WHETHER our visits are rare or regular, almost all of us pass through hospitals at some point during our lives.

Sometimes we need care ourselves. At other times those we love need care.

Care comes in different shapes and sizes, of course – sometimes medicine, or surgery, or making someone comfortable as they die.

At other times, particularly in moments of great difficulty or sadness, care comes in the form of a listening ear, simple words of understanding, a gesture of support, a small act of kindness, or just a good old fashioned hug.

Caring in its many forms can make all the difference, and our hospitals are first and foremost places of care. There are many thousands of people across Essex who remember the care they have received in hospitals with great gratitude, I know.

This winter is proving tough for England’s hospitals, and Essex’s hospitals are no exception.

But whatever our opinions about this, we should never forget the thousands of amazing and committed people who work and volunteer in our hospitals each day.

When the pressure rises, it is they who shoulder the burden – while still caring, still making difficult decisions, still dedicating themselves to helping others.

Christianity plays an important part in the long story of hospitals, and today Christian chaplains – and chaplains of other faiths – remain a significant presence in our hospitals.

But why this interest in caring? Because Christians take Jesus’s example and his teachings – to love and care for others, especially the sick and the outcast – very seriously.

That’s also why I believe that each of us should also care for our carers.

So perhaps those of us who’ve benefitted from care – whether in hospital or elsewhere – might think about how to care for those who care for us?

Maybe there’s an opportunity to tell them that we care face-to-face?

Perhaps we could write a letter to thank them? And – if, like me, you pray – why not pray for them?

The powerful thing about caring is that it tends to bring caring out in others. So, the more we care for others, the more caring grows.