Held at QE2 Conference Centre, London 9 -13th July 2001
The SIG held two workshops and a one and a half hour session for
formal presentations, as well as contributing to a multifaith
meditation held in the adjacent Methodist Central Hall.
Presentations reported by Daphne Wallace and Christopher
Findlay:
The formal presentations were devoted to the subject of
research into spirituality and psychiatry and was
attended by over fifty delegates. Andrew Powell
introduced the Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group
to the audience and urged members of the College to join.
Psychiatry must concern itself with the widest possible
significance of the meaning of life. The SIG facilitates the asking
of questions, sharing ideas, hearing from others about spiritual
concerns and the examination of essential truths. Psychiatrists
need to be able to discuss sensitive and profound issues raised by
the practice of psychiatry in a broad and accepting way, and to
have a forum in which encouragement is given to topics previously
felt to be difficult to address in a professional context.
Professor David Larson, president of the
National Institute of Health Care Research was unable to attend as
planned, due to bad weather in America resulting in a flight
cancellation at the last moment. However his pioneering work can be
accessed at http://www.nihr.org/ and he has kindly
submitted the
text of his talk, which is included in this Newsletter. We are
very pleased to report that he will be able to come to speak at the
College Annual Meeting in Cardiff next year.