Chaplain

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Result Areas and Performance

Contribute to the effective working of the Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care team:

•       Ensure good communication and collaboration with all members of the Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care team.

•       Share with colleagues the provision of 24-hour on-call cover; making decisions using own initiative about spiritual needs in crisis situations; responding to emergency calls during the week and weekend night-times while meeting the required response time of 1 hour.

•       Participate in daily huddle meetings and share with colleagues the daily rota duties.

•       Receive and respond to referrals from members of the wider community and healthcare team, including providing chaplaincy to the Mental Health service.

•       Participate in projects and operational groups as directed by the Lead Chaplain.

•       Serve as a resource to the Trust on spiritual, ethical and religious matters and provide guidance in areas of specialist knowledge.

•       Prepare and disseminate briefing material, reports as directed by the Lead Chaplain.

•       Assist with Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care service developments.

•       To have specific pastoral responsibility for designated areas as directed by the Lead Chaplain.

•       Follow established procedures and policies.

•       Contribute to audit and research within chaplaincy practice.

•       Record all assessments and interventions in patient information systems.

Provide spiritual and pastoral care:

•       Assess spiritual health and wellbeing needs, develop spiritual care plans, and keep records.

•       Manage referrals and determine a timely response.

•       Maintain confidentiality and obtain informed consent.

•       Provide or facilitate spiritual and pastoral care sensitive to the cultural, faith and belief realities of the diversity of service users.

•       Protect patients from all unwanted visits, including visits from faith community or belief group representatives, and communicate this to third parties as appropriate.

•       Maintain effective and consistent links with designated clinical areas.

•       Work collaboratively with other professionals.

•       Be an advocate for patients and staff as and when required.

Provide or facilitate religious care:

•       Deliver ritual consistent with one’s own faith or belief tradition where possible.

•       Lead worship/prayers according to own tradition as required.

•       Devise, co-ordinate and lead ritual to meet particular needs e.g. memorial services for staff.

•       Perform ritual interventions to meet the needs of users consistent with own tradition and belief community, refer to other members of the team or the user’s faith community.

•       Conduct funerals.

•       Establish effective links with faith/belief leaders in the community. 

Provide support for staff:

•       Model working relationships that respect the integrity of others.

•       Schedule time for staff as service users.

•       Assess and respond to staff pastoral and spiritual needs (individual or collective).

•       Respect confidence in responding to requests for personal support from members of staff.

•       Maintain awareness of issues, changes and conditions that may affect staff wellbeing.

•       Collaborate with other relevant departments in promoting staff wellbeing.

•       Identify other sources of staff support and, with consent, facilitate referrals.

Providing training and education:

•       Identify the learning needs of self and others.

•       Contribute to the planning and delivery of learning opportunities.

•       Contribute to the selection, training, supervision and mentoring of volunteers.

•       Train and oversee trainee chaplains.

•       Contribute to Trust and/or Departmental Induction Programme for new staff.

•       Present education and training sessions to a variety of internal and external groups.

Contribute to the professional development of Spiritual and Pastoral Care:

•       Maintain an up-to-date understanding of the theory and practice of Spiritual and Pastoral Care.

•       Maintain an awareness of research relevant to Spiritual and Pastoral Care.

•       Facilitate, as agreed with the Lead Chaplain, the administrative, development, and reflective practice processes for the Department.

•       Assist with audits, service reviews and research as directed by the Lead Chaplain.

Personal and Professional Development:

•       Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the duties of the role.

•       Identify personal learning needs.

•       Participate in the Development Review Process (Appraisal).

•       Maintain agreed personal and professional development.

•       Practice in accordance with the principles of the UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy Code of Conduct, Spiritual & Religious Care Capabilities & Competences for Healthcare Chaplain, and Standards for Healthcare Chaplaincy Services.

•       Develop as a reflective practitioner and receive regular supervision.

•       Maintain a good standing within the post holder’s own faith or belief tradition.

Contribute to the effective working of the Trust:

•       Follow Trust policies and procedures.

•       Embody Trust values.

•       Undertake mandatory training.

•       Participate in relevant Trust-wide activities.

•       Represent Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care in healthcare teams (e.g. MDTs) and at relevant functions and events.

•       Create and lead corporate acts which have spiritual significance. e.g. Acts of Remembrance.

For further details of the role please see the attached job description.