Church should be healing presence in nation, says Archbishop of Canterbury-elect
Support for people in their communities could help deal with the “root causes” of many hospital admissions, the Archbishop of Canterbury-elect has said as she highlighted the “increasing pressure” on the nation’s hospitals.
The incoming top bishop of the Church of England, Dame Sarah Mullally, a former NHS nurse, has used her first new year message to point out how pressure on stretched services could be “eased” as people access “holistic support” in different settings.
Dame Sarah, who will legally be made the first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury later this month, highlighted how churches offer regular lunches “understanding that for many of us, a place to go where food is provided and there are people to talk to, can be as important as medical intervention for our physical and mental health”.
They can also assist people getting health check-ups, she added.
She said that good healthcare is “incredibly important” as she said how it goes “hand in hand” with her faith.
“As I look to the new year, and my upcoming role as Archbishop of Canterbury, I draw upon my experience as a nurse working in the NHS,” she said.
“Good healthcare is incredibly important to me. It goes hand in hand with my Christian faith, inspired by Jesus’ call for us to love and care deeply for one another.
“At St Thomas’ Hospital, where I first trained, the chapel is a place of sanctuary for staff and patients, away from the busy wards. The multi-faith chaplaincy team is on hand to listen, pray or simply sit with those going through life’s most difficult and painful moments.”