About this role
Job summary
The Specialist Palliative Care Service based at the Priscilla Bacon Lodge is seeking a Healthcare Chaplain to cover annual leave and/or absence. The Chaplain will work within Priscilla Bacon Lodge and across other in-patient sites, being prepared to work with patients, their relatives and friends, and staff and students, whatever their cultural and faith tradition, for the purpose of pastoral, spiritual and religious care.
Main duties of the job
The Chaplain will have to work independently, so chaplaincy experience is essential as they will be supporting the delivery of a high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare service. All staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate the organisational values that support and encourage an inclusive culture.
About us
Please note, the selection processes at East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills.
Job description Job responsibilities
To visit patients that have been referred to the Chaplaincy and to be open to encountering others who wish to see a Chaplain (whether patients, staff or relatives) throughout the health care trust.
To be a highly skilled listener and communicator able to:
- Engage with a wide range of people, sometimes with very little background preparation
- Assess needs that are both obvious and hidden and judge appropriate levels of response
- Respond flexibly to unpredictable situations
- Conduct pastoral conversations in all environments, including those over which the Chaplain has very little control
- Conduct pastoral conversations in situations that may be highly charged and stressful
- Establish and maintain relationships in pastorally challenging and potentially hostile environments.
To share in responsibility for the Chaplaincy with the Lead Chaplain.
To respond as part of the Chaplaincy team to any major incident
To use knowledge of own and other faith traditions to minister effectively within and beyond those boundaries
Facilitate Religious Care
- To ensure rites and rituals and other religious needs that are congruent with patients and staff are facilitated.
- Administer rites, if appropriate, within the post holders faith or belief group.
- Provide the highest quality provisions to ensure the needs of members of all faith communities are met appropriately.
- Establish and maintain effective links with faith and belief groups to help support those patients whose needs cannot be met by the department and refer with their consent.
Facilitate the delivery of memorial events, other Trust annual calendar events and ensure the provision of faith and belief rites.
To be a creative and intuitive practitioner able to initiate and develop new strategies of staff/patient care as opportunities arise, and in conjunction with the Lead Chaplain.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Qualified to degree level or equivalent experience Eligible to be authorised by appropriate faith or belief group to practice as a healthcare chaplain Registered or eligible to hold registration to hold registration of the UKBHC
Experience Essential
Significant experience of a recognised pastoral care role. Experience of working as a Chaplain and/or some working experience of the NHS
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge Essential
Excellent knowledge of own faith or belief system in healthcare settings Working knowledge of faith and belief matters and their impact about healthcare To be able to communicate effectively in stressful situations To have a mature understanding of issues around client confidentiality Ability to demonstrate tolerance, empathy, flexibility in practice. IT and keyboard skills Knowledge and experience of other faith communities and multi-faith working Demonstrate knowledge and experience of principles and practice of counselling and pastoral techniques
Communication Essential
Enhanced communication skills (verbal and written) including the ability to convey and receive complex and sensitive information.
Personal and People Development Essential
Experience of supporting staff, volunteers and trainees.
Desirable
Experience of delivering training.
Personal Attributes / Behaviours Essential
The post holder will need to be passed fit to perform full duties of the post through occupational health with any reasonable aids and adaptations if necessary. Some roles require additional level of checks as part of the employment process i.e. roles which meet children, vulnerable adults or their families.
Other Essential
The postholder will be expected to work on a Sunday where required and/or other religious festivals. Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle (if applicable)
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).
Employer details Employer name East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust
Address Norwich Community Hospital
Norwich
NR2 3TU
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.eastofenglandcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)