Job summary
Thank you for considering an appointment at Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group.
The role is for a suitably qualified person to work collaboratively with the Lead Chaplain and all members of the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Team, to ensure the timely and appropriate response to referrals and requests. Patients are at the heart of what we do, and our chaplains have a spiritual calling to care for, support, encourage, nurture and provide for all patients across the Trust, especially in time of crisis and end of life.
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group. The Trust serves Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and has over 600 beds and approximately 4,500 staff.
The Spiritual and Pastoral Care Service has an excellent reputation within the Trust and is greatly valued. We now seek to appoint an Assistant Chaplain to join our growing multi-faith team in order to meet the spiritual, religious and pastoral care needs of patients, relatives and staff. Chaplains provide a 24/7 service and work closely with all professional healthcare teams as well as with community colleagues.
Main duties of the job
1. To assist the Lead Chaplain and collaborate with the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team in delivering a safe and effective service which meets the needs of the Trust in providing for the Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious care of patients, their family, carers and staff.2. To visit and be present on all wards and departments on a regular basis, focusing on direct patient care.3. To assist the Lead Chaplain in supporting diverse users of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Service by ensuring that suitable facilities for religious observance, prayer and reflection are made accessible to all who require them. This will include appropriate support for people of no faith or belief, but who express a desire for pastoral care.4. To assist, create and support corporate acts of worship which have spiritual significance.5. To work in partnership ecumenically and with faith leaders and our volunteers from the community to provide religious, spiritual and pastoral care to patients.
6. Following a period of induction to share in a 24/7 on-call service as Trust Duty Chaplain . There is approximately one on-call per week as per rota and this includes part of the weekend once a month. There is a commitment to be 'on-site' within 30 - 45 minutes. A full current driving licence is therefore required.
About us
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey.Our mission is to provide safe, compassionate, and clinically excellent patient care, by being an outstanding employer for our people. We have entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Northampton General Hospital and have become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values:
Compassion
Respect
Integrity
Courageous
Accountable
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the Shortlisting Criteria section of the document.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the Shortlisting Criteria section of the document.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- First Degree in Theology/Religious Studies or Equivalent Professional Qualifications to Level 6 or above.
- The candidate should be in good standing with and endorsed by their relevant Faith Community or Association - (for example - ordained priest or lay minister in good standing with their faith community or authorising body and having permission to practice.)
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development.
Desirable
- Membership of the United Kingdom Board for Health Care Chaplaincy (UKHBC).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of healthcare and/or spiritual and pastoral care.
- Experience of successful team working.
- Experience of working on projects with targeted outcomes, deadlines and reporting processes
Desirable
- Experience of working in one / more of the following: - nursing home, - day centre, - charitable enterprise, - hospital, - hospice, - educational setting.
Skills/Ability
Essential
- Excellent listening skills and ability to respond appropriately during in-depth one to one encounters.
- Ability to build rapport and develop trust.
- Ability to be calm, empathetic and compassionate in distressing situations
- Able to recognise and to maintain professional boundaries.
- High quality oral and written communication skills.
- Computer and word processing skills.
- Ability to prioritise tasks and manage a range of activities.
- Ability to provide Spiritual and Religious Care for the dying, critically ill and newly bereaved, including those experiencing sudden death or pregnancy loss.
Desirable
- Pastoral or Counselling skills or other relevant training / certification.
Knowledge/Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge of the NHS and committed to accepting and supporting others across the full Equality Diversity and Inclusion agenda without prejudice or bias. Understanding of Equality and Diversity legislation.
- Knowledge of and sensitivity to a range of Christian denominations, world faiths and religious traditions, cultures and life philosophies.
Desirable
- Understanding of the place of spirituality in a large secular organisation.
- Evidence of any relevant study.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Need to fulfil the emergency on-call requirement of being on-site within 30 - 45 minutes.
- Requires physical, emotional and spiritual stamina and to be able to walk substantial distances around the hospital site with long periods of standing presence at bedside.
- Ability to recognise and manage personal stress and to maintain clear judgements and decisions under pressure.
- Sustained exposure to high levels of emotional distress in breaking news of a close family member's death, being present in the hospital mortuary to support bereaved family members to see their loved ones.
- Potential risk and exposure to contact and/or presence of body fluids, medications, communicable diseases and infections, as well as their mitigations - wearing of PPE including scrubs - is an inevitable part of current Spiritual and Pastoral Care practice.
Desirable
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- First Degree in Theology/Religious Studies or Equivalent Professional Qualifications to Level 6 or above.
- The candidate should be in good standing with and endorsed by their relevant Faith Community or Association - (for example - ordained priest or lay minister in good standing with their faith community or authorising body and having permission to practice.)
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development.
Desirable
- Membership of the United Kingdom Board for Health Care Chaplaincy (UKHBC).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of healthcare and/or spiritual and pastoral care.
- Experience of successful team working.
- Experience of working on projects with targeted outcomes, deadlines and reporting processes
Desirable
- Experience of working in one / more of the following: - nursing home, - day centre, - charitable enterprise, - hospital, - hospice, - educational setting.
Skills/Ability
Essential
- Excellent listening skills and ability to respond appropriately during in-depth one to one encounters.
- Ability to build rapport and develop trust.
- Ability to be calm, empathetic and compassionate in distressing situations
- Able to recognise and to maintain professional boundaries.
- High quality oral and written communication skills.
- Computer and word processing skills.
- Ability to prioritise tasks and manage a range of activities.
- Ability to provide Spiritual and Religious Care for the dying, critically ill and newly bereaved, including those experiencing sudden death or pregnancy loss.
Desirable
- Pastoral or Counselling skills or other relevant training / certification.
Knowledge/Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge of the NHS and committed to accepting and supporting others across the full Equality Diversity and Inclusion agenda without prejudice or bias. Understanding of Equality and Diversity legislation.
- Knowledge of and sensitivity to a range of Christian denominations, world faiths and religious traditions, cultures and life philosophies.
Desirable
- Understanding of the place of spirituality in a large secular organisation.
- Evidence of any relevant study.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Need to fulfil the emergency on-call requirement of being on-site within 30 - 45 minutes.
- Requires physical, emotional and spiritual stamina and to be able to walk substantial distances around the hospital site with long periods of standing presence at bedside.
- Ability to recognise and manage personal stress and to maintain clear judgements and decisions under pressure.
- Sustained exposure to high levels of emotional distress in breaking news of a close family member's death, being present in the hospital mortuary to support bereaved family members to see their loved ones.
- Potential risk and exposure to contact and/or presence of body fluids, medications, communicable diseases and infections, as well as their mitigations - wearing of PPE including scrubs - is an inevitable part of current Spiritual and Pastoral Care practice.
Desirable
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
