October eNews - Endings and Beginnings
Endings and Beginnings
SHA's Annual General Meeting took place on October 20th. This edition of e-News provides a great opportunity to share highlights from my presentation at the AGM to showcase our digital Annual Report for 2022-2023. Click here to read the full CEO's report.
This year marked the conclusion of our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, focused on achieving 'Quality and excellence in spiritual care' within health services by June 2023.
We successfully co-designed a consistent model of spiritual care in health earlier this year, addressing issues highlighted by the pandemic. Through education, research, partnerships, presentations, publications, standards and resource development, we have been fostering a deeper appreciation and recognition for spirituality as a fundamental domain of health.
As many of you are aware, this past year presented us with a funding challenge when we learnt that our support from the Victorian Government would conclude in June 2023. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our members who supported us in advocating for an extension until June 2024. I also record my thanks to Safer Care Victoria who continue to work with us in considering our future.
I want to thank the dedicated SHA team - even in the midst of uncertainty, and for a small team, our output and impact is quite remarkable! It is a joy to work alongside you. I also want to extend my appreciation to the board for their leadership. We remain committed to advocating for spiritual care in health care, seeking funding avenues aligned with our vision.
As we go forward, we remain committed to our advocacy for spiritual care not only in Victorian health services but across Australia. Together, with your continued support and our collective voice, we will seek avenues of funding that align with our vision for a nationally consistent approach to how spiritual care is understood, valued and integrated into healthcare.
Let's celebrate our achievements from the past year and look forward to what's ahead. Enjoy exploring our interactive Annual Report for more details.
And finally, wishing you all a happy Spiritual Care Week! We hope you enjoy exploring our new evidence-based resources on mental health and spiritual care.
Cheryl Holmes, CEO