Campaign to stop funding NHS Chaplains
The NHS should stop funding chaplaincy services and put the money towards frontline services instead, it has been claimed. A campaign has been launched to persuade the Welsh Assembly Government to set up a charitable trust to fund religious and faith services for patients. Alan Rogers, a member of the National Secular Society, believes that NHS money would be better spent on clinical services for patients. His comments come as the NHS in Wales is facing the prospect of making savings of £1.9bn over the next five years. The NHS currently spends £1.3m a year on chaplaincy services across Wales and 33.83 whole time equivalent staff are employed in this area. Unite, which represents NHS chaplains, said they are as much a part of the health service as physiotherapists. Mr Rogers’ campaign comes after Health Minister Edwina Hart issued fresh guidance and new standards to the NHS to ensure patients have access to spiritual and religious support. Pray: for the continued availability of hospital chaplains to those in need, however funded. (Mt.10:1)
11 and 12-year-olds on the pill
Over 1,000 girls in the first year of secondary school were prescribed the contraceptive pill last year, according to new figures. This represents a fivefold increase in the past decade, and critics are concerned about the increasing sexualization of the nation’s children. The figures, from the General Practice Research Database, also revealed that 200 girls between the ages of 11 and 13 were prescribed long-term implanted or injectable contraceptives last year. Dr Trevor Stammers, a GP and chairman of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said: ‘These figures illustrate the fact that the UK is facilitating the sexualisation of young people at an ever younger age’. If sex education is introduced in primary schools in the way being proposed, we will see many more 11-year-olds seeking contraception and if we pay GPs to give out contraception without pointing out the risks we are going to make matters worse’. Pray: for our youngsters, and for guidance and support to resist the sexualisation of the young. (Ps.34:11) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/more-than-1000-11-and-12-year-olds-are-on-the-pill/
Violence in schools
Tens of thousands of school pupils were suspended from English schools last year for attacking their teachers or classmates. Almost 17,000 of these suspensions involved primary school pupils aged 11 and under, and over 63,000 of them involved children in secondary schools. The Department for Education’s statistics also revealed that there were 1,240 cases of children aged four and under being suspended for a variety of reasons during 2008/09. According to the report, boys are three times more likely to be suspended than girls, and three and a half times more likely to be permanently excluded. Schools minister Nick Gibb has responded by reiterating the Government’s commitment to improving behaviour in schools and raising academic standards. He said: ‘We will introduce further measures to strengthen teacher authority and support schools in maintaining good behaviour’. In February a survey revealed that one in four parents avoid disciplining their children because they want an ‘easy life’ and fear upsetting them. Pray: that all families of disaffected pupils are granted strength to instil respect for those in authority. (Ex.20:12) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/over-80000-suspensions-for-violence-at-school/
Billionaires to give away over half their fortunes
Forty of USA's richest people pledged on Wednesday to donate over half of their fortunes to charity as part of ‘The Giving Pledge’ campaign organised by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and legendary investor Warren Buffet. The group includes CNN founder Ted Turner, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Hollywood director George Lucas, as well as Microsoft mogul Gates and investment guru Buffett. The idea, which was announced just six weeks ago as ‘The Giving Pledge,’ is to convince billionaires across the country to give up most of their money - 50 percent or more - to charity. ‘The pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract,’ a statement released Wednesday said by www.givingpledge.org Praise: God for the generosity of these people and pray that their gifts will bless the most needy. (2Cor.9:11-12)
