The NSW Government has listened to the state’s religious leaders and agreed to subsidise the salaries of chaplains across major faith groups working in public hospitals.
The initial round of $1.5 million for the current financial year will be allocated to major hospitals with priority funding for existing chaplaincy services.
The move brings funding arrangements in line with existing government funding for chaplains in mental health and correctional centres.
“The subsidy is only part of the cost of providing a qualified chaplain,” admits Anglicare’s Director of Chaplaincy Graham McKay.
“It is hoped the state government will increase the level of funding over coming years so services can expand and be provided in more hospitals.
The Civil Chaplaincies Advisory Committee (CCAC) has proposed a five-year plan to increase the level of funding, amid concerns for an equitable distribution of the initial round of subsidies.
The announcement followed a 44-page submission to government from the CCAC, a body comprised of representatives from the Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Churches of Christ, Greek Orthodox, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and Uniting Churches, as well as the Buddhist Council of NSW, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Islamic Council of NSW.
The report pointed to the high level of professional skill required by modern-day hospital chaplains, including the important role chaplaincy departments’ play in the accreditation process of public hospitals, and “the wealth of benefits generated to NSW Health by the provision of such a service at very little cost”. The submission’s researchers said there is increasing evidence that chaplains reduce health care costs, contribute to staff efficiency and improve the well-being of patients, families and staff.
“Chaplains, because of their broad spirituality focus, fulfil a unique role within a multidisciplinary team. Not only has their work increased, so has their expertise,” the report said.
“While this service can now be considered to have the status of an ‘allied health department’, it is provided at very little cost to the public purse. This is a remarkable anomaly since public funding has long been an integral component of chaplaincy in correctional and juvenile justice centres and mental health facilities.”
Until now funding arrangements for chaplains in NSW public hospitals are determined by individual hospitals and area health services. Under a third of the state’s 410 chaplains registered with the Australian Health and Chaplains Association are state-funded. A CCAC survey found almost nearly 80 per cent of chaplaincy in public hospitals was neither funded by state or hospital sources, and over half were not funded at all.
The announcement is a symbolic victory for the CCAC, who says the government is finally giving official recognition to the professional skill of hospital chaplains and closing the discrepancies in funding agreements.
“I’m delighted with the progress, but there’s some way to go before we have an agreement that will provide quality chaplaincy,” said CCAC Chairman, Archdeacon Geoff Huard.
Anglicare, the submission’s research body, was a major player in six years of lobbying efforts leading up to the announcement. The charity’s hospital chaplaincy services have been faced with closure after a string of financial problems and cuts to services. Synod funding for chaplaincy ceased in 1998 when responsibility fell to Anglicare.
One Anglicare chaplain surveyed in the submission spoke of their frustration at being under funded while coordinating 60 pastoral care volunteers serving 850 beds.
“Government subsidies will go some way towards alleviating the financial burden on Anglicare,” Mr McKay said.
A spokesperson for the NSW Health Minister, Morris Iemma, said a proposal is before the government for further funding which will be considered for future years.
“The government is happy to back this important service with ongoing support,” he said.
Mr McKay said churches will continue to oversee and appoint chaplains.
Royal North Shore Hospital’s Anglicare chaplain, the Rev Rick Sewell, admits he is overstretched as the only full-time Anglican chaplain on site, but said the decision has taken some of the pressure off his ministry. “It’s a great relief to know there will be a chaplain here in the long-term.”