Healthcare Chaplaincies

A.  Hospice Chaplaincy

Spirituality means different things to different people.  Religion and faith may or may not be a part of someone’s spirituality. Everyone has spiritual needs:

• Spirituality included, finding meaning and purpose in our lives.
• The need to feel loved
• A sense of belonging
• The need for hope and peace
• When faced with a life-threatening illness people can suffer from Spiritual distress, causing physical and mental health.

Marie Curie Hospice

WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER

Chaplaincy at the hospice looks after the spiritual care of patients.  This is very varied.  It includes:

• Listening to patients as they talk about worries and concerns
• Helping patients with advanced care planning and end of life wishes
• Supporting patients to get married or have marriage blessed
• Taking funerals
• Supporting relatives and friends
• Bereavement support
• Supporting patients with special events, e.g. celebrating special birthdays
• Baptising patients
• Facilitate difficult conversations around discharge home or to nursing home
• Support patients with complex Spiritual distress
• Education to other staff including staff outside of the Hospice on what Spiritual care is
• Member of the MDT. I chair our weekly MDT meeting
• Facilitate difficult conversations between patient and family members
• Support patients with their faith needs
• Support patients in the community when appropriate
• Offer staff support
• Maintain the Hospice Chapel
• Manage a team of volunteers
• Sit with patients who are dying so they are not alone
• Communicate with other chaplains when needed e.g. prison chaplain

This is not an exhausted list.  There is no clear job description of a chaplain.  We need to be available to be there when needed.

WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR

The chaplains aim to meet every patient admitted to the Hospice, of whatever religion or no religion.  We are also available for any family or friends of patients and hospice staff.  Basically we will see anyone who wants to talk to us.

HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN

The chaplain can be accessed through the hospice.  A referral needs to be made if the patient is not an inpatient.  These can be from the hospice community doctors or the cancer specialist nurses.

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow - Rev Ruth Pryce (Marie Curie)

B.  Mental health

Mersey Care

WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER

Mersey Care Mental Health Chaplains work within a holistic model of care offering religious, spiritual and pastoral support to those of all faiths or none.

WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR

The chaplains work with service users, patients, carers, family members and staff.  Alongside individual support we also offer weekly worship, rites of passage etc..  Our work is mostly done within an inpatient setting.

HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN

Email Mersey Care at  spirit@merseycare.nhs.uk  or call 0151 471 2608

Let's talk about mental health - Rev Sara Doyle (Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust)

C. Hospital

WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER 

Healthcare chaplains provide pastoral, emotional, spiritual and religious care to people of all faiths and beliefs and none, whose lives bring them into contact with our healthcare establishments, be they patients, visitors or staff.

WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR

Healthcare Chaplains are there to support patients, visitors, staff and the organisation.

HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN

There are chaplains based in Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Email Chaplaincy.SpiritualCare@wwl.nhs.uk  or call 01942 822314/822314

In an emergency via the Hospital Switchboard 01942 244000

Stories from hospital chaplains

These loving caring people brought the light - Revd David Williams (Alder Hey)

Meet Rev Dr Anne Kazich GP and Community Priest - Rev Dr Anne Kazich