NHS appoints humanist to lead chaplaincy team

Lindsay van Dijk will help meet demand for non-religious pastoral care in Buckinghamshire

A humanist has been appointed to lead a team of NHS chaplains, in a move that reflects growing demand for emotional and spiritual support from people who do not identify with any organised religion.

Lindsay van Dijk will lead three Christian chaplains and a team of 24 volunteers, including a Catholic nun, a Buddhist and a Bahá’í, at the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS trust. The world-renowned spinal injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville hospital is part of the trust.

Related: Jane Flint: ‘Having an atheist chaplain is about patient choice’

Continue reading... April 09, 2018 at 06:00PM