In a period of exceptional change, it is easy to feel disorientated. Usual ways of thinking don't seem to fit. Normal patterns of behaviour seem inappropriate. It can be unsettling. Of course, the way we each react to new situations will vary. Some feel fearful and anxious, while others get irritated and angry. But is there a gospel way to navigate these things?
In his third and final talk for the 2022 CMF National Conference, Steve Midgley looks at what Paul says about being joyful in the midst of life's struggles.

In a period of exceptional change, it is easy to feel disorientated. Usual ways of thinking don't seem to fit. Normal patterns of behaviour seem inappropriate. It can be unsettling. Of course, the way we each react to new situations will vary. Some feel fearful and anxious, while others get irritated and angry. But is there a gospel way to navigate these things?
In his second talk for the 2022 CMF National Conference, Steve Midgley looks at what Paul says about how we respond when things turn against us.

In a period of exceptional change, it is easy to feel disorientated. Usual ways of thinking don't seem to fit. Normal patterns of behaviour seem inappropriate. It can be unsettling. Of course, the way we each react to new situations will vary. Some feel fearful and anxious, while others get irritated and angry. But is there a gospel way to navigate these things?

In the first talk for the 2022 CMF National Conference, Steve Midgley looks at Jesus' command 'Do not worry' and asks how we apply that in our uncertain world.

The healthcare leadership arena is an increasingly secular one where leaders can feel isolated in the role or reluctant to step into roles in the first place. Christians in Healthcare Leadership (CHLN - see cmf.li/CHLN) exists to unite and equip Christians in healthcare leadership - both current and future and welcomes non-clinical leaders and managers.

Imagine what God could do with a movement of Christian healthcarers living and speaking for him.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the healthcare systems of virtually every country on earth, and the UK has been no exception. A massive mobilisation and reorganisation of the British National Health Service (NHS) to address the challenges we were facing from this new and still poorly understood disease happened in weeks. And in the midst of this mass reorganisation, a lot of thinking had to go into how best to allocate limited resources as we faced a potential overload on the NHS.

Two of our members, Dr Melody Redman and Dr James Haslam, put together a paper looking at these questions and applying a biblical principles to the question of resource allocation. It sounds dry, but it is a matter that could quite literally mean life of death. In this special, extra edition of 1st incision, Steve Fouch has a wide ranging discussion with James and Melody about how we decide who gets what treatment, how COVID-19 has changed the way we think about how we allocate limited resources, and how the public's thinking has changed as a result of the pandemic. We also look at what challenges the future holds.

You can read Melody and James' paper, COVID-19: When demand outstrips supply and other resources on COVID-19 on the CMF Website.

In the last episode of season three of 1st incision, we look back at some of the ways Christian Medical Fellowship has been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and at some of the resources and support for health professionals that is still available. We're taking a break for the summer, but we'll be back in the autumn with a fresh series of interviews and discussions at the interface of faith, medicine, nursing and midwifery that affect our Christian lives in today's world.

Past episodes of 1st incision are available from our BuzzSprout page, including all 41 episodes of voices from the frontline

You can find out more about our Pastoral Care Programme at cmf.li/PCWP

While COVID1900Prayer has now finished, you can join us every Friday at 5pm for our new video series on Facebook and YouTube -Pause+Pray

And we'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions for the podcast - just email Steve Fouch on 1st.incision@cmf.org.uk

The Christian faith stands or falls on the miracle of Jesus' resurrection. But how do we stand in relation to miracles today, especially as health professionals? Do miraculous healings still happen, can we command them, and how we handle situations where our patients claim to have been healed?

David Randall talks with Steve Fouch about how we can engage with the miraculous as Christians and health professionals.

