Sue Ryder and the removal of specialist chaplaincy services

You may be aware, from other sources, the concerns within the healthcare chaplaincy community in relation to the decision of Sue Ryder to make its chaplains redundant and rely on local faith leaders. The Free Churches Group, of which the Methodist Church is a member, has written the attached letter expressing concerns about the decision. It is signed by Helen Cameron, the Free Churches Group moderator who is a Methodist minister and due to be President of Conference next year.

The Free Churches Group have also highlighted their concerns of a wider move within hospices to remove or reduce the level of chaplaincy support. If you know of individual chaplains affected, please do offer them your support. Where chaplaincy care is no longer paid for it may be that, alongside local faith communities as is Sue Ryder’s plan, other chaplaincy departments are asked to provide pastoral, spiritual or religious support to individuals. The request of the AHPCC (Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains) is that such requests are responded to as they do not want individuals to be without such care. However, where anyone is requested, it would be good for them to question why the hospice is not providing specialist chaplaincy care as an integral part of holistic palliative care.

Both Mark Newitt (mark.newitt@freechurches.org.uk) and Jill Thornton (president@ahpcc.org.uk) may be contacted if you have further questions or want advice in following up any such requests.