Food & Drink0 min ago
Is it right for GPs to introduce religion into medical consultations?
71 Answers
I’ve just been watching The Big Questions on BBC1 in which GP Dr Richard Scott participated. Following a complaint from a patient who felt that the doctor, by recommending Christianity to him, had belittled his own faith, an investigation was conducted by the GMC, whose rules state that doctors are not allowed to impose personal or religious beliefs on patients. Nevertheless, Dr Scott maintained on the programme that it is acceptable to introduce his religion to his patients.
The surgery is run by six Christian doctors and its website states:
//The Partners feel that the offer of talking to you on spiritual matters is of great benefit. If you do not wish this, that is your right and will not affect your medical care.
Please tell the doctor (or drop a note to the Practice Manager) if you do not wish to speak on matters of faith.//
….. which would appear to suggest that the subject of religion will be introduced into medical consultations unless the patient specifically requests otherwise.
http://www.bethesdamc.co.uk/about_us.html
The surgery is run by six Christian doctors and its website states:
//The Partners feel that the offer of talking to you on spiritual matters is of great benefit. If you do not wish this, that is your right and will not affect your medical care.
Please tell the doctor (or drop a note to the Practice Manager) if you do not wish to speak on matters of faith.//
….. which would appear to suggest that the subject of religion will be introduced into medical consultations unless the patient specifically requests otherwise.
http://www.bethesdamc.co.uk/about_us.html
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Human are made up of two things, body and soul. Nourishing the soul is as necessary and important as nourishing the body. You do not have to be a religious person as even psychiatrist will make you believe about something to help you. So if believing in something helps someone then what’s wrong in doing that? You always have the option and say no. There might be others who may prefer prayer as well as medicine. Why do you want to overlook their choice?
About 40 ish years ago I moved house and had to register with a new doctor. I asked for a prescription for the pill. He refused saying as he was a Catholic and the Pope had just signed an encyclical against any birth control he would not prescribe it. H e advised me to find another doctor. He did me a favour in a way, I found one who lived next door but 2. I never had to go to the surgery, he called in on his way home whenever we needed him - brilliant tratment.
Much as I personally have little time for religion, everyone has the right to follow the religion of their choice, since we are a secular society and all. I think it ought to be of concern to those potential patients within the practice catchment area who may follow a different faith, or none at all. That may mean those people are being disadvantaged when it comes to access to primary health care.
Since we are secular society, it follows that public services funded by the government should have the same view.Any options as to the inclusion of a discussion of spiritual or religious matters should be down to the patient, and should operate on a presumptive "opt-out". Huge difference between offering spiritual guidance within the context of a medical consultation, and organ donation.
Many here may indeed offer their prayers to others on AB suffering from adversity, and for those people such blessings may be well received - but that is light years away from proselytising from your physician.
Since we are secular society, it follows that public services funded by the government should have the same view.Any options as to the inclusion of a discussion of spiritual or religious matters should be down to the patient, and should operate on a presumptive "opt-out". Huge difference between offering spiritual guidance within the context of a medical consultation, and organ donation.
Many here may indeed offer their prayers to others on AB suffering from adversity, and for those people such blessings may be well received - but that is light years away from proselytising from your physician.
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////And that, Dr Keyplus, is pure conjecture. You won't find the 'soul' described in the way you meant it in any reputable medical journal or text book.////
Yes, you might be right. I did not wait for medical journal as one book (surely not a medical journal) written long time ago told me that alcohol is not good for my physical, mental, social, spiritual and family health. I believed in that book and many more over the centuries did so. Many waited for the medical journal and had their livers pickled over the centuries. Now when medical journals and the people who write medical journals are saying the same what a book said 1400 years ago and people are still not willing to believe. Same way I believe that I have a soul and I take care of it and therefore do not need anti depressant and sleeping pills. Many will wait for the medical journal to tell them that they do have a soul but until then it might have been a bit too late for many.
To conclude, I and many others be they Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Jews or from any other religion believe in something and few believe in not believing in anything. If it satisfies someone then just leave it as it is.
Yes, you might be right. I did not wait for medical journal as one book (surely not a medical journal) written long time ago told me that alcohol is not good for my physical, mental, social, spiritual and family health. I believed in that book and many more over the centuries did so. Many waited for the medical journal and had their livers pickled over the centuries. Now when medical journals and the people who write medical journals are saying the same what a book said 1400 years ago and people are still not willing to believe. Same way I believe that I have a soul and I take care of it and therefore do not need anti depressant and sleeping pills. Many will wait for the medical journal to tell them that they do have a soul but until then it might have been a bit too late for many.
