Wot Hope said.
Though I'd go a tad further.
My local health authority(Ayrshire and Arran) issuesan annual report.
In that report it states that the chaplaincy team is an
'irreplaceable element in the healing system'
(The chair of Ayrshire and Arran used to be held by an atheist, and, since the chair signs off the report annually, presumably he endorsed the findings which it contained)
I wouldn't be challenging anything you've said there Anch, for me it's about who pays the bill, not the state.
It's only about a half of the U K population that are religious believers now, even though all of that stuff is such old hat these people do really believe that stuff and if it gives them some comfort, any comfort speaking to a chaplain, well good luck to them, I wouldn't be having anything to do with chucking them out.
ippy
Which is my point too.
I have no issue with chaplains provided that they are paid for by the religious organisation they represent. My only other point being that access to patients by chaplains must be on a strictly opt in basis, which I think is already in the guidance from the NHS, but clearly does not always happen in practice (as I can testify from experience).
