Health leaders, researchers, educators and people with lived experience of spiritual care gather to discuss the proposed draft model designed to improve the quality of spiritual care for people in hospital in Australia.
Spiritual Care Model co-design project overview
The way spiritual care is organised in hospitals varies considerably. This means that patients’ spiritual needs may not be identified, and they may not receive high-quality and safe spiritual care. Research demonstrates this gap in care can impact health outcomes, quality of patient experience and the safety of health care.
Spiritual Health Australia is leading an engagement process so that stakeholders can be involved in the co-design of a consistent spiritual care model. MosaicLab, an independent engagement and facilitation consultancy has been contracted to support the project. The core project team includes representatives from Spiritual Health Australia , Alfred Health, Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care, and the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne.
The first of the leadership workshops was held on 25th October 2022, where a diverse group of leaders and experts gathered to discuss what needs to be consistent in the ways spiritual care operates to ensure quality, safe spiritual care services. The end result will be a model ready for selected health services to trial in 2023.
Developing a national model of spiritual care in health
Learn more
Strategic Engagement Plan: Co-design of a consistent Spiritual Care Model
Dilemmas facing spiritual care delivery in health services in Australia
Video – Richard Egan’s presentation Essential Elements of Best Practice – International Perspective
Progress
On 8th February, twenty-three people, who understand and can influence governance in hospitals, as well as people who work in the sector, including in research and education and those who have lived experience of spiritual care, gathered to discuss a proposed draft model designed to improve the quality of spiritual care for people in hospital in Australia.
Within the two-hour forum, attendees were given contextual information, based on the 2022 ideas arising out of a wider engagement process which included nine interviews and a survey with 59 responses, to support their four rounds of discussion.
Four prioritised areas of the draft model were discussed that include (1) Holistic person-centre care; (2) Integrated governance; (3) Professional workforce; (4) Sustainable resourcing. Recommendations for improvements to the models were provided to the project team, including (but not limited to):
- Under priority number 1, the team suggested to consider the acute setting bias; variations of scope of practice; language and terminologies need to be explored and further resolved.
- Under priority number 2, it is recommended that consistency of governance across all affiliated organisations and the health sector and quality assurance and alignment to the National Safety and Quality in Health Standards.
The project team will resume in the first week of March to review the draft report and recommendations to endorse the report.
Read more about the Spiritual Care Model co-design project.
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