Healthcare Conference: 3 - 5 July 2008, St Mary's University College, Twickenham
Faith in Health - Sustaining vocation and professionalism in Healthcare today
A dynamic conference for healthcare professionals examining vocation, spirituality and professionalism
This key conference brought together healthcare professionals from across the country to further the current debate about vocation and professionalism within the NHS.
It also provided a space for healthcare professionals to reflect on the spiritual basis of their vocation to work in healthcare.
Key speakers included: Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Baroness Julia Cumberlege, Sir Cyril Chantler and Dr James Hanvey SJ
The conference was awarded 12 CPD credits (non-clinical) by the Royal College of Physicians.
Faith in Health featured engaging plenary sessions and a series of parallel workshops but don't worry if you missed out, here you'll find keynote speeches and multimedia.
Archbishop Peter Smith
Archbishop Peter Smith, chair of the Catholic Bishops' Conference department for Christian Responsibility and Citizenship, officially opened the Faith in Health conference on Thursday, 3 July.
"Christians have not only a distinctive theology, but also a distinctive anthropology which recognizes that the spiritual dimension is fundamental to all aspects of human life, including health and healing. We also have a particular understanding of what is meant by the spiritual, and what is required if the full humanity of those in need is to be respected."
Archbishop Peter Smith - opening address (mp3)
Text of Archbishop Peter Smith's opening address (MS Word)
Sir Cyril Chantler
Sir Cyril Chantler is the chairman of the King's Fund - an independent charitable foundation working for better health in the UK. He delivered a speech at the conference entitled Sustaining professionalism in healthcare delivery, and the contribution of faith.
"Faith’s partner, trust, is an essential part of our existence. We have to have faith or trust in doctors and in our spouse or partners and in our fellow human beings."
Sir Cyril Chantler - part one (mp3)
Sir Cyril Chantler - part two (mp3)
Text of Sir Cyril Chantler's speech (MS Word)
Baroness Julia Cumberlege
Former health minister and Conservative peer Baroness Julia Cumberlege spoke to delegates about trust - trust in the NHS, trust in the Church, trust in our politicians. Baroness Cumberlege focused on the role of the politician in sustaining vocation and spirituality in healthcare.
"High trust teams take every member of the team into their confidence. It means being open, honest and truthful - no secretive plans, no Russian Dolls, no agendas within agendas... openness, honesty and truthfulness are essential if we are going to build and maintain trust."
Baroness Julia Cumberlege - part one (mp3)
Baroness Julia Cumberlege - part two (mp3)
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, spoke of a crucial ingredient for quality modern healthcare - compassion.
"How can a culture of compassion be nurtured? Compassion is a human response. It is a gift, not a skill, or something that one can be trained for - although we can practise it and the more we practise the better we become. Compassion is a being with the other in their distress and suffering. It is not passive but active."
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor - part one (mp3)
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor - part two (mp3)
Note: audio from Fr James Hanvey SJ, Professor Sheila Hollins and Mr Bill Kilgallon to follow along with further transcripts and multimedia.