RMC Briefing: How faith groups including churches are providing health care in their communities

The National Churches Trust has produced a report pointing out that churches provide health care which would otherwise cost the NHS £8.4 billion to deliver. "The House of Good Health" lists services such as youth groups, food banks, support for drug and alcohol addiction, and a listening ear for mental health counselling.

But the report warns that this provision of care is in jeopardy because of the number of churches at risk of closure. It is published as many faith groups develop a wide variety of health care services based in their buildings, a trend sure to continue following Lord Darzi's report into the NHS, which recommends more emphasis on health care in the community rather than hospitals.

Rosie Dawson hosts this discussion on the existing supply of services, how churches and faith groups collaborate with multiple public sector organisations, why their offer is essential to reach especially minority communities - and a warning to the NHS not to dump the most difficult and vulnerable cases onto faith groups, unless they have the necessary resources to cope. Our speakers include:

• Sir Philip Rutnam, chair National Churches Trust
• Merron Simpson, chief executive of The Health Creation Alliance, improving health across all sectors
• Steve Fouch, chair of Parish Nursing Ministries UK
• Esther Platt, from the Good Faith Partnership. on social prescribing
• Rev Katy Hacker Hughes, priest pastor at St Marylebone Church, London, which has a GP on the premises.
• Rev Laurent Vernet, Britain’s first minister for drug addiction
• Amrick Singh Ubhi from the Nishkam Centre, Birmingham
• Shahida Rahman, from Cambridge Central Mosque, on its Health Hub

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