National Federation of Spiritual Healers(NFSH)

British organization founded in 1955 "to establish a national body which would coordinate, protect, and advance the work of spiritual healing." Its fourfold purpose is "To speak for the concept of spiritual healing in the councils of this country [Britain] and internationally; to participate in developments promoted by the federation or elsewhere related to increasing knowledge and understanding of the healing gift; to provide opportunities for its members to develop their full healing potential; to ensure that the public who seek healing receive a proper service and correct advice."

The federation registers as "healer members" those for whom authenticated evidence of spiritual healing has been obtained and accepted by the membership panel of the NFSH. "Spiritual healing" is understood to be the healing of the sick in body, mind, and spirit by means of the laying-on of hands, prayer, or meditation, whether or not in the actual presence of the patient.

It operates a national healer referral service to put members of the public seeking spiritual healing in touch with approved "healer members" of the federation. Since 1965 (under an agreement with more than 1,500 National Health Service Hospitals), NFSH healer members may attend to those hospitalized patients who request the services of a healer. An important development took place in 1977, when the General Medical Council in England agreed to allow doctors to recommend spiritual healing to their patients.

The federation has approximately 6,500 members and may be contacted at Old Manor Farm Studio, Church St., Sunburyon-Thames, Middlesex, TW16 6RG, England. Website: http://www.nfsh.org.uk/.

(See also healing by touch )

Sources:

National Federation of Spiritual Healers. http://www.nfsh.org.uk/. March 8, 2000.