A new National Churches Trust research report – The house of good: health: Churches are good for our health – shows that the UK’s churches take an immense amount of pressure off the NHS.
National Churches Trust writes:
For centuries, local churches have been pillars of community health. Churches founded some of the first hospitals, funded universities to train medical professionals, and delivered hands-on patient care.
From youth groups to food banks, drug and alcohol addiction support to mental health counselling, churches continue to offer a growing list of vital services for people in urgent need. Our ‘The House of Good’ research shows that the UK’s churches take an immense amount of pressure off the NHS and provide essential support services that it would cost an extra £8.4 billion a year to deliver. This is equivalent to nearly 4% of UK health spending. It would be the same cost as employing 230,000 nurses. But the UK’s church buildings are dangerously underfunded, with many in the most deprived areas falling into disrepair and facing closure. Without urgent support, we risk losing this shock absorber for the NHS, and a vital safety net for the most vulnerable people in our society. Read more and view the video….
