Spirituality in healthcare was at the heart of a conference at the University of Worcester recently, as experts from across Europe explored how this dimension of care can be embedded into nursing and midwifery practice.
The Enhancing Nurses’ and Midwives’ Competence in Providing Spiritual Care through Innovation, Education and Compassion (EPICC) Network event was hosted by academic colleagues from the University’s Three Counties School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Spirituality in healthcare plays a variety of important roles, all entirely unique to the patient receiving the care. It can make a big difference to people at times of illness, vulnerability, or when they’re receiving end-of-life care.
The aim of the conference was to help practitioners develop their understanding of spirituality and how it can impact their patients.
The event featured keynote speeches, interactive workshops, research presentations and wellness sessions, and was attended by more than 70 delegates from the UK, Spain, Norway, Malta, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ghana and the US.
Professor Aliza Damsma Bakker, Chair of the EPICC Network, said: “This conference reaffirmed that spiritual care is not a luxury, it’s a necessity in holistic, compassionate healthcare.”
She added: “We are building a global community, committed to this vision.”
The event also marked the launch of the 2027 EPICC Conference, which will be held by the University of Thessaly in Greece.
The EPICC Network is free to join, and the expectation is that members will share their practice in the field and contribute to the debates on spirituality and spiritual care while supporting the ongoing development of the network.
For more information, visit the EPICC Network website.
