Chaplain

Job responsibilities

POST: Chaplain

REPORTS TO: Lead Chaplain

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Patient, Family and Carer Support Team Manager

JOB PURPOSE:

To work as a member of the Phyllis Tuckwell (PT) multi-disciplinary team, to promote and provide high quality pastoral, spiritual, and where appropriate, religious care to our patients, families, and carers in the community, through our Living Well services, and the inpatients unit when needed. The role will be required to work on and from both the hospice in Farnham and the Beacon in Guildford.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.0 Ministry

1.1 To work as part of PTs Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy Team, which is made up of both staff and volunteers, offering pastoral, spiritual, and where appropriate, religious care, in the Community and to cover the IPU as required.

1.2 To transcend denominational and faith boundaries.

1.3 To understand and respond appropriately to the cultural, ethnic, life stance and religious influences of the patient and their family.

1.4 To provide appropriate pastoral, spiritual and religious care: sacramental and non-sacramental ministry, worship and reflection for individuals and groups.

1.5 To establish effective and supportive relationships based on a person-centred approach to listening.

1.6 To be able to lead group work, to help patients and carers to explore their own resources and spirituality, as part of our Living Well Services.

1.7 Where required, to lead occasions of remembrance and reflection for bereaved families and staff (face to face and online).

1.8 To ensure good communication with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) around pastoral, spiritual and religious needs, as part of PTs holistic approach.

1.9 To build effective relationships with leaders of all faiths and denominations and liaise with those who may be invited by patients and families to visit and support them whilst under the care of the Hospice.

1.10 To liaise with other Hospice and Hospital Chaplains in the local area.

2. Administration & Communication

2.1. To manage work and caseload autonomously and flexibly so that, as far as possible, the Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy Team is fully covered.

2.2. To be aware of, and adhere to, the relevant PT policies and procedures, especially those relating to health and safety, fire, lone worker, governance and manual handling.

2.3. To ensure accurate statistics and records are maintained using the PTs patient data base system.

2.4. To work within UKBHC Standards and Code of Conduct for Healthcare Chaplains, and NHS Chaplaincy Guidelines and within the policies, guidelines and procedures of PT.

2.5. To attend and actively participate in regular supervision, team meetings, line management meetings and training.

2.6. To actively contribute to improve service development and project work.

3.0 Training, Development and Supervision

3.1 To share best practice with colleagues, especially in relation to new approaches to work within the context of palliative and end of life care.

3.2 As necessary recruit and train Volunteer Chaplains and Pastoral Care Companions, and be involved in their ongoing supervision and support

3.3 To undertake an appraisal annually, and through self-development, continuously update and improve knowledge and competences.

3.4 To keep up to date with current knowledge and evidence-based practice in the area of spirituality and palliative care.

3.5 To be responsible for ensuring that personal supervision is in place.

3.6 Maintain own professional registration and update requirements, abiding by professional code of conduct.

4.0 Research

4.1 To develop robust mechanisms for the on-going evaluation of the effectiveness of patient care.

4.2 To participate in research and audit within PT encouraging staff participation and actions as part of quality improvement.

5.0 Equality opportunities/diversity

5.1 Role holders are required to ensure the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and that all legal requirements relating to Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), and Liberty Protection Safeguards (2020) are considered and adhered to in relation to patient care.

5.2 Phyllis Tuckwell is committed to equal opportunities and inclusivity, valuing and respecting everyone as individuals, with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles, and circumstances.

5.3 This job description is underpinned by Phyllis Tuckwell's philosophy, culture, and core values, which actively embrace diversity and inclusion, and promotes total team spirit.

5.4 This job description is a broad reflection of current duties, but it is not exhaustive. It will be regularly reviewed to reflect priorities and developments during the year.

This job description is current and subject to yearly review in consultation with the job holder. It is liable to reflect and anticipate necessary changes to support Phyllis Tuckwell's strategy.

Personal Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills and an ability to relate to people from different backgrounds, whether they belong to a faith community or not.
• Compassion, integrity and empathy.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to plan and balance competing priorities and strands of sensitive information.
• To be self-aware.
• To be motivated and conscientious.
• Flexible and adaptable
• Able to work across care settings independently, applying knowledge and skills to the patients individual needs.

General

Essential

• Be in possession of good IT and keyboard skills
• Understanding of the need for accountability and clear, concise record keeping.
• Car driver and holder of a current driving licence.
• Understanding of policies, procedures and guidelines relevant to the post and clinical governance.
• To abide by the Health Care Chaplains Code of Conduct and ensure that membership of relevant professional bodies is established and maintained.

Qualifications

Essential

• Hold a recognised theological qualification (desirable to degree level), including ministerial training and ordination, or equivalent.
• UKBHC Registered (or able to work towards registration)

Experience

Essential

• Be ordained or be authorised to minister by a mainstream faith community or equivalent and be considered to be in good standing by them.
• Experience in providing pastoral, spiritual and religious care within a team setting
• Awareness of UKBHC Standards and Code of Conduct for Healthcare Chaplains, and NHS Chaplaincy Guidelines
• Knowledge of faith and belief systems sufficient to be able to work in a multi-cultural/multi-faith context
• Training and have experience of working in ecumenical relations.
• Knowledge and understanding of the grieving process.
• Ability to identify and seek to address complex spiritual distress.
• Experience in leading services of worship.
• Ability to cope with sustained distress and have awareness of how to remain resilient.

Desirable

• Experience of collaborative working in an all faiths/ecumenical setting
• Experience of working within a Health Care setting or with the dying and their families and friends.
• Possess group work skills.
• Experience of mentoring and supporting others.

Team Working

Essential

• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team in a sensitive manner and understand the scope and interface of roles.
• Ability to develop and promote effective interpersonal relationships with staff and volunteers from a variety of traditions and theological understandings.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).