New
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Lesson 1 of 5
  • Year 11

Religion and worldviews in healthcare

I can explain how and why religious literacy is important for people working in healthcare.

Lesson 1 of 5
New
New
  • Year 11

Religion and worldviews in healthcare

I can explain how and why religious literacy is important for people working in healthcare.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Religious literacy is understanding how beliefs shape people’s lives.
  2. In the UK, the NHS serves people from many religious and non-religious worldviews.
  3. Health professionals have to consider patients needs about care, diet and beliefs about treatment.
  4. NHS chaplains work to provide support to people of all religious and non-religious worldviews.

Keywords

  • Chaplain - a specialist professional who provides emotional, spiritual, and religious care

  • Empathy - the ability to have understanding and awareness of the experiences and feelings of others

  • Healthcare - the organised services of medical care

  • Holistic - the treatment of the whole person

  • Religious literacy - knowledge of religions, worldviews and how beliefs shape lives

Common misconception

Religion and worldviews is an irrelevant subject to study if you want a career in the healthcare sector.

Studying religion and worldviews develops important skills such as critical thinking, empathy and improves religious literacy.


To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: Religion and worldviews in healthcare, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Ask pupils to consider the possible consequences of not having religious literacy in the healthcare sector.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

5 Questions

Q1.
Which area of life can beliefs influence?

only food
only clothing
Correct answer: decision-making

Q2.
Why do people turn to beliefs during stress?

for medicine
Correct answer: for meaning and comfort
for entertainment

Q3.
Equality means being treated ...

Correct Answer: fairly, Fairly

Q4.
Who should be treated equally by public services?

Correct answer: everyone
only religious people
only non-religious people

Q5.
Inclusive care means ...

Correct answer: care that considers individual needs
same care for everyone
only medical treatment

Assessment exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What does having religious literacy mean?

teaching religion
memorising religious texts
Correct answer: understanding how beliefs shape people’s lives

Q2.
Empathy supports -centred care.

Correct Answer: person, Person, patient

Q3.
How does religious literacy help person-centred care?

by understanding patient beliefs
Correct answer: by understanding patient beliefs
by replacing medicine

Q4.
Emotional wellbeing is part of health.

Correct Answer: holistic, Holistic

Q5.
Who do NHS chaplains support?

only Christians
Correct answer: people of all beliefs
only staff

Q6.
Which is an example of staff support?

Correct answer: prayer rooms
extra pay
religious exams