Healthcare Chaplain

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join an established multi-faith team working in Salford Royal Hospital. You will respond to the diverse spiritual, religious, cultural, and pastoral needs of patients, visitors and staff. You will be highly motivated, knowledgeable, compassionate, diplomatic and creative; an excellent listener and communicator, with a non-judgmental calm and confident approach. We are looking for an Ordained or Lay faith leader in good standing with and endorsed by the Church of England or Free Churches Group of Churches Together in England with extensive pastoral experience.

Previous experience of healthcare chaplaincy and the NHS is desirable but not essential and the post is an ideal training opportunity in which to develop experience of working as a Chaplain in the NHS as an entry into professional chaplaincy. The successful applicant will benefit from training and supervision. Engaged in self-reflection and developing your spiritual care skills, you will be eligible to work towards UKBHC registration.

Main duties of the job

See full job description

The Chaplain will:

• Provide pastoral, emotional, spiritual, and religious care for patients, visitors and staff;
• Identify spiritual, cultural, and religious needs and provide/facilitate appropriate care;
• Visit wards and units, and have a designated focus within the hospital;
• Provide insights and spiritual/ religious care to all, specialising in caring for those from an Anglican or Free Church tradition;
• Lead and facilitate worship and prayer;
• Support chaplaincy volunteers;
• Share in staffing the on call rota (out of hours). You must be able to travel to all NCA hospital sites (Salford Royal, Royal Oldham, Fairfield General (Bury) or Rochdale Infirmary) within an hour of being paged.

You must be:

• Committed to delivering compassionate and person-focused care.
• Non-judgmental, flexible, calm, and confident in approach.
• Knowledgeable about religious and belief-based care within and beyond your own tradition
• Committed to the Trust values
• Motivated to deliver the highest standard of spiritual care at all times.

About us

The Northern Care Alliance (NCA) is one of the largest NHS organisations in the country. Launched in April 2017, the NCA serves over one million people across Greater Manchester and employs over 23,000 healthcare professionals across Bury, Rochdale, Salford and Oldham. The sheer size, scale and potential of our combined service is huge. At the NCA, we can offer group-wide, flexible multi-site opportunities, as part of our connected, integrated and engaged team. We believe in Saving and Improving Lives, and are passionate about driving forward significant improvements to the provision of safe, high-quality integrated health and social care to our local community. If you share our vision, take your place with us.

Job responsibilities

To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading. You can also read more information about working at the Northern Care Alliance within the attached Candidate Information Pack or by visiting our careers website: www.careers.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Ordained or Lay faith leader in good standing with and endorsed by the Church of England or Free Churches Group of Churches Together in England.
• Degree or equivalent in a relevant subject. E.g. Theology.

Desirable

• A recognised counselling qualification

Experience

Essential

• Ministerial experience of working with the Church of England or Free Church community.
• Experience of working with others and independently, including with colleagues of other faiths / traditions and none.
• Experience of caring for the sick or bereaved

Desirable

• Basic knowledge and experience of NHS care strategy and policy.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of and ability to provide rites of passage and rituals etc, particularly with the regard to the dying and for those seriously ill.
• Knowledge of multi-faith/ belief needs and cultural requirements.
• An understanding and respect for diversity
• Understanding of Trust Values and relevance

Desirable

• Knowledge of Ethical issues.

Skills

Essential

• Computer literate.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to listen, be open minded and respond with empathy compassion and with a tolerant attitude.
• Ability to demonstrate self- awareness.
• Ability to balance care, confidentiality and accountability within reporting structures

Other

Essential

• Evidence of continued Professional Development
• Willing to receive supervision and leadership of the chaplaincy manager.
• To be in good standing with own faith/ belief group.
• Able to share in weekend provision and participate in an on-call rota to respond to urgent calls out of contracted hours.
• To be able to travel to the hospital within 1 hour at any time of the day/ night when working or on call.