Lead for Spiritual Care

Job description

Job responsibilities

Role of the Department

The Chaplaincy Department within St Lukes is responsible for facilitating the pastoral, spiritual and religious (PSR) care of patients, relatives and carers, staff, visitors and students from all faith and belief perspectives and none. The Chaplaincy Team provide specialist knowledge and expertise in matters relating to spiritual and cultural beliefs, experiences and practices, particularly pertaining to specialist palliative and end-of-life care provision as part of holistic care.

The Lead for Spiritual Care is:

• responsible for strategic development, provision and management of a comprehensive chaplaincy service within St Lukes Hospice seeking to meet the PSR needs of patients, patients, relatives and carers, staff, visitors and students from all faith and belief perspectives and none.
• responsible for the quality and effectiveness of St Lukes Hospice chaplaincy and will deliver this through pastoral leadership and effective management of the Chaplaincy Team and Volunteers.
• a principle point of reference for PSR matters within the organisation and a link with faith and belief organisations and communities across the city of Sheffield.

Responsibility for St Lukes Hospices Patients, Visitors, Relatives and Staff

• To work as an expert within the field of chaplaincy demonstrating innovative and evidence-based practice in the offering of PSR care to patients, their families, friends and staff in the In-Patient Centre (IPC) Patient and Family Services (PAFS) the Community and though out the hospice. To ensure that IPC, PAFS and Community Patients are supported by members of the Chaplaincy Team on an appropriate basis.
• To ensure that suitable religious rites and ceremonies are made available to all who require them without discrimination and in consultation with other staff where appropriate and as requested.
• To provide for the PSR needs of our patients, their families and friends who are unable to be in contact with their faith or belief community.
• To liaise with leaders of churches, mosques and other faith and belief communities with respect to the PSR care of their members who may also be our patients, always bearing in mind the rules of confidentiality by which every Hospice employee is bound. To arrange, whenever possible, visits to patients by representatives of their own faith or belief communities and traditions where necessary and when requested.
• Alongside medical, nursing and other healthcare professionals, to ensure chaplaincy takes an active part in the multi-disciplinary care of the patients of the Hospice and plays a full part in attendance at the three weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings across the service.
• In conjunction with other staff and members of the Chaplaincy Team provide advice to patients and their families about death and funerals. Arrange and officiate at funerals as requested by patients and their families.
• To ensure that opportunities for prayer, reflection and worship are available at suitable times and places in order to meet the needs of diverse communities.
• To be available for de-briefing staff following distressing events.
• To act as a representative for St Lukes Hospice, providing corporate expressions for joy and grief, e.g. the design and delivery of patient and staff memorial services, to recognise significant national events that patients and staff may want to observe.
• To advise staff on spiritual and religious aspects of clinical, nursing and medical practice with respect to patient care.
• To hold a personal caseload of patients across the service and support the chaplaincy provision of care when other chaplains are away from the Hospice

Policy and Service Development Responsibility

• To lead in developing the chaplaincy service within St Lukes and to ensure that the service strategy complies with nationally agreed guidelines, competencies and standards relevant to healthcare chaplaincy and hospice and palliative care.
• To be responsible for the development and delivery of the strategy for the ongoing provision and improvement of the chaplaincy service.
• Set and audit chaplaincy standards in order to maintain and develop the chaplaincy service.
• To lead the chaplaincy service in assessing, identifying and making provision for the PSR needs of patients, visitors and staff within the Hospice.
• To liaise with the Senior Leadership Team, Department Managers and other key members of staff and to review the chaplaincy service and monitor any changes or developments required.
• When requested to represent chaplaincy on relevant Hospice committees.
• To represent and promote the St Lukes Hospice and the Chaplaincy Department in the local community, especially to faith and belief communities and their leaders, local groups and societies.
• To ensure that the need for PSR care is addressed by the Hospice, including participation in the Hospices equality and diversity work.
• Contribute to the ongoing work of the Hospice policy and developments going forward

Responsibilities for Management and Leadership

• To manage the Chaplaincy Team, ensuring the personal, development and educational needs of the team are achieved through effective performance review.
• To provide professional and informal support for members of the team as appropriate, including ensuring appropriate opportunities for the team to reflect as well as review their work.
• To participate in the out-of-hours on-call rota.
• To be part of the Hospice chaplaincy weekend cover arrangements and to ensure that cover is provided for colleagues during times of leave and absence.
• Ensure the department is adequately staffed including recruitment, selection, induction and training of new staff.
• Ensure the Hospice Policies and Procedures, including Health and Safety, Safeguarding, Confidentiality and Data Protection are adhered to by the Chaplaincy Team.
• To be committed to the life of the Chaplaincy Team, arranging team meetings and reflective practice sessions.
• Establish and further develop networks with other palliative care settings and other relevant agencies (eg Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains, College of Health Care Chaplains) to enhance partnership working.
• Oversee the timely and accurate completion of chaplaincy activity data and records of all visits and patient referrals and contacts, by the Chaplaincy Team.
• Prepare relevant reports on activity and outcomes as required including an Annual Report for distribution throughout the Hospice and into the community.

