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Spirituality Does Belong in Healthcare: How to Truly Care

Spirituality Does Belong in Healthcare: How to Truly Care

Last updated on: August 23, 2026 at 7:59 pm by Adrian Warnock

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Spirituality Does Belong in Healthcare: How to Truly Care 2026-08-23T19:59:21+01:00 Adrian Warnock

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Worship should spill out of the church into the community Image: Adrian Warnock

Readers of this blog should be no strangers to me advocating for the biopsychosocial-spiritual model of health and wellbeing. Today I want to address the sometimes thorny topic of how spirituality can and should be incorporated into healthcare. Clearly I am not talking about bashing people over the head with the Bible and trying to convert them. But as retired mental health nurse Sandra Delemare said in our recent interview, “Spiritual care is asking someone how they are and really listening to the answer because you genuinely want to know”

Watch the full video on Substack or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Sandra noted that in her hospital they had a form to complete, the WRAP program, Wellness Recovery Action Plan. This was mostly about discharge planning. One section was spirituality, which tended to get left blank. So she decided to try and do something about that.

Spirituality does encompass religious beliefs if we have them, but it’s important to realize that if you don’t have religious beliefs, arguably that’s a belief position in itself. So you are not off the hook, and everyone has a spiritual side. It’s about how we answer the really big questions of life. How do we get meaning out of life? Who are we? Where are we from? How did we get here? What is this world? Is there a creator or does it all come by chance? What’s the purpose of our life? How will we be judged or assessed? What impact are we trying to make with our lives?

It’s also about what happens at the end of our lives. How do we cope with suffering? What are our beliefs about that? Do we believe we’re simply going to disappear or do we believe in some form of afterlife? A religion is simply something that tries to answer all those questions and then puts those answers into practice in some way, whether through attending services or through personal practice.

We all ask those questions, and when you’re sick those questions can sometimes come to mind more forcefully. When we’re well, people can push them away. Frankl is often quoted in this regard. He noticed during his experiences in the concentration camps that some people couldn’t make sense of what was happening, and for them it made everything even worse. Others somehow found meaning in the midst of their suffering, and those people seemed to cope better.

Sometimes people aren’t only experiencing a health crisis. They’re experiencing a faith crisis at the same time.

There’s quite a lot of research now showing that having some form of faith, exploring spirituality, and particularly being part of a spiritual community can have a massive impact not only on mental well-being, but also on physical health and even longevity.

People who belong to religious communities often live longer than people who do not, which is interesting. I’m not suggesting we use that in evangelism and say, “Come to Jesus, join our church and you’ll live longer,” but it’s an interesting observation. In addition certain spiritual practices including meditation, prayer, forgiveness and gratitude are all well proven to be of benefit to our wellbeing. Sometimes when we are unwell, we are also experiencing a spiritual crisis. It is not unreasonable, therefore, for health professionals to raise these questions with their patients, or indeed for those of us who are suffering to raise them with our doctors, nurses, or therapists.

One researched assessment framework goes by the acronym HOPE, appropriately enough.

The HOPE Assessment Sample Questions

H What are your sources of hope, strength, comfort and peace?

O Do you consider yourself part of an organized religion? What aspects of your religion are helpful and not so helpful to you?

P What aspects of your spirituality or spiritual practices do you find most helpful to you personally? (e.g., prayer, meditation, reading scripture, attending religious services, listening to music, hiking, communing with nature)

E How do your beliefs affect the kind of medical care you would like me to provide over the next few days/weeks/months?

For the full assessment and evidence see https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12236049/

There needs to be a deeper appreciation of spiritual issues, and they should be addressed not only in psychiatric hospitals but in general hospitals as well. Sometimes people think of calling the chaplain only when someone is dying. That’s often almost the only occasion.

The other challenge is that hospital life has changed dramatically. It’s become incredibly busy. There may be doctors or nurses reading this thinking, “It would be wonderful to have time for these conversations.” But actually, you can still take small moments. You can ask basic questions. You can ask what is bothering someone and explore whether faith plays any part in their life and whether they’d benefit from speaking with somebody from chaplaincy. That isn’t unreasonable. It doesn’t need to take a great deal of time.

