Hospitals
At this time of COVID-19, the Week is a great way to sustain and build connections and to highlight and celebrate work to promote respect, understanding and cooperation and celebrate diversity, inclusion and common values.
Some ideas that hospitals might like to consider include:
- An online discussion about the important role that faith communities can play in promoting health and wellbeing in the community – perhaps picking up on the recommendations about involvement of faith communities in the PHE report https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-understanding-the-impact-on-bame-communities
- An online discussion or webinar about COVID-19 and patient care, with reflections about the multi faith dimension of that
- An exhibition (physical and online) about different faiths and beliefs – perhaps in association with your chaplaincy and also your local inter faith group (you can find groups listed at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/involved/groups)
- An online talk with contributors of different faiths talking about the importance, from their perspective, of chaplaincy support as part of patient care
- Staff, patients or their family members sharing online or in a distanced discussion group an aspect of their faith or belief that is important to them, perhaps using a story or object to help
- Write an Inter Faith Week piece for your local paper about the importance of multi faith provision at the hospital and how your chaplaincy works to support patients and staff of all faiths and beliefs
- If you have a hospital radio station, invite in guests from different faiths to do a special slot each day during the week or for a panel discussion
- A special Inter Faith Week menu in your staff canteen
Photo: Digital display van arranged by NHS Digital as part of a week long programme of activities in Leeds in 2019.
Published 5 October 2020
