Chaplains call for co-operation from hospital authorities

Chaplains working in the Health Service have issued an appeal to hospital authorities, asking for them to help them fulfil their duties by letting them know when patients are Catholic and wish for a pastoral visit. The following statement was issued by more than 30 Hospital Chaplains, from the Archdiocese of Birmingham, who met at Archbishop's House, Birmingham, yesterday: "As Catholic chaplains we are deeply concerned that the needs of Catholics in hospitals throughout England and Wales are not always being met. We urge Hospital Authorities to enable Catholic chaplains to exercise their ministry by making information available. "We ask all Catholics, on entering hospital, to make it clear that they want the ministry of a Catholic chaplain, and the hospitals to act promptly on this request." Bishop Tom Williams, Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool, and spokesman on Hospital Chaplaincy for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, attended the meeting, chaired by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, and Fr Jeremy Howard, his Diocesan Adviser on Hospital Chaplaincy