At the same time, hospitals can be lonely places. Unless you have family and friends nearby, it can be difficult. Sometimes people are treated far from home. In the past, nurses might sit on the end of the bed and have a conversation. Increasingly, they simply don’t have time. That’s part of the challenge.

I don’t suppose we’re suddenly going to find huge amounts of extra staff time. That’s where chaplains come in, but chaplains themselves are often stretched. You mentioned one hour a week. One thought I’ve had, and perhaps it’s a dream, is that pastors, established Christians, retired Christians, and others might consider volunteering.

Most chaplaincies already have volunteer programmes. I’d love to see that expanded significantly, with volunteers receiving some basic training from chaplaincy so they understand appropriate boundaries and don’t treat people as projects. These volunteers can come from any faith or no faith. Many chaplaincies already work that way.

They can then spend time talking with patients. Sometimes they don’t even need formal referrals. For me personally, some of the most meaningful encounters in hospital came from volunteers. Someone bringing newspapers around might stop and chat for a few minutes. It made a huge difference.

I had a volunteer chaplain come and see me when I was in hospital after I requested it. I wasn’t dying, but I’d just received a cancer diagnosis. I was confused, frightened, and unsure where my faith stood. The chaplain came from a different faith tradition. He was a Quaker, and I come more from an evangelical background. We sat and talked. He gave me things to think about and reflect on. I found it incredibly helpful.

Other chaplains later brought communion as well. I really think this kind of ministry could be powerful. Could you imagine Christians and people from other faiths helping in that way?

I have a number of questions that professionals can use with their patients, or that patients could write about before a session and hand their notes in saying “can we talk about some of these things please?” You would not typically use all these questions but they are offered here as a menu:

How important are spiritual or religious beliefs in your life?
Have you got a faith that helps you at a time like this?
Do you have any spiritual practices?

(e.g. prayer, meditation, religious services, confession, spiritual counseling, discipleship, mentoring, group meetings, or even simple gratitude practices.)

How do your beliefs affect your decision-making?
How do you make sense of difficult life events?
Do your beliefs help you, or do they make things more difficult? When illness, bereavement, or relationship breakdown occurs, is your faith a comfort or a struggle?
Are there spiritual or religious communities that you’re part of?
Have you been wrestling with deeper questions such as:
- Why am I here?
- What is the meaning of life?
- Why am I suffering?
Do you struggle with guilt or shame? How do you cope with those feelings?
Are there are spiritual or religious books, podcasts, videos, sermons, radio programs, or other resources you find particularly helpful, or particularly worrying?
What do you think and feel about forgiveness and justice?

This question is a particularly important one because our worldview influences how we respond when people wrong us. Some people say they’ll never forgive. You can often see how bitterness has gripped them. Others believe they must forgive everything immediately. Then a conversation about what forgiveness actually means becomes important. Some think forgiveness means reconciliation regardless of the circumstances. That isn’t always safe or appropriate. Those questions can open very important conversations.

Are there any inspirational thoughts, quotations, prayers, scriptures, or ideas that are especially important to you?
How can we integrate your spiritual or religious beliefs into the care and support you receive?

We already consider physical needs, psychological needs, and social needs. Why shouldn’t we take spiritual needs seriously as well? If someone has a particular prayer practice, religious observance, or spiritual habit that matters deeply to them, perhaps there are simple ways of enabling or supporting that.

Would you like to see a chaplain or speak with someone from a spiritual or religious community?

So often healthcare can become a tick-box exercise, but if you’re prepared to give someone time and listen properly, that’s considered spiritual care. It’s connecting with another human being. In this world of busyness, where doctors and nurses are often overwhelmed, simply treating someone as a human being can make all the difference. I remember being in hospital during COVID. I was terrified. There were all sorts of personal challenges going on as well.

One nurse could clearly see I was struggling and gave me a hug. It probably broke all sorts of normal rules and procedures, but it was a deeply human thing to do and exactly what I needed. We were both wearing masks. There was nothing inappropriate about it. It was simply a moment of human compassion. Another nurse once put her hand on mine. Again, nothing dramatic. Just a moment of kindness.

Sometimes a few extra moments, a brief conversation, one of these questions, or simply seeing someone as a human being rather than patient number five in bed seven can make an enormous difference. The key word is compassion. We hear lots of terms discussed. Some people talk about pity. Others talk about sympathy or empathy. I think the word I prefer is compassion. The Bible is full of the word compassion. Jesus is described as being moved with compassion.

