The Health Services Executive – the body responsible for managing public healthcare provision in Ireland – has just launched a guide for front-line healthcare staff entitled Health Services Intercultural Guide: Responding to the Needs of Diverse Religious Communities and Cultures in Healthcare Settings. According to the HSE website it is

primarily targeted at in-patient settings including acute, paediatric, maternity, hospices, residential/community units, etc. and will be of interest to a range of staff including chaplains, mortuary staff, nurses/midwives and health care assistants.

The HSE hopes that this guide will provide healthcare staff with the necessary understanding to allow them to deal sensitively with the numerous different, mainly religious, groups who are cared for in Irish hospitals. Having quickly leafed through the guide, which is available on the HSE website here, it certainly looks to be a useful resource. It outlines the basics of what makes the different groups  tick and then provides advice on how to care for them sensitively.
Continue reading →