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Parish Nursing

Parish Nursing, developed and promoted in this country by Parish Nursing Ministries UK, has been piloted in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, since 2006 by Bethel Health and Healing Network, in conjunction with a local Anglican church, Christ Church.

Parish Nursing provides whole person health care by:

• health education and teaching to promote healthy lifestyles to develop understanding of the relationship between lifestyle, faith and well being
• personal health counselling, to offer help with health problems, suggest appropriate plans for handling and coping with them
• a communication link and support for community health resources and services, to offer referrals and act as a liaison resource
• recruitment and training of volunteers to carry out a range of support services
• organisation of support groups to assist people with particular health needs (e.g. diabetes, stroke)
• advocacy to assist gaining access to services
• being a resource to assist with assessment of community health needs

Bethel has been running a drop-in health advice session in Azadi House, Sparkbrook, on Wednesday mornings, with two parish nurses, and this still continues under the umbrella of Christ Church. However, in September 2010, there was a transfer of responsibilities for the work from Bethel to Christ Church, as parish nursing was originally designed to come under the umbrella of a church, rather than within a voluntary organisation. Close links between the two bodies still exist, through cross-referral arrangements.

Parish Nursing is being adopted throughout the world and Bethel is proud to have been involved in its development in Birmingham.

Helping others

The parish nursing drop-in provides regular monitoring of blood pressure, and cholesterol and blood sugar screening, as well as dietary advice and support

Drop-in sessions offer a welcome to all and a cup of tea or coffee