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in providing very well received ‘Songs of Praise’ times I noticed one patient leaving with a Bible and asked
around the wards. her why. She told me she was a Christian and, after
witnessing to a fellow patient, she had given them her
Christian staff often have prayer or Bible study groups, Bible so needed another herself! I let her off - bless her
and these are assisted where possible by the Chaplaincy. - what a great witness.
Do you have others who support Hospital Chaplaincy
e.g. volunteers who visit hospitals? • On another ward a patient said he didn’t know how to
pray. I got him a Bible, and we read this together using
Many hospitals have teams of trained Chaplaincy the notes in the front. He said he needed peace so we
volunteers who work alongside the small numbers of read the ‘When in need of peace ‘prayer and after that
employed Chaplains, providing a greater capacity for he asked to pray the ‘Commitment prayer’.
spiritual care and provision.
• One of our Chaplaincy volunteers, who is also a keen
How has the role of Hospital Chaplain changed over the local member & supplier of GOOD NEWS for Everyone!
years? Scriptures, tells of a young woman patient he had
given a Bible to. One day, when he left the hospital,
I served as a volunteer Chaplain for a few hours a week
at one hospital to begin with. Gradually I was employed a young lady came up to him, put her arm round him
and asked: “Do you remember me?”
part time in one hospital and my role then expanded to a
full-time post, leading the Chaplaincy services for all the He tried to think of her name, and it turned out that she
hospitals in the Trust. was the lady he had given a Bible to. She went on to
Obviously, there are Hospital Chaplains of different say how well she was doing and that she was regularly
attending church. The volunteer was so encouraged to
faiths. Does this ever cause any issues in hospitals or
do Chaplains of different faiths generally work well see this fruit from the Chaplaincy.
together? How can we as an Association best serve Hospital

Hospital Chaplains are aware that the NHS is for Chaplains?
people of all faiths and beliefs so generally there is GOOD NEWS for Everyone! is well positioned across
a harmonious and understanding working together. the country to support Chaplaincy teams with the
However, this does not mean Christian ministers are provision of Bibles. For varied reasons not all teams may
expected to lead Muslim prayers or Muslims lead seem receptive but there will often be at least one team
Christian prayers etc. member willing to be a link who can raise awareness of
Bible availability. In the NHS most care will be supported
with an ‘evidence base’. Statistics and figures showing the
BIBLE STANDS FOR “BASIC benefit of spiritual needs being met (from such bodies as
INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE the Royal College of Psychology) will add weight to the
LEAVING EARTH!” I LIKED discussions.
THAT. Another point of value is cost. All NHS Trusts have
the statutory duty to meet patients spiritual and
religious needs. But all NHS departments are financially
challenged so the potential ‘free’ provision to assist them
Are you able to share examples where Bibles by the in meeting an area of duty of care could also be a point
bedsides have been used to bring comfort to patients? to mention.

Bibles in the hospitals are such a great asset and benefit. We are aware that for every acute admission/bed there
Following Covid, they are often not in bedside lockers is a corresponding admission/bed for mental health
as they had been, but a Bible should be available on provision, which we believe is known as the ‘Cinderella
request. Services’ in the NHS. What advice can you give us in
• Walking on to a ward, a patient called to me “Chaplain relation to reaching this category of patient?
you’re just the person I wanted to see. I want a Bible to Mental Health patients have the same right of spiritual
read but don’t have one here in hospital - could I have care provision as general patients. Some NHS staff
one?” I always carry a few of the Bibles. As I gave the seem to have had the idea in the past that meeting a
patient a Bible and talked to them, another patient mental health patients spiritual or religious needs would
walked over, slid a GOOD NEWS for Everyone! New aggravate their mental health condition. Whilst wisdom
Testament from his dressing gown pocket, smiled and is certainly needed the research-based facts show that
gave me a thumbs up and walked on. mental health patients having their mental health needs
met is a great benefit.
After speaking with first patient, the patient with the
Hospital Testament in his pocket came over to me.
Taking his New Testament out he said, “Do you know
what the word Bible stands for?” I said, “Tell me”. He
said BIBLE stands for “Basic Instructions Before Leaving
Earth!” I liked that. WE READ THE ‘WHEN IN NEED
Another patient then asked if they could have a Bible, OF PEACE ‘PRAYER
then a staff nurse came over and asked for one.
I must make a confession that patients keep walking
off with Bibles, which I think is a good thing to pinch!!

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