GP Chaplaincy Update – Sarah Gough
I am delighted to become a new GPS partner at St John’s, to be supported in the work I am doing to help grow and develop the field of GP Chaplaincy, building on the foundations laid over the years by Ross and Liz Bryson, Fiona Collins and Annie Hughes.
As a new partner, I thought it might be helpful to start with a bit of background!
GP Chaplaincy - What is it and why are we doing it?
There has never been such a tidal wave of mental health problems along with the awareness that current services are just not able to meet the need. As people search for meaning, purpose and hope the NHS is more open than ever before to acknowledging those spiritual needs.
GP Chaplaincy (or Primary Care Chaplaincy) is a talking therapy available to patients who are struggling with issues impacting their mental health and wellbeing. It is accessed via the GP and provided by GP Chaplains – people with pastoral hearts and appropriate counselling-type skills who can draw alongside people in need to listen and demonstrate Jesus’ love, compassion and kindness, to pray for and signpost on to help them develop their own faith.
What do we do?
My role is as Business Development Manager with two small, but growing, charities, each working in a different way to deliver the vision of having a GP Chaplaincy service available in every Practice in the country.
The Association of Chaplaincy in General Practice (ACGP) exists to:
Define and raise awareness of best practice in Primary Care Chaplaincy.
Enable the development of Chaplaincy in General Practice for the wellbeing of the public through providing advice, training, resources and research.
Support those involved with GP Chaplaincy.
WholeCare is a service provider for Primary Care Chaplaincy. While many GPs see the benefit of such a service, they simply do not have the time or resources available to implement it themselves. Understanding the pressure GPs face, we aim to do the legwork on their behalf, by recruiting and employing Chaplains (in both paid and unpaid capacities) and partnering them with a Practice.
What do we need?
Please pray for God to continue to bless the work we are doing. From its foundation at Karis Medical Centre in Ladywood over 25 years ago, there has been significant growth in the number of Primary Care Chaplaincy services available across the country in recent years - from 5 services in 2019 to 23 services in 2022! This is both exciting and daunting as we continually trust God for His provision as this field expands.
Please pray for those working as GP Chaplains. That the Holy Spirit will equip them as they meet with patients, to help them discern how best to show Jesus’ love and compassion and when it is appropriate to offer prayer and share Scripture. Please also pray that the Holy Spirit would stir in the hearts of those God may be calling to serve as GP Chaplains (and do get in touch if you feel that might be you!).
Please pray for the planning of the ACGP conference in January 2025 about Primary Healthcare Chaplains being Hope Bearers in the midst of the mental health needs in our communities. In particular, that we would be able to secure speakers that will encourage lots of interest and promote awareness of GP Chaplaincy. Hot off the press is the news that Patrick Regan from Kintsugi Hope will be one of the keynote speakers!
For WholeCare, please pray for fruitful conversations with various Primary Care Networks as we seek to secure NHS funding for our employed GP Chaplains. So far God has provided through charitable sources but, to make it sustainable longer term, our goal is to have Primary Care Chaplaincy commissioned and paid for as a service within the NHS.
And last, but not least, please pray for the patients benefitting from GP Chaplaincy appointments, that they will feel encouraged, loved and accepted. The impact can be summed up in this response from a recent patient: “The only counsellor I've had that I've opened up to, and who has done me good. You've not judged me, you've prayed with me, you've understood me - the hurt the pain and the happiness. I'll never forget you.”
I am excited to begin this journey with you at St John’s and thank you for your prayers and support. If you’d like to find out more or get involved with GP Chaplaincy, please do get in touch at sarah@wholecare.org.uk.