title: Praying with a patient constitutes a breach of professional boundaries in psychiatric practice.
abstract: The extent to which religion and spirituality are integrated into routine psychiatric practice has been a source of increasing controversy over recent years. While taking a patient's spiritual needs into account when planning their care may be less contentious, disclosure to the patient by the psychiatrist of their own religious beliefs or consulting clergy in the context of treatment are seen by some as potentially harmful and in breach of General Medical Council guidance. Here, Professor Rob Poole and Professor Christopher Cook debate whether praying with a patient constitutes a breach of professional boundaries in psychiatric practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Glyndwr University, Croesnewydd Road, Wrexham LL13 7YP, UK. rob.poole@wales.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: Christopher C H
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003249:Constitution and Bylaws; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000941:ethics*; D012067:Religion; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012955:Societies, Medical; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom