Ideas for Prayer

Potential concepts to consider as you pray

• Hope in the midst of despair
• Turn moaning into lament
• Being honest about the situation but bringing it before God.
• Recognition that God's with us … whether we're struggling & simply clinging to him or feeling empowered to proactively address the issues we face
• The destination & the journey matter (and we are called to help one another on the journey) … God as both our direction & pace setter
• Fixing out eyes on Jesus while living in a broken world
• Can we "save our NHS"? …or is that the wrong question?

Wider Issues in the NHS

• Pray for an end to bullying culture, understaffing, racism, and sexism in healthcare.
• Pray that the strike disputes might be resolved in a satisfactory way
• Pray for trainees and for trainers, for those shaping healthcare education.
• Pray for those with management responsibility to lead and manage with compassion and wisdom.
• Pray for those affected by the findings of recent reports into abuses and failures in NHS trusts and professional bodies; that justice would be served, but that there would be space for reform and reconciliation within the affected bodies.

Students

• Pray for students who have had a challenging few years. Praise God that over 350 attended CMF Student conference in February and pray that God would be moving in their lives that they might continue 'running the race in such a way as to get the prize'.
• Several new medical schools have opened over the last few years, including Aston, Buckingham, Edgehill, Kent & Medway, and Sunderland. Pray for connections with Christian medical students studying there who would be willing to represent CMF and build up a local group to live and speak for Jesus. Pray also for local doctors and nurses able to take on the role of Medical School Link to support the students.

Junior doctors and newly qualified nurses & midwives

• Pray for those coming to the end of their Senior registrar years and looking to apply for their first consultancies or GP partnerships. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom, humility, and graciousness as they consider where he is leading them next.
• Pray for newly qualified nurses and midwives, as they will often be stepping into roles in units that face chronic understaffing, poor morale, and sometimes dysfunctional team cultures. May they have strength and courage to shine for Jesus in dark situations; may the find encouragement as they encourage others, hope as they foster hope in colleagues, peace as they shine God's peace into the workplaces.
• Pray for our nurses and midwives' groups around the UK. Pray that new opportunities to connect continue to emerge, that members are encouraged and supported through these groups and that existing groups will be boosted, and new ones would come into being. I Thessalonians 5:11.

Secondary Care and Hospitals

• Pray for staff still experiencing the impact of Covid and struggling with burnout, fatigue and stress. Pray that the support needed for staff is available and for understanding colleagues and managers.
• Pray for wisdom for the managers/colleagues trying to shift a mountain of unmet need with significant waiting lists for care. Pray for those waiting for care and those working hard to reduce waiting lists.
• Pray for frontline services including the Ambulance Service, Accident & Emergency Departments and Acute Admissions units as we face the anticipated pressures of this winter.
• Pray particularly for maternity services who are struggling with under-staffing. Pray for safe care and staffing ratios
• Pray for all those working in Intensive Care. Pray that God would give all those working in ITU a passion for the work they do and the compassion that they need.

Primary Care and General Practice

• Pray for all those working in primary care - GPs, Nurses, Reception and Admin Staff. Pray for those who feel over-burdened, burnt-out and disillusioned.
• Pray for a better narrative in the Press and from Politicians and for godly members to be able to stand firm, show compassion and shine like stars.
• Pray for wisdom to manage the burgeoning need as each GP surgery seeks to serve their community well
• Pray that long-term solutions to the issues of under-staffing and workload are found and pray for those who are the professions voice on these issues including the RCGP and BMA.

CMF

• Give thanks for the new groups and networks in hospitals in the region which have started in the last year
• Pray that Christians in healthcare would be encouraged and supported as they seek to follow Jesus in healthcare
• Pray for the CMF catalyst teams - ask for wisdom to know what to prioritise as they seek to help Christians in healthcare
• Give thanks for CMFs pastoral care partners who are involved in mentoring and providing pastoral care. Praise God for an excellent Pastoral Day conference on 11th March.
• Pray for upcoming CMF Events including the National conference, Developing Health Course
• Pray for the CMF staff team and volunteers as they help others to live and speak for Jesus in healthcare