Having disposed of the Hospital in Fitzroy Square and cleared all debts and obligations, the Trustees have decided that the Charity should aim, within its limited resources, to continue to provide healthcare support and advice to the Anglican Clergy, and others eligible.

First, a number of Honorary Consultants in London, amongst the best in their field, continue to see members of the Clergy in their own consulting rooms as before. Those with NHS positions are often able to admit to NHS beds in their own hospitals. Non-NHS Consultants advise patients on an out-patient basis and provide second and, in some specialities, primary opinions.

The Charity continues to accept requests for consultations from a patient’s GP and, where possible, to make appointments with an appropriate Honorary Consultant. This will not be possible in all specialities in the future, any more than it has been in the past. Consultants with NHS appointments can be selected by the patient’s GP under the NHS ‘Choose and Book’ system so that patients can receive NHS care supervised by their St Luke’s Consultant outside, if relevant, the patient’s normal area.

Secondly, the Charity has started a Research Project to discover what the Clergy really need in the way of healthcare support in the 21st Century. The research team will be discussing with dioceses the present healthcare support than is given to the Clergy, to see in what ways the Charity might be able to help. Whatever service is devised must be worthy of charitable support from generous donors. Help can only be given, as has always been the case with St Luke’s, with the generous support of the Honorary Consultants and of charitable donors.

In particular, the research will investigate whether the mental health support currently offered to the Clergy could be enhanced. At present there are a number of Honorary Consultant Psychiatrists around the country who are prepared to treat Anglican clergy and their families for no charge. The research will investigate whether this network could be strengthened by the recruitment of additional psychiatrists and in what other ways the Charity could support the mental well being of Clergy.

This work, of “Caring for those who Care for Others”, has been carried out by St Luke’s for over 100 years. It is hugely reliant, as it always has been, on the commitment and skills of the Honorary Consultants and on the support of charitable donations from the laity – parishes and dioceses, individuals and Charitable Trusts.
 

Referrals of Clergy patients are handled by the Medical Secretary, Hazel Adams, on 020 7898 1700 or at:

St Luke's Healthcare for the Clergy
Room 201
Church House
27 Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3AZ


For further information please contact Mr. Neil Stevenson 020 7898 1700
admin@stlukeshealthcare.org.uk