Band 5 - Staff Support Chaplain, Corporate Nursing | West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in Watford

We are looking for a compassionate and experienced Staff Support Chaplain to join our Spiritual and Pastoral Care team, with a primary focus on supporting the wellbeing of staff across West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The Spiritual and Pastoral Care department provides inclusive pastoral, spiritual, ethical and religious support to patients, staff, visitors and placement students.

As the Staff-Facing Chaplain, you will play a key role in leading and developing the chaplaincy staff support service while working collaboratively with a diverse multi-faith and belief chaplaincy team, religious visitors, placement students and Chaplaincy volunteers. You may also act as the faith lead for your own faith community where required, while providing inclusive chaplaincy support to people of all faiths and none.

The postholder will offer confidential, non-judgemental emotional, spiritual and pastoral support to staff, providing a compassionate listening ear during times of personal difficulty, workplace stress, ethical challenge and following traumatic or critical incidents. You will help promote staff wellbeing and resilience by responding sensitively to individual and team needs, arranging appropriate support, and providing ongoing pastoral care where required.

You will be required to work shifts covering 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, with weekend and Out of Hours On Call on a rota basis. Full details will be discussed at interview.

As the Staff-Facing Chaplain, you will play a central role in promoting the wellbeing of Trust staff by providing compassionate, inclusive and confidential pastoral, spiritual and emotional support. Working as part of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team, you will support staff of all faiths, beliefs and none, contributing to a culture of compassion, resilience and inclusion across the Trust.

The postholder will:

• Provide confidential pastoral, spiritual and emotional support to individual staff members and teams, offering compassionate listening, guidance and accompaniment during personal, professional, ethical and workplace challenges.
• Respond to critical incidents, traumatic events and other situations affecting staff, providing immediate pastoral support and coordinating appropriate follow-up where required.
• Develop and deliver initiatives that promote staff wellbeing, resilience and reflective practice, including remembrance events, wellbeing activities, spiritual support and faith-based provision where appropriate.
• Plan and lead acts of worship, memorial services and other ceremonies for staff, and provide religious rites and pastoral care in accordance with your faith tradition and the diverse needs of the Trust.
• Support staff experiencing bereavement by providing pastoral care, spiritual support and guidance around remembrance and memorial services.

With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others.

We offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance. If you have a disability or long-term health condition and require support or guidance please contact westherts.recruitment@nhs.net. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and a genuine sense of belonging.

The successful candidate will be an experienced Healthcare Chaplain with a recognised qualification and a passion for supporting people in a busy healthcare environment. You will have the knowledge and skills to provide pastoral, spiritual and religious care to people from all faiths, beliefs and none, while respecting the diverse cultural and personal values of those you support. Registration with the Council of Professional Chaplains and Pastoral Carers (CPCPC) or eligibility and willingness to obtain registration, is essential.

Core Hours: This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week, primarily during normal business hours, Monday to Friday. Flexibility is required to meet the needs of the service, including responding to critical incidents and supporting staff outside normal working hours when necessary. The postholder will participate in the Trust's out-of-hours on-call chaplaincy rota on a shared basis, providing emergency pastoral and spiritual support as required. Occasional evening, weekend and public holiday working will therefore be expected in line with service requirements.