Doctors want right to pray for patients without fear of reprisal

Doctors are calling for the legal right to be allowed to pray alongside their patients.

The British Medical Association is to debate whether the threat of disciplinary action should be lifted from NHS staff who try to meet patients’ spiritual or religious needs.

There has been concern among doctors and nurses that even offering to talk about such matters could be grounds for suspension.

Guidance issued by the Department of Health in a document called Religion Or Belief: A Practice Guide For The NHS has fuelled anxieties.

It says such requests could be seen as harassment or intimidation and could lead to staff being disciplined.

Cancer specialist Dr Bernadette Birtwhistle, of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said the debate on Wednesday at the BMA’s annual meeting in Liverpool would clarify how doctors and other staff could provide spiritual care for patients. Read Article

By Jenny Hope