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SACH  Soundings
 No 9 March 2002

Spiritual Care, Churches and Chaplaincy –
a NHS Orkney Perspective

A conference was organised by the Orkney Hospital Chaplains, Mike Ward and Christine Laird, for local ministers and representatives of faith groups to become better informed about the rapidly changing context of hospital chaplaincy and the ways in which spiritual needs of patients and staff can be met. Mike attended the November conference at Stirling organised by the Scottish Executive, where Malcolm Chisholm affirmed the Executive’s commitment to make spiritual care a central element of the way the NHS cares for patients and staff. 
Mike drew attention to implications for Orkney, both for the Health Board and the churches: “NHS Boards and Trusts in Scotland are being required to develop a plan over the next 12 months for spiritual and religious care in their area. Church representatives also need to be aware of the growing communities of other faiths and the humanist movement, and the challenges of providing spiritual care that respects people’s privacy and spiritual needs - regardless of religious faith. Its encouraging that in NHS Orkney, the Chaplaincy has had a lot of support from the management so together we’ve pre-empted many of the points in the Executive’s Report. Orkney is already well on the way to achieving the Executive’s objectives.”

It is hoped that patients at the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall may soon benefit from a special hospital radio service that will bring them their own request programmes and news and special events.
The Hospital Chaplains will lead the project, seeking volunteers to broadcast and to visit patients, asking for record requests. Mike Ward, the Chaplain, has had previous broadcasting experience as producer of religious programmes with Radio Tay. He says, “We are still a long way off. Our plans are to start with two weekly request programmes with special broadcasts for things like County Show Day and other big events.”
With the support of Orkney Health Board Mike is now looking for suitable premises for a studio and an application will be made for a restricted radio service licence and Lottery funding. A Board will be set up, and local charities will have the opportunity to donate CDs and funds to purchase equipment prior to the station going “on air”.
The first Hospital Radio Station was launched in York County Hospital in 1921. At its height in the 1970s, there were over 700 hospital radio stations in the UK. Many famous broadcasters began their careers with hospital radio, perhaps most notably rugby commentator Bill MacLaren who first went “on air” at a Borders hospital radio station whilst recovering from TB.