Lord Pattenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the application by National Health Service trusts of the guidelines in respect of "religious affirmation" of patients when admitted and the passing on of this information to the National Health Service Chaplaincy Service is satisfactory. [HL4355]
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§ Lord WarnerThe Government are aware of the issues raised by the Data Protection Act and in November 2003 the Department of Health issued guidance (NHS Chaplaincy: Meeting the Religious and Spiritual Needs of Patients and Staff) to all National Health Service trusts highlighting the importance of providing a responsive NHS Chaplaincy Service operating within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act.
In addition, the department has initiated a project to look at practical ways in which NHS trusts can obtain patient consent in order to share information about patients with their chaplaincy teams.
Lord Pattenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull National Health Service trust is correctly applying the guidance on the recording of the religious affirmation of its in-patients and the passing on of this information to National Health Service hospital chaplains within the trust's area. [HL4356]
§ Lord WarnerBirmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority has confirmed that Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull National Health Service Trust is correctly applying the guidance (NHS Chaplaincy: Meeting the Religious and Spiritual Needs of Patients and Staff) issued by the Department of Health to all NHS trusts which highlights the importance of providing a responsive NHS Chaplaincy Service operating within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act.
In addition, the department has initiated a project to look at practical ways in which NHS trusts can obtain 88WA patient consent in order to share information about patients with their chaplaincy teams.