About this role
Job summary
The Chaplaincy service at King's College Hospital provides support for matters relating to spiritual, religious and emotional care to patients, their families, visitors, and staff of all faiths and none.
Please note that the start date for this vacancy will be on or after the 1st April 2027.
The post holder will participate fully in the provision of spiritual, emotional, and religious care to our stakeholders ensuring that the service meets professional standards and best current practice. They will be a point of reference for the religious and spiritual issues associated with death and bereavement and ethical matters in the Trust, providing specialist knowledge and advice on request. The post holder is also required to participate in the out-of-hours on-call rota.
Main duties of the job
- (1) To provide pastoral, spiritual and emotional care to patients, their families, visitors, and staffof all faiths and none 1.1 To make assessment of the emotional and spiritual needs of patients, their families, visitors and staff and arrange the appropriate response with available resources; providing on-going support while a patient is receiving treatment at the Trust 1.2 To provide spiritual and pastoral care that is sensitive to multi-cultural and multi-faith/belief realities for the diversity of patients, their carers, staff and students. 1.3 To facilitate rituals and interventions connected with crisis, according to the needs of users, and consistent with the permissions and practice of the relevant faith community1.4 To give advice to the Trust, as requested, and provide spiritual care to staff and students individually.1.5 To plan and conduct religious services in designated prayer spaces in the Trust or on the wards as required, according to the rites of the post holders own faith as required, publicising and arranging times of worship in consultation with the Head of Chaplaincy. Where required, to actively pursue external funding to enhance these.1.6 To provide for the spiritual and religious needs of patients, their families and carers who are unable to be in contact with their regular faith community.
About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. In June 2026, we launched our new strategy for 2026-31. Our vision is to transform healthcare, and we have agreed six strategic ambitions to help us improve care for patients, and the working lives of our staff.
Our six strategic ambitions are deliveringhigh-quality patient care; creating a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
We have also agreed four new organisational values - Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive, Innovative - and these underpin everything we do, and how our teams interact with the patients under our care.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For detailed information about the role, please refer to the job description and person specification document attached.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree level or have demonstrable equivalent experience
- Completed ordination training or faith/belief community equivalent that is relevant to spiritual care
- Post Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Chaplaincy (or equivalent) or willingness to undertake
- Registered, or willing to register, with Council of Professional Chaplains and Pastoral Carers (formerly UKBHC)
- Authorised by and in good standing with own faith or belief community
Desirable
- Additional counselling or pastoral training
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of providing pastoral, spiritual and religious care
- Substantial leadership experience following becoming recognised or accredited within a faith or belief community
- Experience of supporting people through difficult and/or distressing circumstances
- Experience of working with multi-faith or belief groups and ecumenical teams
- In depth knowledge of own faith or belief group teaching, tradition and practices, and an ability to apply this knowledge in a health care context - particularly in relation to birth, death and illness
- Working knowledge of faith and belief systems other than one's own, and the ability to apply this knowledge working in a secular multi-cultural, multi-faith and belief context
- Knowledge and understanding of national policies and procedures relevant to healthcare Chaplaincy
- Experience of delivering pastoral, spiritual and religious care in a healthcare setting
Desirable
- Experience of managing volunteers
- Theoretical knowledge of ethical issues relating to health care
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
Employer details
Employer name
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 9RS
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)