Hospitals set to sack chaplains

Worcestershire Royal Hospital is one of three affected

Plans to cut hospital chaplaincy staff would leave relatives and patients without spiritual and religious support, the union Amicus has warned.

It has criticised the move by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Health Trust to sack all the chaplains at Worcester and Kidderminster hospitals.

The trust admits its plans would save £100,000 to help balance the books.

It affects two Anglican chaplains, three Roman Catholics and another from the Free Church.

We know that this action will cause distress John Rostill, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Only one chaplain, based at the trust's third hospital in Redditch, would be left to cover all three sites.

Carol English, Amicus officer representing the College of Health Care Chaplains, said: "This is a cruel decision by the trust, not only for our members but to patients and their families seeking the professional support that the chaplaincy team can provide at times of extreme distress.

"We believe that such cutbacks are being replicated across the UK, in defiance of the Department of Health's guidelines on chaplaincy services."

'Demolition contractors'

A meeting with the union and representatives was held on Tuesday and negotiations continue - with another meeting next week and a third on 22 August.

The Bishop of Worcester, the Right Reverend Dr Peter Selby, said: "The hospital, and that means your health and the health of our county, is in the hands of the accountants.

"Individually they may be as caring as any of us but in the task they have undertaken they leave their humanity at the door as they undertake their 'big project'.

"There is still spirit and care among our health service staff, but watch out: the demolition contractors are here."

'Difficult times'

The annual chaplaincy budget of £150,000 would be cut to £50,000, the equivalent of four nursing staff.

John Rostill, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said cuts were needed to fulfil the trust's primary duty of providing clinical care to its patients.

He said: "We know that this action will cause distress.

"However, the need to maintain the level of clinical roles and medical and nursing expertise is of paramount importance.

"These are difficult times and we need to do all we can to minimise the impact on front-line services and direct patient care."