Spiritual Care Support
Spiritual Care Support is available for all patients, carers, loved ones, friends, visitors and staff. If you are a patient our aim is to help you make the best possible progress.
Sometimes just having someone to talk to can help you feel better.
The spiritual care team is led by our full time Spiritual Care Lead who works across all of NHS Dumfries and Galloway. The trained and supervised volunteers care for and are able to support everyone, whatever your faith / religious beliefs / philosophy or none. The spiritual care offered is not necessarily religious but it is private and confidential. Being in hospital can be an anxious time, not just for patients, but also for your loved ones and friends.
Come and find the quiet centre
in the crowded life we lead,
find the room for hope to enter,
find the space where we are freed:
clear the chaos and the clutter,
clear our eyes that we can see
all the things that really matter,
be at peace and simply be.
Shirley Erena Murray (b.1931)
How can we support you?
Be with you – if you / carers / loved ones or friends need emotional support / counselling.
Be a neutral person who can support and / or refer to someone else for other types of help.
Listening without judging may provide comfort and meaning at a difficult or anxious time.
With your consent or at your request we can offer to:
Talk to staff / carers / loved ones / friends on their behalf or to offer practical support.
Pray with you, offer communion at the bedside or in the sanctuary if you choose this.
Arrange for a minister / pastor / priest or faith representative to visit you.
There is a Sanctuary / Quiet Room / Foot and Hand washing facility in DGRI
Sanctuary DGRI
Ground floor, across from the outpatient bays.
Open 24.7 for anyone to use for prayer / meditation, to read, find solitude, peace and quiet.
Available for all to use, including staff.
Sanctuary Mountainhall Treatment Centre
Ground floor, left of the south stairwell
Open Monday – Friday 8am till 4pm
The Community and Cottage hospitals have a Family / Quiet Room
Ask staff to show you where the private space is in the respective hospital.
Available for anyone to use including staff – priority is given to carers / loved ones / visitors.
How do I receive spiritual care support?
You may sometimes see us in the wards. Ask a member of staff or contact DGRI Switchboard on 01387 246246 who will ask a member of the spiritual care team to respond to your or a loved one’s request. The Spiritual Care Lead works Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm. There is no on-call service.