Education and Development Responsibilities

• To ensure all new members of the team are supported in induction to the Hospice.
• To lead the development and delivery of teaching sessions to medical, nursing and other staff and to promote PSR care as a vital component of holistic healthcare.
• To ensure that professional supervision is available to members of the Chaplaincy Team.
• To work with Dr Paul Taylor (Consultant Senior Clinical Lecturer) on suitable research projects in order to capitalise on the rich resources for research within the Chaplaincy Team

Financial and Physical Resources Responsibilities

• To ensure the provision of suitable facilities for PSR rites and rituals within the Hospice and to ensure, whenever possible, that these are made accessible to all who wish to use them.
• Manage funeral fees and donations according to Hospice policy, ensuring donations are accounted for and paid to the Finance Department.
• Act as the authorised signatory for expenses for the chaplaincy staff and to manage the chaplaincy budget.

Personal and Professional Development:

• To be a positive role model for the chaplaincy service through a commitment to your own professional development and spiritual growth, which will include professional supervision.
• Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the duties of the Head of Chaplaincy including appropriate research literacy.
• Participate in the Development Review Process and maintain agreed personal and professional development
• Practice in accordance with the principles of the Health Care Chaplains Code of Conduct

Contribute to effective working:

• Follow St Lukes policies and procedures
• Keep up-to-date with mandatory training.
• Participate in relevant Hospice wide activities
• Represent Chaplaincies at relevant functions and events across the city.
• Take responsibility for the health and safety of self and others.

Person Specification

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Essential

• Able to reflect critically on both the challenges and the opportunities that the following values present to Chaplaincy practice:
• Demonstrate a deep spirituality and ability to relate personal beliefs to pastoral situations and to grow through times of challenge.
• Able to provide city wide out of hours on-call cover and attend within 1 hour of call
• Able to travel within the Sheffield area
• Able to work flexible including including one weekend a month

SKILLS and ABILITIES

Essential

• Fluent and effective communicator in speech and writing, effective influencing and negotiating skills, and responsiveness to different contexts.
• Capability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgments, and take personal responsibility and initiative.
• Resilience and adaptability to complex, unpredictable and challenging operating conditions.
• Strategic and critical thinking; the ability to clearly articulate vision, challenge the status quo and inspire others to change.
• Workload prioritisation, time management and the capacity to incorporate new challenges, to manage projects and to hold others to account on the delivery of outcomes and actions.
• Self-assured, friendly and professional approach to working with colleagues, the capability to work independently and collaboratively, and the capacity for effective networking.
• Knowledge and experience of other faith/belief traditions and religions.
• Ability to offer spiritual care beyond own religious and belief boundaries with a commitment to an inclusive approach to chaplaincy
• Using counselling skills in a pastoral care setting
• Able to lead and adapt religious services and non-religious ceremonies in a way that is sensitive to the pastoral context and needs of those present
• Able to reflect critically upon experiences of self and others
• Supervision of chaplains and chaplaincy students.
• Able to deliver training at a variety of levels
• Confident working effectively with a wide diversity of service users
• Awareness of key issues in
• - spiritual healthcare
• - palliative care
• - healthcare policy
• Effective IT skills including the ability to perform daily tasks using Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excell and MS Teams.

Desirable

• Demonstrable leadership skills to enable change, motivate others and foster an effective professional community based on empowerment and collaboration.
• Oral presentations at professional conferences.
• Publications in peer reviewed journals or books
• Involvement in research projects.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive whole-time experience (or part-time equivalent) of professionally supervised clinical practice as a healthcare chaplain that must include working with adults, palliative and end of life care, and on-call duties.
• Working knowledge of major faith communities and belief groups in relation to the palliative and end of life care context.
• Working knowledge of responsibility for professional leadership and operational management of healthcare chaplains.
• Involvement in teaching and training of health professionals.
• Involvement in audit and/or service evaluation.
• Supervision of chaplains and chaplaincy students.

Desirable

• Experience of managing or supervising staff
• Understanding of the research process.
• Managing a budget.

Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelors Degree (or equivalent) with demonstrable outcomes of learning relevant to healthcare chaplaincy that includes systematic study in any of the following fields: theology, religious studies, pastoral care, psychology, counselling or psychotherapy.
• Accreditation/licensing with authority to practice as a world religion or belief leader/representative and/or pastoral worker.
• Evidence of annual continued professional development relevant to healthcare chaplaincy to UKBHC standards.

Desirable

• Postgraduate training or development relevant to palliative and end of life care.
• Postgraduate training or development in management and leadership skills.
• Post-graduate qualification in clinical supervision or professional coaching
• Eligible to be registered as a healthcare Chaplain with the UKBHC
• Completion of a recognised Leadership Training Programme.
• Training in Service or Quality Improvement Methods

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

St Luke’s Hospice

Address

Little Common Lane

Sheffield

S11 9NE

Employer's website

https://www.stlukeshospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)