To me, compassion means entering into someone’s suffering, seeing things through their eyes, understanding their experience, and then wanting to do something about it if you can. You may not always be able to remove the suffering, but compassion carries that desire to help. I think that’s one of the most important qualities in healthcare.

Unfortunately, when people work under constant pressure, compassion can become drained away. People become compassion-fatigued. A sort of shell develops around them. As Christians we must fight that and remain compassionate always.

Professionalism vs. Compassion

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About Adrian Warnock

Adrian Warnock

Medical doctor · Published author · Patheos writer since 2003

I have always lived within sixty miles of London, UK where I studied, worked and worshipped for thirty years. I began writing for this Patheos blog in April 2003, making it one of the longest-running individual columns on the Christian Internet. My writing here, on Substack, and in my books is influenced by my medical training, eight years of working as a psychiatrist in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), eighteen years working in medical research in the pharmaceutical industry, twenty-five years of serving as a pastoral leader in a growing multicultural church, and a difficult decade of lived experience with chronic illness, including blood cancer, and the unexpected losses, including early retirement, that resulted.

Together, these all shape a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach which I first wrote about on Patheos in 2013. This model offers us hope, compassion, and healing in all life’s challenges. This holistic approach is based on the idea that all truth is God’s truth.

At times, since my illness, my faith has been faint. I wondered if this was the end of my story. I was not strong enough to live for Jesus the way I wanted to. I could not change myself. And then hope reminded me: The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Just not all at once. Healing takes time. Compassion and patience sustain us over a lifetime of change. I aim to approach suffering with hope and compassion, and address tough questions including:

What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for you?

Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything (Crossway, 2010; 2nd edition, Amazon, 2025)
Why is change so difficult? What causes the resistance?

The Traitor Within: Understanding and Healing Our Deceitful Hearts (Amazon, 2026)
Why is change so slow? How does grace lead us over a lifetime?

Amazing Grace: How Faith Grows in the Human Heart (Amazon, 2026)
How do you become a Christian? Can you know if you really are one?

Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus Co-authored with Tope Koleoso (Christian Focus, 2014)

Qualifications

I qualified with an MB BS from the University of London (equivalent to an MD in the United States), hold postgraduate qualifications in psychiatry (MRCPsych) and pharmaceutical medicine (MFFM, DipPharmMed), and took theological training courses run by Newfrontiers.

Connect With me

Substack: adrianwarnock.substack.com (the best way to ask questions)
Twitter/X: @adrianwarnock
Facebook: Adrian Warnock
Email: [email protected] (I may not be able to respond to every message)

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Spirituality Does Belong in Healthcare: How to Truly Care

Watch the full video on Substack or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Sometimes people aren’t only experiencing a health crisis. They’re experiencing a faith crisis at the same time.

The HOPE Assessment Sample Questions

How important are spiritual or religious beliefs in your life?

Have you got a faith that helps you at a time like this?

Do you have any spiritual practices?

How do your beliefs affect your decision-making?

How do you make sense of difficult life events?

Do your beliefs help you, or do they make things more difficult? When illness, bereavement, or relationship breakdown occurs, is your faith a comfort or a struggle?

Are there spiritual or religious communities that you’re part of?

Have you been wrestling with deeper questions such as:

Do you struggle with guilt or shame? How do you cope with those feelings?

Are there are spiritual or religious books, podcasts, videos, sermons, radio programs, or other resources you find particularly helpful, or particularly worrying?

What do you think and feel about forgiveness and justice?

Are there any inspirational thoughts, quotations, prayers, scriptures, or ideas that are especially important to you?

How can we integrate your spiritual or religious beliefs into the care and support you receive?

Would you like to see a chaplain or speak with someone from a spiritual or religious community?

What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for you?

Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything

Read a free chapter from this book:

A Relationship with the Risen Jesus

The resurrection really does change everything. Just not all at once.

Read more about Raised with Christ on Christian Book Finder

Buy Now

Subscribe here for my latest thoughts and launch team news

Adrian Warnock

Where was Paul headed when he encountered the risen Christ?