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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Mark AdleyORCiD, Dr Alex ThompsonORCiD, Philip Mordue, Professor Amy O'DonnellORCiD, Professor Barbara HanrattyORCiD, Dr Orla Whitehead
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© The Author(s) 2025.Background: Despite the evidence supporting the importance of spiritual health to people’s wellbeing across diverse fields of treatment, the topic of spiritual health is not currently mentioned in National Health Service (NHS) training materials for social prescribers. Previous research with social prescribers has identified a need for training around spiritual health in primary care. This study sought in-depth understanding of these training needs and how they may be met. Method: Semi-structured interview data specific to the subject of training needs were extracted from interview data from a wider study, which explored barriers and facilitators to spiritual health discussions within social prescribing. UK-based social prescribers aged 18 + working in primary care were recruited purposively from different geographic areas, with data collected between December and February of 2025. An inductive, iterative approach was taken to the thematic analysis of data. Results: Findings were generated from interviews with 12 participants with three main themes: the value and need for spiritual health training, approaches to training, and the value of learning from peers and patients. However, while social prescribers interviewed broadly recognised the benefits that spiritual health training could bring to their work with patients, there were some who did not feel this was relevant to their role. Conclusions: Participants identified how integrating spiritual health discussions into social prescribing improved not only patients’ health but also their own knowledge and skills. In-person training was widely felt to be appropriate for discussions around spiritual health. However, participants noted the limitations of one-off training sessions within this context, and highlighted the potential benefits of ongoing learning within the workplace. Peer learning appears to be a valuable and useful method of training for the topic of spiritual health, recognising social prescribers’ understanding of holistic health and focusing on the relevance of spiritual health to patients. Including the topic within NHS competency frameworks and training materials would also greatly support the relevance of spiritual health to social prescribing roles.
Author(s): Adley M, Thompson A, Mordue P, O'Donnell A, Hanratty B, Whitehead IO
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: BMC Primary Care
Year: 2025
Volume: 26
Issue: 1
Online publication date: 06/11/2025
Acceptance date: 01/08/2025
Date deposited: 24/11/2025
ISSN (electronic): 2731-4553
Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02979-8
DOI: 10.1186/s12875-025-02979-8
Data Access Statement: Data are saved on Newcastle University secure servers and may be available in negotiation with this paper’s last author. While participants were not asked to consent to allowing public sharing of this data, data may be available upon reasonable request to orla.whitehead@newcastle.ac.uk.
PubMed id: 41199208
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