Home | News | Bulletins | About MFGHC | Council
| Resources | Links | Forum | Index
Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy
.....advancing multi-faith healthcare chaplaincy.
Chairman
Mr Manhar Mehta
Mr Manhar Mehta was elected to serve as
chairman for the period 2009-2010.
He is a Mechanical Engineer by profession.
Since he came to the UK, in 1968, he has
organised religious activities for the Jains
community here. He established an
organisation called Jain Samaj Leicester that
has grown and is now known as Jain Samaj
Europe. The organisation has built a beautiful
Jain Temple in Leicester where Manhar is a
Trustee.
He is also the Chairman of an organisation
called The National Council of Vanik
Associations(UK) that has around 25
Jain/Vanik organisations affiliated to it; thus
acting as their umbrella organisation.
Being the Jain representative at MFGHC since
its establishment, he has taken on the
responsibility to initiate Jain Spiritual Care
(Chaplaincy) services for hospitals in the UK.
He also represents the Jain faith at Brent
Multi-Faith Forum and Brent SACRE.
Vice-Chairman
Mr Chowdhury Mueen-
Uddin (2009-2010)
Director – Muslim Spiritual Care Provision in
the NHS (2005 – now)
Formerly Deputy Director: the Islamic
Foundation, Markfield, Leicestershire (1995 –
The Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare
Chaplaincy
• Launch
• Purpose
• Membership
• Organisation
• Biennnal Review
The MFGHC was launched formally at a small
event in the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday
25th June 2003. The event was hosted by Peter
Bottomley MP and the MFGHC was launched by
Mrs Sarah Mullally, Chief Nursing Officer,
Department of Health on behalf of the Minister of
State (Health). Pictures of the event are carried
on the MFGHC website.
MFGHC includes representatives
of the nine World Faiths:
Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish,
Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian Faiths.
The Purpose of MFGHC
The object of the MFGHC is the advancement of
multi-faith healthcare chaplaincy in England and
Wales. The Group seeks to further this object by
facilitating a common understanding and support
for healthcare chaplaincy amongst Faith Groups,
chaplaincy bodies and users; providing a means
of consultation between the Faiths about
healthcare chaplaincy; and working in co-
operation with healthcare and chaplaincy
organisations, bodies and authorities.
In particular, the MFGHC seeks to provide advice
to the Department of Health about multi-faith
healthcare chaplaincy on behalf of all Faith
Groups; to enable those Faith Groups engaged in
healthcare chaplaincy to formulate, agree and
promulgate policy on healthcare chaplaincy in
consultation with other chaplaincy bodies; and to
promote the highest quality of healthcare
chaplaincy through the development of agreed
standards across all Faith Groups and within
healthcare organisations.
• See the Constitution of MFGHC
Membership of the MFGHC
Full membership of the Multi-Faith Group shall be
open to those Faith Groups in the United Kingdom
2005).
He is a graduate ( B.A ) from the University of
Dhaka, Bangladesh and is married with 4
children.
Chowdhury Mueen-uddin has served as a
member of the Multi Faith Joint National
Working Party (MFJNWP) since its inception in
1998 and became a member of of its
successor organisation the Multi Faith Group
for Healthcare Chaplaincy (MFGHC). He has
over 25 years of experience working with the
community organisations and served and on
the Board of a number of distinguished
charities. These include among others Board
member and vice chairman – As Shahada
Housing Association, Board member Labo
Housing Association and currently Gateway
Housing Association, Chairman – Muslim Aid
(at present board member , Vice Chairman –
East London Mosque and London Muslim
Centre, Chairman – Governing Body, the
London East Academy ( a private secondary
school). He served as the Secretary General of
the Council of Mosques UK and Eire for 2
terms (1984 – 1988) and was involved in
setting up the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).
He occassionally contributes to news papers
and journals and some of his articles were
published in journals in housing releated sector
such as ‘Regeneration' and ‘Planning'.
Chief Officer
Chief Officer of MFGHC
Revd Edward Lewis
which have agreed to participate as full members
of the Multi-Faith Group, and also to chaplaincy
bodies which are multi-faith in their purpose,
membership, and governance. There are also
categories of associate and observer membership
Organisation of the MFGHC
The Multi-Faith Group comprises the members of
the nominating bodies for those Faith Groups and
Bodies with membership of the Multi-Faith Group.
The Multi-Faith Group undertakes the majority of
its work through the Council and the council's
sub-groups, currently for Education and for
Standards. The Education Committee advises on
issues concerned with the education and training
of healthcare chaplains and the Standards
Committee advises on issues concerned with the
setting and maintaining of healthcare chaplaincy
standards.
The Council is lead by a Chair (Mr Manhar Mehta),
Vice-Chair (Mr Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin), Joint
Chairs - Educatin Committee (HM Shafique
Rahman, Revd Debbie Hodge) and Joint Chairs -
Standards Committee (Revd Bob Evans, Mr Ron
Maddox). Management and administrative
support is provided by a Chief Officer (Revd
Edward Lewis) who manages resources on the
Council's behalf.
Biennial Review
The first Biennial Review (2003-2004) was
published at a Review Conference held in London
in June 2005.
• Biennial Review document 2003-2004
Review Conference June 2005