Scottish Association of Chaplains in Healthcare

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AGM 2004

The SACH AGM was held on
Tuesday 26October, 2004
at the Conference Centre,
Stirling Royal Infirmary.

• President's Report 2004
• Minutes of AGM 2004
• Minutes of AGM (MS Word Version)
• Download PowerPoint Slides (PDF Version - 1057KB)
  of Talk by Harriet Mowat
  
• Previous AGMs

President's Report 2004

  Rev Derek Brown (President)

A couple of weeks ago I was looking to buy a new bike. My present velocipede was bought when my son was weeks into his first year. Strangely that's the position I find myself in again, only this time he's weeks into first year at Edinburgh University!

At the bike shop I discovered a world of confusing terms and new developments which left me a bit bewildered; triple butted aluminium frames, cro-moly forks; Kevlar strengthened tyres; STI shifters. I was very grateful for a patient and helpful sales assistant who could explain what all this meant. I can't help but think that there are some similarities between the bike shop and our AGM. There will be confusing jargon, unfamiliar concepts and practicalities to grapple with. I'm sure that I, and the rest of the Executive, will do our best to guide you through.
As a professional association SACH exits to represent its members and that role means that we have a seat on a number of bodies concerned with the delivery of spiritual care:

1. Hospitals and Universities Sub Committee of the Board of National Mission of the Church of Scotland. As you will know the General Assembly voted to begin the process of transferring employment of chaplains from the Board to the NHS. We were involved in the discussions leading up to the deliverance at Assembly and we are also involved in the next step which is a body called the Human Resources Forum whose task is to look at how this can be achieved. The executive is of the opinion that this will be a largely positive move although we are aware that there may be some anxieties. To this end it might help to have a list of FAQ's published online and in Soundings.

2. Dunblane committee of ACTS also has a SACH representative. This is an ecumenical healthcare committee which seeks to advise interested parties on spiritual care matters.

3. To some extent these functions are mirrored by the Spiritual Care Development Committee set up by the Scottish Executive to provide NHS Scotland with a multi faith perspective on spiritual care matters. This body does have the advantage of having one of the senior civil servants advising the health department on its list.

4. ENHCC is what it says on the tin- a network of chaplains from across Europe seeking to share best practice and to promote spiritual care throughout the continent. You've perhaps read my account of the proceedings of the latest consultation in Dublin. It was extremely worthwhile helping not only to raise awareness of chaplaincy in Scotland but also to promote our journal which I believe will increasingly have a role to play in further developments. One of the task of the network's committee, to which I was elected, is to lobby the European Union for grants to further research and training.

Attending something like the Consultation highlights the fact that there are a number of bodies, which represent the views of chaplains throughout Europe. In some places these distinctions run along confessional lines as in Germany and Switzerland where there are Catholic and Protestant organisations. Here in Scotland the main difference is that of union status. SACH and the SAHPCC are not affiliated to any Trade Union organisation while CHCC is part of Amicus. Relationships among these organisations have greatly improved over the past couple of years and that can only be good for chaplains as a whole. Both the College and SACH have worked together on a number of issues in that time.

Having reached a level of co-operation the question was raised at a meeting about where this might lead. As I wrote in Soundings at the time were the organisations ready for ever closer union or having spaces in our togetherness? In April representatives from all three bodies met in Glasgow to discuss the matter. At the time it was suggested that the Amicus representative should attend but we declined to accept that on the grounds that perhaps that was a step too far. It was out of that meeting that a questionnaire was drawn up and sent to all chaplains through the good offices of the Training and Development Unit. Chris will speak about the results in a little more detail but suffice to say most people are happy with increased co-operation but don't see any pressing need for change.

Co-operation is also the watchword on the UK level. I had a meeting in Leeds last month with the College president and the chair of the AHPCC at which we looked at issues of common interest. As health is a devolved matter there is a definite Scottish dimension to much of what we do but there are some issues which concern us all. Registration as a healthcare profession; code of conduct; Agenda for change; continuing professional development to name them.

We spent some time examining the question of who sets the professional agenda. In England the situation is complex since there are four bodies with a finger in the chaplaincy pie. I'll spare you the details but my worry is that much of the good work that is being done may get lost in the mix. These tensions do not exist here in Scotland and I am very grateful for that but we need to continue to be involved in the discussions because the outcomes will affect us.

Registration is a major issue for chaplaincy. It will affect all chaplains. At the end of last year I contacted the Health Professions Council to seek clarification about the process. I was advised that all bodies representing professionals desiring registration had to endorse the process. I wrote to the College as the principal agency undertaking this work and asked that SACH be more involved in what was happening. We now have an official representative on the Chaplaincy (formerly College) Academic and Accreditation Board which is looking at the knowledge and skills required to be a chaplain and accrediting courses which can be part of CPD. We are being encouraged by the Board to begin using the process so that they have real training to assess and serving chaplains get used to it too.

Registration is about putting names on a register of people fit to practice. SACH members will have to comply in due course and I have asked that at the appropriate time all those who wish can have their names added to the register on a one off basis rather than each individual do this at a cost of £20!

Agenda for Change is up and running- or so they tell us! We will all require job descriptions that fit the template laid down by this agreement so that we can be paid appropriately. It's quite a daunting task and to try and alleviate some of the stress we will post a sample job description on the web site which attempts to meet the criteria. It will also be helpful to have a check list of what chaplains should do to claim the appropriate allowances and enhancements.

I want to mention the Journal and commend the editors for their sterling work year by year. It is an incredible resource of exceptional quality and with a truly international reputation. I tried to extend that by promoting it at Dublin and also to a passing Texan.. no not George Dubya. I hope that it continues to develop and the executive are committed to seeing that we give every support possible.

So where does the future lie? The next few years will see a raft of changes and it can be somewhat confusing to take stock of them all. The executive would like to propose that we hold a spring seminar next year at which we could look at issues of concern or interest in a little more detail than is possible at a business meeting.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the a number of people:

• Executive (retiring)
• Executive (continuing)
• Membership Sec
• Webmeister
  

Top

Derek Brown welcomed members to the AGM. Worship was led by Isabel Whyte.

Attending
Sandra Bell, Derek Brown, Margaret Browning, Murray Chalmers, Helen Christie, Gina Chua, Fred Coutts, Sue Duncan, Joanne Finlay, James Grier, Michael Hickford, Muriel Knox, Chris Levison, Anne MacDonald, Malcolm MacRae, Kitty McDonald, Pat McDonald, Fergus McLachlan, David Mitchell, Gillian Munro, Joyce Nicol, Ken G Russell, Keith Saunders, Hilda Smith, Linda Stevens, Monica Stewart, Iain Telfer, Stuart Webster, Isabel Whyte, David Young

Apologies
Jacqui Adams, Jim Allardyce, Bob Bell, John Brewster, Margery Collin, J Stanley Cook, Ken Coulter, Marian Cowie, Jackie Cozzi, James Falconer, Liz Gibson, D Ritchie M Gillon, Tom Gordon, Anne Harper, Judith Hugget, Alison Hutchison, Philip Kerr, Margaret Kitson, Cameron Langlands, Edward Lewis, Stuart Macdonald, Ian McDonald, Andrew McMillan, Andrew Moore, Anne Mulligan, Mark Rodgers, Sylvia Spencer, Liz Stenhouse, Marjorie Taylor, Barbara Urquhart, Alison Wagstaff, Ann Watt

Minutes
The Minutes of the AGM held on 8 October 2003 were approved, proposed by Joanne Finlay and seconded by David Mitchell.

President's Report
Derek Brown reported on the work of the Executive over the past year. (copy of report attached). Membership figures were as follows: 153 members of which 37 whole-time, 87 part-time and 28 associate.

There were questions and discussion following Derek's report. Issues raised were direct employment (especially the implications for sessional chaplains); Registration and the closer co-operation of chaplaincy associations in Scotland.

David Mitchell reported that the AHPCC Executive had welcomed the joint approach of AHPCC and SACH to the various bodies with an interest in chaplaincy in England in order to promote greater understanding and recognition of the valuable work being undertaken which will benefit chaplains throughout the UK.

Derek proposed a day meeting in the spring to look at some of these issues in greater detail.

Treasurer' Report
Keith Saunders presented the accounts for the period 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004. (copy attached). Year-end figures were similar to those of last year. The main expenditure from the General Account came from the day-to-day running costs of the Association and from publication costs for the Journal. Keith reminded members to apply for grants from the Training and Development Account. There had been fewer requests for grants, although one had been received and granted recently. The premium for Professional Indemnity Insurance had remained the same for the third year running. There had been one or two difficulties with the system for collecting subscription payments. Despite this, the end-of-year balance was healthy.

Derek thanked Keith for all that he had contributed to the work of the Executive over the past four years.

Report on the Journal
David Mitchell reported on the Journal. Volume 7 No 2 was the most recent edition. David and Georgina Nelson were now in their 5th year as joint editors. Both had questioned whether it was good practice to continue in post. However they had been encouraged by the editorial board to do so and both were indeed happy to do so. The Journal continued to receive very positive feedback. David thanked Fred Coutts for his work of putting the Journal on-line. Each volume was made available on-line three months after publication and there had been no detrimental impact on subscriptions. The Executive was thanked for all its support. During the year it had agreed to fund a referencing package costing £100. This had proved to be very valuable. Printing costs continued to be low. There had been two resignations from the Board and members were invited to consider suitable applicants. Following a meeting last year with his opposite number in CHCC, it had been agreed that both parties would try to work more closely together. Due to ongoing publishing problems in CHCC this had not been possible.

Derek thanked David and the other members of the editorial board for their work.

Scottish Chaplaincy Associations Questionnaire Report
Chris Levison reported on the results of the survey which had been carried out to gauge support for closer co-operation of SACH, CHCC and SAHPC. (see report attached).

Elections
Derek began by thanking the following members who had completed their terms on the Executive: Keith Saunders, Joanne Finlay, Iain Telfer and Stuart MacDonald (resignation).

President
Derek was willing to continue in post. There being no other nominations, he was duly re-elected.

Secretary
Monica was willing to continue in post. There being no other nominations, she was duly re-elected.

Treasurer
Linda Stevens was nominated and there being no other nominations, she was duly elected to the post.

Ordinary members
Iain Telfer was re-elected. Dawn Allan and Andrew Thomson were also nominated and elected.

Membership Secretary
Margaret Clark, chaplaincy secretary at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, had agreed to take on the work of membership secretary. Derek thanked Andrew Moore for his work and for continuing as Membership Secretary after he had moved from the Training and Development Office.

Derek introduced the afternoon session. Dr Harriet Mowat spoke on Ageing, Healthcare and the Spiritual Imperative.

The day concluded with tea and coffee.