This document discusses providing spiritual care to patients. It defines spiritual care as recognizing and responding to a person's spiritual needs, which can include finding meaning, worth, faith support, or a listener. The document presents the FICA tool for initially assessing a patient's spiritual needs, including questions about their faith, what gives their life meaning, spiritual community, and how healthcare providers can support them. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual care, recommending asking sensitive questions and recognizing each person's unique beliefs and values.

1. West Sussex Partners in
Care Symposium
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Lisa Rainier
- Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Lead

3. Every person is in certain respects:
• like all others
• like some others
• like no other
Lartey, E. (1997)

4. Spiritual Care Definition:
‘That care which recognises and responds to the needs
of the human spirit...and can include the need for
meaning, for self worth, to express oneself, for faith
support, perhaps for rites or prayer or sacrament, or
simply for a sensitive listener. Spiritual care begins with
encouraging human contact in compassionate
relationship, and moves in whatever direction need
requires’
(NHS Education for Scotland, 2009)

5. The FICA Tool
F aith, belief, meaning
I mportance & Influence
C ommunity
A ddress/action
(Puchalski 2000)

6. Suggested questions that could be asked
in order to make an initial assessment of a patient’s spiritual needs:
F – Faith, Belief, Meaning
• Do you consider yourself spiritual or religious?
• Or do you have spiritual or religious beliefs that are important to you?
• What things do you believe/value that give meaning to life for you?
• Do you have a way of making sense of the things that happen to you?
• What sources of support/help do you look to when life is difficult?

7. I – Importance and Influence
• What importance/influence does your faith/belief/spirituality have
in your life?
• Do you have specific beliefs/practices that might influence
decisions about your care?

8. C – Community
• Are you part of a faith community?
• Does it provide comfort/support for you in times of stress?
• Is there a person or group of people who are especially
important to you?
• Would you like us to contact them?

9. A – Address/application
• How can we best assist/support you in this aspect of your care?
• Is there something we can do to provide spiritual support for you?

10. Ongoing support:
Don’t be afraid to ask...
I notice.....
I wonder...

12. Namaste
In Hinduism, it means "I bow
to the divine in you“. Namaste
may also be spoken without
the gesture or the namaste
gesture performed wordlessly.
The power of
small gestures...
Greetings

14. Recognise
Respond
Document

15. Recommended Resources
NHS Education for Scotland (2006) A Multi Faith Resource for Healthcare
Staff.
http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/by-discipline/spiritual-
care/about-spiritual-care/publications/a-multi-faith-resource-for-healthcare-
staff.aspx
Palliative Care for South Asians: Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
Gatrad, R., Brown, E., Sheikh,A.,(eds)
Spiritual Care Matters An Introductory Resource for all NHS Scotland Staff
www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/3723/spiritualcaremattersfinal.pdf
Spiritual Care for Healthcare Professionals: Reflecting on Clinical Practice:
Gordon,T., Kelly, E., Mitchell,. D