Spiritual care matters

Rebekah Sharp, NHS Greater Glasgow and

Clyde

Learning Objectives

1. Share an improvement approach taken to

ensure that all people are offered the opportunity

to be referred for spiritual care support

throughout their stay in hospital.

2. Share our learning of what difference this makes

to people being cared for, their relatives and

staff.

Background – Spiritual Care

A need for change - Why? (Feedback)

“I have a strong faith but was too scared to ask for a Priest to come and see me.

The staff are always so busy running in and out.”

“I am very anxious and concerned about going home today. I just don’t know how I’ll cope. I am

scared about it all. Nobody has spoken to me to ask

how I feel.”

“I would really love to see the Hospital

Chaplain. I am going home but it would

mean such a lot to me to see the Chaplain.”

“I would like to see the Hospital Chaplain. My

anxiety about my pain levels isn’t being helped.”

What are we trying to accomplish? (Aim)

All patients are offered the opportunity to be

referred for spiritual care support throughout their

stay in the Langlands Unit by December 2017.

What changes can we make that will result in

improvement? (Changes)

1. Direct referral to Health Care Chaplains (not ward diary).

2. Identifying signs of change in behaviour and enquire to find out how someone is feeling and offer support of the Health Care Chaplain.

3. Test different ways of asking questions to enquire and find out if an individual would like to speak to someone independent of the ward team.

4. Update notice boards with information on Spiritual Care and how to access and refer.

5. Raise awareness of the Faith and Belief Communities Manual with all staff.

How will we know that a change is an

improvement?

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5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Sep 2016 Oct 2016 Nov 2016 Dec 2016 Jan 2017 Feb 2017

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Healthcare Chaplaincy Referrals - All Wards

How will we know that a change is an

improvement? (Feedback)

“I have a strong faith and the hospital Chaplain has

been in to see me five times already.”

“All the nurses are very kind, even when they're short

staffed. The Chaplain comes to see me and

that's important to me.”

“My own minister has been in to see me twice and the hospital Chaplain

has also seen me twice.The male HCSW came with me

yesterday to the eye clinic and it was lovely to have a familiar face

there with me.”

Case Study – Example 1

Case Study – Example 2

Key learning

Religion and faith are only one aspect of spiritual

care.

Spiritual care requirements needs to be integral

to the assessment process and also needs to be

re-addressed at times of transition and when

circumstance changes.

Importance of integrating spiritual care into

communication with relatives and carers

particularly for people with cognitive impairment.

Key learning

‘WMTY’ conversations needs to include spiritual

care needs.

Don’t make assumptions that people know the

referral process for spiritual care.

Don’t make assumptions that people don’t have

spiritual care needs just because they don’t

express the need.

Next Steps

1. MDT conversations and meetings to incorporate

‘WMTY’ to find out about Spiritual care needs.

2. Staff awareness of what spiritual care includes

and what the Health Care Chaplaincy Service

can support and provide.

3. For Spiritual Care Assessment to be part of

everyone’s role and responsibility.

4. Everyone who the Healthcare Chaplain visits will

receive a chaplaincy visitation card.

Acknowledgments and thanks

•Jane Short – Activity Coordinator

•Jade Weir – Activity Coordinator

•Lauren Clark – Activity Coordinator

•Sarah Chapman – Activity Coordinator

•Joanne Gourlay – Activity Coordinator

•Alice McCready – Activity Coordinator

•Gillian Hannah – NHS GGC PCHC Team

Questions and Comments...