Spiritual Care team please [email protected].