Department of Spiritual and Pastoral Care at NUH NHS Trust

Spiritual and Pastoral Care

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Our team is here to support you - whatever your background or belief - during your time in hospital. Your need may be faith specific, or you may simply need someone who has time to listen and help you make sense of what is happening to you.

The services we offer – patients, staff and relatives

Being admitted to hospital can be a disorientating and unsettling experience. Everyone reacts differently to a stay in hospital.

Chaplains provide a service of listening and ongoing pastoral support. We provide an open and non-judgemental time of listening and are ‘person centred’ in our approach.

We offer a safe & respectful space for people to talk about whatever is on their mind. Conversations will be held in confidence unless the patient is a danger to themselves or others. In such cases we will make clear our requirement to share information with relevant personnel (such as the hospital Safeguarding Team).

We are available for patients, staff and visitors to the Trust, including relatives. We are available 365 days of the year and maintain a 24 hour on call service. We aim to respond to urgent calls within one hour and non-urgent calls within 24 hours.

We care for everyone regardless of age, race, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation and culture. We don’t push any religion, faith or belief but listen to everyone’s experiences and questions.

We can provide appropriate religious support and ritual to people of faith (such as bedside Holy Communion). We will not evangelise, preach or proselytise, though are happy and qualified to speak regarding matters of faith where appropriate and should a patient wish it.

We can offer guidance with regards to funerals and offer ongoing bereavement support.

Our chapels and faith rooms provide a space to pray, reflect or simply to be still.

If you or a loved one is admitted to hospital and you would like to see a chaplain, please ask ward staff to make a referral to us, or you can contact us on 0115 924 9924, extension 83799 (QMC), 76187 (City) or by emailing nuhnt.contactachaplain@nhs.net

Members of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care team

Meet the Team

We are a diverse team with chaplains from multiple traditions, including Christianity (various denominations) Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism.

We can cater for other faiths through our Bank Chaplains and members of local faith communities.

As well as providing ongoing pastoral care for staff, patients and relatives, members of the team are on hand to provide support and advice around religious customs, festivals and cultural requirements.

Where we're based

City Hospital

Our chapel and offices are located on North Corridor near purple entrance.

The Muslim Prayer Room is located on South Corridor (near green entrance/Sherwood Hall).

City chapel

Queen’s Medical Centre

Our offices and Multi-Faith Centre (including Chapel, Mosque Mandir, Gurdwara and Synagogue) are on D Floor, East block.

QMC Chapel

Our faith rooms are usually open day and night for prayer or for a quiet space away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the hospital. You are very welcome to use them, regardless of your beliefs: they are there for all.

Get in touch/referrals

Phone contact: 0115 924 9924

Extensions: 83799 (QMC) or 76187 (City)

E-mail: nuhnt.contactachaplain@nhs.net

We are on-site at both City and QMC every day between 8.30am and 4.30pm. We are also developing a presence at the Ropewalk and Treatment Centre.

We are also available on 24 hour call-out via the main switchboard (0115 924 9924, then option 0).

Staff can make referrals using the nervecentre system.

For urgent requests, please contact us via switchboard (NB, if you haven’t had a response from us within 15 minutes, please make contact again).
We have a social media presence (Twitter/Facebook) where you can find regular updates from the team, messages and reflections.

Give us a follow!

Twitter: @chaplainsnuh

Facebook: facebook.com/chaplainsnuh

Leaving us feedback

If you would like to leave us with any feedback on our service, please follow the link below and you will taken to a short survey.

Up until the 25th March 2024, there is also opportunity to leave any feedback or suggestions regarding the refurbishments that are due to take place at the City Hospital Chapel on the north corridor.

https://pmed.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/spiritual-and-pastoral-care

Training and placements

Here you can read more about the training opportunities the Department of Spiritual and Pastoral Care can provide.

Staff:

We can offer appropriate training around topics such as:

Listening skills
Engaging in pastoral conversations
End of life care
Grief and loss
Providing spiritual care
Meeting religious needs

Revd. Andy Scholes is our lead on staff training. Do get in touch with him to discuss your requirements: andrew.scholes@nhs.net or by calling 0115 924 9924, extension 83799

Placements:

As part of a teaching hospital, we are keen to encourage placements from anyone interested in exploring a possible vocation within chaplaincy. This may take the form of a couple of days ‘shadowing’ or it may involve a longer substantive placement as part of ministerial training.

Please get in touch with Andrew Keith, Head of Service, to have an informal conversation: andrew.keith2 @nhs.net or by calling 0115 924 9924, extension 83799.

Frequently asked questions

“I don’t have a faith or religious belief, but would really like someone to talk to.”

That’s absolutely fine! We are here for all patients, regardless of your personal beliefs.

“My loved one is approach the end of their life. They are Roman Catholic and would appreciate the Last Rites. Can you help with this?”

We certainly can. Though you are welcome to have your own parish priest attend, we have Roman Catholic clergy who will attend the hospital to administer the Sacrament of the Sick (colloquially known as the Last Rites).

“I’m a staff member going through a difficult time. Can I make use of the chaplaincy service?”

Absolutely – we are here for staff as well as patients and have found that our level of staff support has increased during the pandemic. We would be pleased to meet you on your ward or you might prefer to come to one of the rooms in the chaplaincy department. Please do get in touch with us.

“I found a real connection with x chaplain. Can I receive visits only from them please?”

We are so pleased you found a visit from our chaplain helpful. We work as a team and many of our chaplains work across both sites. We cannot promise that you will receive a visit from the same individual chaplain again – however they are all lovely!

“Being in hospital has raised all sorts of questions about things I’ve done in my life. I really need someone to help me think them through but I’m scared of being judged.”

We offer a person-centred, non judgemental approach. We promise to listen to you without judgement and, where appropriate, may offer reflective conversation to help you in your thinking. Above all: you set the content and direction of a conversation.

“My loved one is currently in A & E but we‘re not allowed to be with them. Can chaplaincy assist?”

Yes we can. Do get in touch with us and we would be pleased to visit them.

“My father was supported well by the chaplains before he passed away in hospital. We would love it if you could do his funeral.”

We are so pleased your father found our support helpful. In some circumstances it may be appropriate for the hospital chaplain to be involved with funeral services. However we generally seek to encourage the funeral ministries of local religious ministers and civil celebrants. We are however happy to facilitate introductions to celebrants and local funeral directors.

“I really think my brother would benefit from having someone to pray with. He doesn’t really have faith but I think prayer would be really helpful to him.”

Though we would be very happy to visit your brother, he would need to consent to a visit. Any conversation about faith, religion or prayer would need to come from him. We are not there to impose any faith belief framework or practices.

“Does the appearance of someone in a clerical / dog collar mean I’m about to die?”

We recognise that for many, seeing someone in a dog (clerical) collar can bring with it all sorts of connotations. Many of clergy are ordained and will wear the dog collar to indicate their role.

Though it is true we are sometimes called to be with someone as they approach the end of their life, a minister or priest turning up at your bedside does not mean anything other than they have come to visit you.

Feedback

SPC needs your feedback!

In order to improve our service, your feedback (whether as a staff member or as a patient) is invaluable.

We'd welcome any comments via our survey: https://pmed.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/spiritual-pastoral-care

Regular services

Holy Communion

Holy Communion is regularly brought to the bedside. Though we aim for this to take place on Sundays, it may be necessary for it to occur on another day. We are also happy to arrange Communion at other times (such as before going in for surgery).

Please get in touch with us if this is something you might like.

Jummah Prayers

Timings for Friday Jummah Prayers are 1pm and 1.30pm for both sites, with an additional time of 2pm for QMC.