Measuring the impact of pastoral services on patients in a private psychiatric hospital

This study explores the impact of pastoral care interventions on the mental and emotional health of inpatients at a private psychiatric hospital in Sydney. A total of 99 patients completed study questionnaires over a 3-month period. Feedback for the service was overwhelmingly positive, with the vast majority of patients reporting benefits during and after their meetings, regardless of their religious beliefs. Almost 88% of patients reported a lessening of anxiety after their meetings with pastoral care practitioners, with 85% suggesting that their interactions with the pastoral team had a significant and positive impact on their mental health. These findings were contextualized further with free text responses from respondents. The study results clearly demonstrate the importance of the pastoral services interventions in mental health settings.