BMA warns doctors against preaching to patients
Doctors have been warned not to abuse their position of trust by forcing their religious beliefs onto patients..
But ethics and legal experts said doctors needed to tread carefully.
Dr Michael Wilks, chairman of the BMA's ethics committee, said an element of 'spiritual' healing can help recovery if it is introduced in a sensitive way.
'The key to this is to tap into patients' own values. It's totally inappropriate to impose a moral or religious view onto somebody that doesn't share it,' he said.
There are no specific rules preventing doctors discussing religion with patients.
Dr Emma Sedgwick, a medico-legal adviser at the Medical Defence Union, said doctors needed to use their own judgement when deciding if it was appropriate to ask patients about their religion.
Regards
Dr Philip Hardo