:: NHS Chaplaincy ::

Buddhist Chaplaincy for the NHS

Current Position and Future Developments

More information can be found at the MFGHC web site : www.mfghc.com

Earlier Communications of the MFGHC : www.mfghc.com/bulletin_previous.htm

Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy and SACRE activities

Just a short note to remind everyone that on Sun 24th Feb 2008 an important BUDDHIST HEALTHCARE CHAPLAINCY (BHCG) event/workshop will be held at the Buddhist Society, organized by the BHCG and the Buddhist Forum for the South East.
See the link below for details:

Workshop Details and Hospital Placement Application Form - (pdf file)

The event will be held at 58 Eccleston Square SW1V 1PH and it will start at 11:00 am sharp.

The Society can provide hot drinks, but there are no cooking facilities on the premises, so please bring in your own sandwiches.

On request, a cold buffet/pack-lunch will be provided for any member of the Ven. Sangha who might require it; but please do let me know in advance.

If you are interested in finding out more, or if you already have some experience of this work, you are warmly invited to attend.

If you do already, or intend to operate as a NHS Hospitals Chaplain, please fill in the form (see link above), and send it back to Keith Munnings, as soon as possible; also let me know.

If you have been following the activities of the Buddhist Forum for the South East (BFSE), then you will be pleased to know that in the course of the day there will be the opportunity to catch up on a number of other issues, including S.A.C.R.E and Religious Education, how we could involve University Student groups, support for the HMS Forces Chaplaincy, production of Buddhist educational material for a variety of situations and people, etc.

A date and a venue in central London for the next BFSE meeting will also be decided then.

We are looking forwards to seeing as many of you as possible

With kind regards

Mariano Marcigaglia (Buddhist Forum for the South East, Buddhist Society, NBO)
mmarcigaglia@gmail.com
If you want to speak to me over the phone :
020 72520804 (home, Tue-Thu after 19:30 and weekends, or after 21:00)
07703 519478 (mobile)

(Earlier Message (2005) by Ron Maddox, former General Secretary of the Buddhist Society and member of the Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy (MFGHC) and Co-chair of its standard committee)

The MFGHC meetings take place at Church House, Westminster , under to auspices of the Church of England (CofE).
The work of the MFGHC, in collaboration with South Yorkshire NHS and DoH, is in establishing appropriate structures and standards for a fully professional multi-faith chaplaincy within the NHS.

The most recent stage of its work, following a working party meeting in Birmingham, was the production of a draft document on standards (spiritual as opposed to occupational), which has been sent for comments to the DoH and to one thousand or so NHS Chaplaincies in England. The final draft will then emerge in the light of comments received.

The next stage, for each faith group, will be to set up an endorsing authority, or authorizing body, to assist the NHS in the appointment of suitably qualified faith specific Chaplains. The DoH/NHS requires that the responsible body be as broad and inclusive of the Buddhist presence in the UK as is practicable.

After discussion with the Buddhist Network (UK) and Dr Biddulph for
the Buddhist Society, it was felt by all concerned that The Buddhist
Society, because of its history and non-sectarian stance, could best
fulfil this role on the understanding that it would seek to broaden
the membership of the authorizing body. This view has now been
accepted as the basis for future development by the Administrator at
Church House.

The Administrator has now expressed the hope that a committee be
formed under the auspices of the Society by mid-summer, to meet with a deputation from Church House (perhaps at Church House, or the Society) to discuss the authorization process and the competencies required of an NHS Chaplain.

Initially it is envisaged that the committee be formed by the following :

Dr. D Biddulph, Buddhist Society
Dr. Colin Ash, English Sangha Trust
Ron Maddox, Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy (and BS)
Ven. Khemadhammo, Angulimala
Prasada Caroline Brazier, Amida Trust
Keith Munnings, Samatha Association
Philip Henry, Aston Buddhavihara

This, or a group formed largely from the above plus other recommendations, could form the initial group to meet the deputation from Church House in the Summer. All have experience of Chaplaincy work at some level, have thought or written about the issues, and would be very interested in participating.

Looking ahead

As has already emerged from discussions with regional groups, due to the fact that the NHS is such an extensive body, other regional committees might need to be established in the fullness of time, under the aegis of the Society, with those presenting themselves for service gaining the necessary experience and training from membership of the London authorizing body.

The Buddhist Society intends to provide a number of facilities on its web site specifically aimed at Buddhists serving in the NHS, and in support of the future appointed Chaplains.

If you have got an interest in the subject and you wish to contribute to the effort, please use this link to record your details and someone will contact you.

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