Spiritual Care Charting/Documenting/Recording/Assessment: A Perspective from the United Kingdom

This chapter explores how spiritual aspects of care are being documented within the UK with a specific focus on healthcare primarily in the nursing and chaplaincy professions. This has not been an easy undertaking given the lack of a standardised approach, the changing and challenging landscape of healthcare in the UK and the conflicting terminology used when trying to assess, capture and record encounters, interactions and conversations with patients and their carers about their spiritual needs. The authors draw upon their own research and informal enquiries with chaplains from across England, Scotland and Wales, demonstrating that there is a wide range and variation in practice. The authors conclude that there is no standardised means of assessing and documenting spiritual needs and care in the UK and that this is unlikely to change until the many complex challenges outlined are addressed both politically and professionally.