Psychiatric Bulletin (2008) 32: 357. doi: 10.1192/pb.32.9.357
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hilton, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Hilton, C.

Correspondence

Claire Hilton, Consultant Psychiatrist

Mental Health Services for Older Adults, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow HA13UJ, email: claire.hilton{at}nhs.net

Koenig (2008) discusses important principles for working therapeutically with the spiritual dimensions for our service users’ well-being. However, several points need highlighting.

Of course one should respect religious beliefs. As an old age psychiatrist in London seeing people at home, I have to be aware of what to do if offered coffee in a Muslim home during Ramadan, who looks after the mandir in Hindu households and of the dates and social impact of Jewish holidays. I have had to respond to letters from Catholic priests ‘she needs a psychiatrist, not an exorcist’ and avoid sending Muslims appointments for midday on Friday. In a multi-faith society there is much to learn to avoid pitfalls which could be interpreted as lack of respect.

Most of us have little experience of taking a spiritual history as distinct from asking about religion. Neither Koenig nor Hollins (2008) direct us to Sarah Eagger’s guidance on the College website saying just how to do this (www.rcpsych.ac.uk/PDF/DrSEaggeGuide.pdf).

We cannot work with mental health trained chaplains in our area; there aren’t any. Recent guidance (Department of Health, 2003) details specific provision for mental health. However, the first stage of implementation is related to numbers of beds. In this age of community care and bed reductions, this is unrealistic. If the first stage has to be implemented before the community-focused second stage, we still have a long wait for an essential service.

References

  1. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (2003) NHS Chaplaincy: Meeting the Religious and Spiritual Needs of Patients and Staff. Department of Health (http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-0777.pdf).
  2. HOLLINS, S. (2008) Understanding religious beliefs is our business. Invited commentary on... Religion and mental health. Psychiatric Bulletin, 32, 204.[Free Full Text]
  3. KOENIG, H. G. (2008) Religion and mental health: what should psychiatrists do? Psychiatric Bulletin, 32, 201 -203.[Free Full Text]




This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hilton, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Hilton, C.