Anne Biro, the Vice-President of Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) talks with Steve Fouch about how Christian nurses in the UK and in many other nations are connecting together to encourage, teach and train each other during 2020, the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife (you can read more about this at cmf.li/36c3WUy and about the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale at cmf.li/3bo1NaM.
To find out more about CMF's work with nurses and midwives go to cmf.org.uk/nurses
Please note that this podcast was recorded in late January 2020, before COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing restrictions in the UK and other parts of the world. The NCFI World Congress mentioned in this podcast has since been postponed to 2021. You can read more about the work of NCFI and its rescheduled World Congress, go to ncfi.org
To learn more about the NCFI Next Generation network, see ncfi.org/about-ncfi/next-generation/

In our fortieth and final voices from the frontline, we talk to Audrey, an intensivist at a Glasgow intensive care unit.

At the sharp end of dealing with COVID-19, she and her team have been working longer hours, with trainees and non-specialists taking on new roles caring for those most seriously affected by the disease. How have she and her team handled the remarkable circumstances in which they have found themselves in the last three months? How has she found Jesus amid this crisis?

This is the last of our special series of voices from the frontline podcasts, but the 1st incision series continues, with a new episode going live next Friday, 29 May.

Esther is a community-based pharmacist, working closely with general practices. With social distancing and shielding, normal dispensing of medicines has changed considerably. What are the challenges, changes and stresses that pharmacy staff facing during lockdown. How is she finding spiritual support, and how can we pray for Esther and other pharmacists and frontline workers at this time.

Esther is an active member of Christians in Pharmacy - a national network for Christians working in and studying all aspects of pharmacy - check out their Facebook Page and their website for more details and to get in touch

Rachael works in NHS prison general practice and is medical director of Integritas Healthcare, a Christian faith-inspired NGO working with detainees in the UK and overseas, particularly in the Philippines.

How has COVID-19 affected detainees and prisons in the UK? How is it affecting the delivery of medical care in prisons in the Philippines? And how is she able to bring spiritual support and wholistic care to prisoners?

You can find out more about the work of Integritas at https://integritas-healthcare.squarespace.com

Dr Janan works as a surgeon in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. His work involves regularly providing surgical care in refugee camps. Northern Iraq has been in lockdown since the first cases of COVID-19 appeared in March, and it seems that the epidemic is under control there. But there is still a real concern that the coronavirus could still break out in the refugee camps, where hand washing and social distancing is not practical. With economic pressures, insecurities and concerns about infection spread, how can we support and pray for Janan and his teams working with refugees in the region?

You can find out more about Dr Janan's organisation, HOME at https://www.homeforhim.org/

Ben is a frontline paramedic, dealing with priority ambulance calls. He also helps lead a Christian fellowship group within the ambulance service, part of the Christian Ambulance Association. There have been increased pressures and opportunities since COVID-19 became a real issue, and it has changed his work, but also the network of support and prayer for frontline crews. How are Christian paramedics and ambulance staff responding in faith and hope to what God is doing in the midst of this pandemic?

You can find out more about the Christian Ambulance Association at https://www.caauk.net/

Sara is a family medicine doctor in Madrid, Spain. The country has been hit hard, especially in Madrid, and Sara has personal experience of surviving the virus. She has been actively involved in community-based care for COVID-19 patients and has been part of a wider research group looking at treating the disease outside of acute hospitals. How has COVID-19 affected how she prays and cares for her patients?

Alice is a palliative care specialist. In a speciality that has always focused on touch, close personal interaction and open access visiting, COVID-19 and social distancing measures have totally changed the way that she is caring for the dying and the bereaved. It is taking a toll on her team as well as on dying patients and their families. As she goes into these difficult situations, how does her faith equip her to respond in such a time as this?

Mental health is a big issue in the current crisis. Today we talk to Hans, a psychiatrist from Switzerland. Uncertainties about the illness, its effects on us and our loved ones, on our livelihoods, on everyday life, can all lead to anxiety and isolation. How can we cope with these strains on our mental health? Are there positive challenges and opportunities to be discovered in these situations?
You can find out more about ICMDA at https://icmda.net and at our COVID-19 blogs at https://cmf.li/COVID19blogs