SPARCS Practitioner #863

Job description

Job responsibilities

Contribute to the provision of specialist palliative and end of life care needs for hospice service users and care givers. Provide Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care for service users; both those under the care of the hospice and those working for it. Promote and deliver service user chosen interventions which contribute to and improve wellbeing. Undertake skilled, comprehensive assessments to develop and implement interventions. Evaluate and adapt intervention to ensure its effectiveness. Ensure high standards using evidence-based practice. Take responsibility for own caseload. Work jointly, where appropriate, with the Emotional and Spiritual Support Team, MDT and external agencies. Use initiative and creativity to take a problem-solving approach to care. Support SPARCS Lead in service evaluation and development. The post holder will: Be professionally accountable and responsible for all aspects of own work. Use time and resources effectively and efficiently Provide intervention to service users across the hospice services as the service demands. Contribute to the development and implementation of effective mechanisms for communicating information concerning patient care including the completion of accurate and comprehensive records on the Hospice Patient Database Prioritise and co-ordinate your workload according to the needs of service user. Ensure effective communication with outside agencies. Ensure the welfare and safety of service users whilst receiving support. Contribute to and work in line with the values and ethos of the hospice. Contribute towards storing, ordering, and managing stock. To assist in the planning and implementing of group work with service users To assist in the education, development of and support for the wider hospice team (staff and volunteers). Keep abreast of relevant developments within SPARC, palliative and cancer care and to understand the implications of these for practice. Maintain & develop knowledge and skills to deliver a range of interventions and set an example of good practice. Undertake & attend organisational mandatory training as required relevant to your role. Maintain own professional development to facilitate the provision of evidence-based practice. Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service Maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of patients, families, carers and health care professionals offering empathy in relation to the nature of the role of the hospice.. Ensure safe practice in relation to moving & handling of people and equipment in all settings associated with hospice intervention including IPU, wellbeing unit and community. To provide / receive regular supervision in order to support CPD of self and others. Contribute to induction of staff, volunteers and student placements as appropriate. Identify own training needs as part of the ongoing personal development system. Participate in and undertake audit to ensure best practice.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• - Accredited training in spiritual, pastoral or religious care
• - If a member of a faith or belief group/organization (Faith comprises religious or spiritual organization; Belief comprises non-religious/spiritual organization, eg: Humanism) then applicant must be authorised, endorsed or licenced as being of good standing within that body. (See Endorsement process of NHS Network for Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care in Health).
• - Evidence of ongoing professional
• development

Desirable

• - Counselling or communication skills training.
• - Understanding of current issues in
• palliative care.
• - To be registered /accredited to a recognised UK national Chaplaincy organisation which provides standards and guidance for professional Chaplains/Spiritual Care givers or be prepared to work to the competencies and professional standards of such an organisation

Qualifications

Essential

• - Experience of providing spiritual, pastoral or religious care in a healthcare setting/context
• - Experience of working with loss, dying, death and bereavement
• - Experience of collaborative working across faiths and beliefs systems.

Desirable

• - Experience of teaching and training
• - Experience of inspiring and supervising volunteers
• - Experience of being accountable to and working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• - Experience of supporting with pastorally sensitive corporate acts/ceremonies and memorial events
• - Experience of supporting colleagues through individual or group reflective practice/debrief.

Additional Criteria

Essential

• - Demonstrates an ongoing personal spiritual, religious or philosophical practice and is able to articulate their beliefs in a clear and meaningful way.
• - Knowledge of, and commitment to, the development and practice of spiritual, pastoral and religious care within a hospice or palliative setting
• - Knowledge of and commitment to, working within the Five Principle of Chaplaincy (see endorsement process above)
• - Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team with an open, friendly, welcoming and supportive
• manner
• - Ability to be with people in distress, embodying compassion, integrity and empathy
• - Ability to support people across a range of cultures and belief systems - Excellent communication skills
• - Organizational skills and the ability to manage complex caseload efficiently and effectively.
• - Excellent written and verbal communication skills,
• IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint or similar)
• - Commitment to and comfort with, working with people not of your faith or belief
• - Self-awareness and insight
• - Approachable, encouraging and compassionate
• - Effective non-judgemental empathic listener
• - Commitment to own ongoing personal and professional development and spiritual growth and that of colleagues
• - Encouraging team player
• - Ability to reflect on practice, build resilience and use supervision effectively.
• - Ability to cope with distressing situations
• - Dress in in a manner that conforms to accepted formal codes of business dress and the Hospice Infection Control policy
• - Flexible working to meet shift requirements
• - Ability to travel independently throughout the locality with access to suitable vehicle for business purposes.
• - Able to meet the requirement of the job role

Desirable

• - Knowledge of the loss and bereavement process
• - Experience using formal assessments
• - Experience of audit
• - Knowledge of relevant NICE guidelines
• - Knowledge of NHS Chaplaincy Guidelines
• - Experience of delivering guided relaxation or mindfulness sessions
• - Ability to relate to the multi-disciplinary team within the hospice.

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

Douglas Macmillan Hospice

Address

Dougie Mac

Barlaston Road

Stoke on Trent

ST4 8FN

Employer's website

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