Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care: About us

We offer impartial and accessible support to persons of all faith communities or who have no faith, and facilitate spiritual and religious care of all kinds.

It is widely recognised that the spiritual is a natural dimension of what it means to be human, which includes the awareness of self, of relationships with others and with creation. The NHS in Scotland recognises that the health care challenges faced by the people it cares for may raise their need for spiritual or religious care and is committed to addressing these needs.

Our hospital Chaplains provide for the religious needs of patients and others, when it is requested and desired. Our underlying principles are as follows:

• respectful and valuing of religious and cultural diversity in the Western Isles
• a resource in the provision of holistic care
• a unifying and encouraging part of the NHS
• person-centred
• the right of all patients
• sensitive to the rights of patients, staff and carers to be visited (or not visited) by any Chaplain, member of the clergy, or faith community representative
• integrated by all staff into the normal care offered in NHS Western Isles.

Definitions

Spiritual care is usually given in a one-to-one relationship, is completely person-centred and makes no assumptions about personal conviction or life orientation.

Among the basic spiritual needs that might be addressed within the normal daily activity of healthcare are the need:
to give and receive love
to be understood
to be valued as a human being
for forgiveness, hope and trust
to explore beliefs and values
to express feelings honestly
to find meaning and purpose in life.

Spiritual care is available to all patients, family/carers and staff.

Religious care is given in the context of shared religious beliefs, values, worship and lifestyle of a faith community.

Spiritual care is not necessarily religious. Religious care should always be spiritual.

Spiritual care might be said to be the umbrella term of which religious care is a part. It is the intention of religious care to meet spiritual need.