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British health service plans to eliminate hospital chaplains

CWN - February 17, 2012

The British government is cutting back sharply on funding for hospital chaplains, explaining that there is no evidence that the presence of chaplains improves the quality of medical care.

The National Health Service estimates that over £18 million could be saved if all hospitals conformed to national standards for care, and argues that the money saved by eliminating chaplains from the payrolls would allow for hiring over 1,000 nurses’ assistants.

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  • Posted by: hartwood01 - Feb. 19, 2012 8:30 PM ET USA

    The nurse is going the way of the dinosaur in the US. The replacement by "med techs"(nursing assistants) who give medications without the slightest clue of what the purpose,administration,adverse reactions, of medications a fact. Ask any bedside nurse. A chaplain's presence in this Godless world would certainly be considered superfluous.

  • Posted by: lauriem5377 - Feb. 19, 2012 5:32 AM ET USA

    As a nurse of over 40 years, I know how very important priests are to healing and recovery and most certainly to end of life care. they bring a source of healing and comfort that none of us in the health professions can do.

  • Posted by: n.gunther79030 - Feb. 17, 2012 11:35 PM ET USA

    The socialist State not only demands that we live without our barbarous and unsocialist superstitions, but die without them as well.And just maybe these 'nurses' assistants' will arrange helpful drips to hasten us on our way. Just saying.

  • Posted by: rpp - Feb. 17, 2012 6:25 PM ET USA

    I would rather have a priest than a nurse.

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