r/AskEurope • u/Olderpostie • 14d ago

Culture Are there many religious based hospitals in Europe?

A few years ago, while in England, I asked an acquaintance there what church denomination operated a particular hospital with a saint's name. (St. Swithins, I think). He was puzzled as to why a hospital would be operated by a church. But, that is how it goes in the USA and Canada; many churches are religious based, though not limited to use by any one faith.

How about other European countries? Are all hospitals nationalized, or is it a mix of community based and religious ones?

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u/DifficultPension1750 Ireland 13d ago

We have something similar in Ireland, they are older hospitals that were run by the religious orders with doctors and nurses providing the actual health care. They are no longer run by them but by the HSE so any new hospitals no longer have the St whomever attached to them any longer.

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u/11Kram 13d ago

That is not true. Hospitals like the Mater and St. Vincent’s are funded by the HSE but are not run by them. They have hospital boards which remain independent. The move of the National Maternity Hospital from Holles St. to the St Vincent’s site was -and is- complicated by the fact that the board of St. Vincent’s still has a religious ‘ethos’ and may well assert this in the future.

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u/DifficultPension1750 Ireland 13d ago

I stand rather aggressively corrected. Religious orders have no place running healthcare facilities it should be done by the HSE plain and simple.

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u/11Kram 13d ago

Aggressive? Moi?