To conclude, I and many others be they Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Jews or from any other religion believe in something and few believe in not believing in anything. If it satisfies someone then just leave it as it is.
keyplus // Human are made up of two things, body and soul...”
birdie responds //In case it has escaped your notice there is no evidence whatsoever for a 'soul' as you mean it.//
I think of us as primarily made up of body and mind. To me the soul (or spirit if you prefer) is the reconciliation of those entities.
Unfortunately religion does not offer reconciliation but domination. They misappropriate the intellect to subdue the body and sacrifice all in the name of subjugation to the will of ther oligarchy that orchestrates their faith.
birdie responds //In case it has escaped your notice there is no evidence whatsoever for a 'soul' as you mean it.//
I think of us as primarily made up of body and mind. To me the soul (or spirit if you prefer) is the reconciliation of those entities.
Unfortunately religion does not offer reconciliation but domination. They misappropriate the intellect to subdue the body and sacrifice all in the name of subjugation to the will of ther oligarchy that orchestrates their faith.
I think it's a dangerous thing to instill into people, especially those who are vulnerable, that faith is the answer to all their medical problems, potentially letting "faith healers" in. If people want that there are plenty of places they can go to find it outside of the medical profession.
Could it suggest that if they are good/godly/ enough or pray and practice religion enough etc... they will be cured or should have enough faith they may or should be.
What does that do to the mindset of a patient? Do they then feel that the illness is their fault, they are not worthy of being cured or it is God's plan for them to suffer or die, that more medicinal help is not worthwhile as they should be looking to be cured by a higher power if it is God's will, that admitting they are not better is a sign they are not religious enough or do not have enough faith or are not worthy?
Even more so for psychological issues. Can they cure the self harmer, those with an eating disorder or the suicidal that they should just stop because by hurting themselves they are hurting God? They he made them in his image and it is a sin to harm yourself?
Do they refuse to provide contraception due to the abstinence or belief it is wrong and convince women with unwanted pregnancies, especially by rape or abuse or to very young women, that they should continue with the pregnancy, whatever the cost, harking back to the days of backstreet abortions, black market adoptions and the horrors of places like the Magdalen laundries and institutions to hide what has been done?
Could this push them into or further entrench them into an environment where this is then amplified?
Could it suggest that if they are good/godly/ enough or pray and practice religion enough etc... they will be cured or should have enough faith they may or should be.
What does that do to the mindset of a patient? Do they then feel that the illness is their fault, they are not worthy of being cured or it is God's plan for them to suffer or die, that more medicinal help is not worthwhile as they should be looking to be cured by a higher power if it is God's will, that admitting they are not better is a sign they are not religious enough or do not have enough faith or are not worthy?
Even more so for psychological issues. Can they cure the self harmer, those with an eating disorder or the suicidal that they should just stop because by hurting themselves they are hurting God? They he made them in his image and it is a sin to harm yourself?
Do they refuse to provide contraception due to the abstinence or belief it is wrong and convince women with unwanted pregnancies, especially by rape or abuse or to very young women, that they should continue with the pregnancy, whatever the cost, harking back to the days of backstreet abortions, black market adoptions and the horrors of places like the Magdalen laundries and institutions to hide what has been done?
Could this push them into or further entrench them into an environment where this is then amplified?
Dr Keyplus seems to have forgotten that there are a great many studies that show that a *moderate* intake of alcohol is beneficial. Substances are rarely exclusively good or bad. Look at opiates; they can be an essential medicine for pain relief or used by junkies who are a terrible social problem. Same drug, different effects.
Anyway, to get back to the main point, if a Doctor wishes to pray to their fictional deity of choice, that's fine, but they should do it in their own time. As is so often the case, "their rights end where mine begin". Keep it out of the surgery where it belongs and that way, there's no possibility that you'll end up either discriminating against your patients.
Anyway, to get back to the main point, if a Doctor wishes to pray to their fictional deity of choice, that's fine, but they should do it in their own time. As is so often the case, "their rights end where mine begin". Keep it out of the surgery where it belongs and that way, there's no possibility that you'll end up either discriminating against your patients.
////Dr Keyplus seems to have forgotten that there are a great many studies that show that a *moderate* intake of alcohol is beneficial./////
Many fallen in the streets of the city centres at night, many driving and killing themselves and others, and many wasting time and money of the emergency services did believe that too.
Many fallen in the streets of the city centres at night, many driving and killing themselves and others, and many wasting time and money of the emergency services did believe that too.
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