St Clare Hospice

Chaplain

This job is now closed

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Patient and Family Support Team in this part-time Chaplain role.

The Chaplain will direct and/or provide pastoral and spiritual care to the patients, families, carers, and staff involved in all parts of the hospice service and wider community as appropriate. The Chaplain will be the recognised expert in pastoral and spiritual care. This includes giving time for people to explore whatever brings meaning to their life.

The Patient and Family Support Service is a multi-skilled, professional, supportive team who look forward to welcoming a new member. The team is rapidly expanding its reach and are looking to recruit a visionary, outreach focused Chaplain to support them in this process.

Please read the job description for further details.

In return for your commitment we offer a competitive salary and benefits package, generous leave allowance, pension and life assurance scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, free parking and the option to continue your membership of the NHS pension scheme. We offer excellent development opportunities and are committed to supporting individuals in their learning and development.

Main duties of the job

To create, sustain and develop a spiritual/religious care service across the Hospice, working inclusively with people of all faiths and spiritual beliefs and those with no faith
To meet the spiritual, emotional, physical, and psychological needs of patients and their families, all staff and volunteers.
To communicate and liaise with local faith communities from all faiths according to patients needs
To build and lead a team of pastoral care volunteers, representing the diversity of faiths and spiritual beliefs, who can offer this care throughout the Hospice and in the community.
To engage with and build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, therefore strengthening community links.
To contribute to the spiritual life of the Hospice.

About us

At St Clare Hospice, our vision is that every adult with a life limiting condition in our local communities should have access to palliative care services wherever and whenever they need them, so that they can make the most of every moment, no matter how long they have left to live. Our many different services provide patients, their families and carers, with physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, at home, or here at the Hospice.

The chaplain, as a member of the multidisciplinary team, is responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of patients, their families and carers, staff, and volunteers, regardless of faith or life stance. The chaplain will seek to support others in their search for meaning and hope, and to provide an informed ethical, theological, spiritual, and pastoral resource for individuals and as part of the Hospices patient care programme. The chaplain is based within the patient and family support service and works across all parts of the Hospice.

Date posted

08 February 2024

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£29,393.28 to £31,579.20 a year Depending on experience, inclusive of High-Cost Area Allowance.

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

B0175-24-0003

Job locations

Hastingwood Road

Hastingwood

Harlow

Essex

CM17 9JX

Job description

Job responsibilities

Leading the spiritual and pastoral care provision

Be a visible spiritual and pastoral presence in the hospice.

Ensure the provision of the spiritual and pastoral care for patients, their families, hospice staff and volunteers, for people with all faiths and none.

Visit local faith communities and to network with each group.

Build relationships with spiritual leaders, other churches, faith-based and spiritual organisations, and community leaders in order to provide a pastoral team that meets the needs of patients and families, thus enriching the spiritual diversity of the Hospice.

Build/be part of support networks within the wider community.

Talk to local faith groups, schools, colleges, and community groups on the work of the hospice.

Liaise with other faith ministers for family services e.g. weddings/blessings as requested by families.

Providing spiritual and pastoral care

Provision of spiritual, pastoral, and religious support to patients, families and carers within the hospice and community.

Provision of pastoral and spiritual counsel/support to staff and volunteers when requested.

Support families following a bereavement in conjunction with the Hospice Adult Bereavement Service and Patient and Family Support Service Team.

Exploring life/death issues on an individual basis as requested or sought.

Facilitate forms of worship for patients and carers in their place of care.

Seek imaginative ways of reaching sick people who may need alternative ways of expressing their spiritual distress or exploring their spirituality.

Lead remembrance, and conduct or organise communion, funerals, weddings, baptisms and other sacraments and services throughout the year, liaising with key members of the St Clare Team.

Be part of the provision of care for distressed or unwell staff as required, including providing home or community visits as needed.

Maintain a mature and professional attitude in all aspects and ethos of a faith-led, person- centred, open, inclusive, ecumenical, and multi-faith chaplaincy service.

Maintain and look after the Sanctuary and spiritual spaces and related resources (e.g. candles, hearts for the memory tree) within the hospice and to report any faults/damages.

Volunteer management

Lead and develop a team of pastoral volunteers who represent the major faiths and no faith groups who can offer pastoral support to patients, families, staff, and volunteers, both at the hospice site and across the catchment area.

Multidisciplinary team working

Work closely with other members of the MDT, attending MDT meetings as appropriate.

Attend handover meetings on the IPU.

Being available to staff to discuss spiritual issues, participating in discussions about patients care as appropriate.

Work closely with members of other teams to provide patient centred services.

Lead the annual Light up a Life service, held in the Hospice and working closely with the fundraising team to provide opportunities for bereaved families to remember their loved ones.

Organise and lead the annual Inter Faith Week activities at the Hospice.

Receive and participate in supervision.

Teach internally/externally on spirituality and related subjects.

Respond to referrals and record all contacts with patients and families on SystmOne and close accordingly.

Take part in research and audit projects as part of the Hospice Team.

To be part of any relevant working parties/bids for the Hospice.

Provide support to any Theology students.