Hospital Chaplain the Revd Martin Otter writes:
Stockton Hall is a medium secure psychiatric hospital, with around 110 patients who come to be treated for their own safety as often as the safety of others.
I spend a day a week at the hospital, and a local Imam visits fortnightly, and we visit the patients on the wards, talking about anything and everything, praying, listening, encouraging, or just being. Faith is prevalent in many of the patient’s minds, for blame as well as hope, and I have had many an interesting discussion; we conclude the day with Holy Communion, a good sing, and a two way reflection on the meaning of the Gospel reading, rounded off, in good Anglican tradition, with tea and biscuits.
I baptised four patients last year, and Bishop John came into the hospital to confirm 3 patients; some patients have been in some form of institution or foster care all of their life, and sadly at times have been denied the opportunity to be baptised. At Christmas we have a large carol service where members of the village also come in, and the patients narrate and sing their way through the Christmas story, a similar but ‘in house’ service occurs at Easter.
A good number of the patients are able to spend time outside the hospital in York or the village, their custom in ‘Tom’s’, the village shop, is perhaps what keeps this vital village amenity open, and their love of the cafe at Deans Garden Centre is a great incentive to adhere to their treatment.
Often my day is no different than it would be if I was to walk around my Parish, stopping off to have a chat and a coffee at various homes before returning to the church to celebrate a Eucharist. The patients have their moments, just as we all do, but like the rest of us they want to be loved, cared for and given the hope that life will be good, and in some cases safe. Faith helps some of them through this time, but a caring face I hope, helps them all.