Spiritual Care

Spiritual care means different things to different people. Depending on a person’s life stance spiritual care may be described as pastoral care, emotional support, or inner care. For this policy, we have used the term “spiritual care” as understood by the World Health Organisation’s understanding of the spiritual aspects of ‘health’. This policy reflects the considerable developments resulting from the increased professionalism in spiritual care over the last twenty years. It firmly establishes the role of spiritual care as an integral part of health and social care provision.

We all have a part of us that seeks to discover meaning, purpose and hope in those aspects of our experience that matter most to us. This is often referred to as “spirituality”; informing our personal values and beliefs, and affirming that tears, laughter, pain, and joy are all part of the human experience. Spirituality is personal by nature and may or may not be held within a religious framework.

Spiritual Care puts people at the heart of healthcare. It focuses on the human need for meaning, purpose, and hope, particularly in the context of injury, illness, and loss. The concept of Spiritual Care is associated with relationships, identity, and transcendence. It takes into consideration what matters most to the person (including personal values and deeply held beliefs) and those who matter most to them, during difficult and challenging times. Furthermore, as we face ongoing challenges in demand and capacity across the NHS, we recognise that working within health care presents challenges to the wellbeing and emotional resilience of staff which can be addressed through holistic and spiritual support. It is important that all staff have a basic awareness of the principles of spiritual care and its role in delivering values based, person centred care.