Spiritual Wellbeing Practitioner in Northampton

Job Summary

At NHFT we hold the view that spiritual care begins with encouraging human contact in compassionate relationships. This entails creating safe and secure spaces for people to talk about the things that matter most to them, to explore what gives their lives meaning and purpose in life. The service is highly regarded and its development with diverse and culturally aware practitioners continues to be a priority for the organisation.

Role Overview

Our Spiritual Wellbeing Practitioners/Chaplains work in partnership with multidisciplinary healthcare colleagues to care for the spiritual and religious needs of patients, carers and staff across the Trust. The role covers two hospices in the county (Cynthia Spencer Hospice and Cransley Hospice) and requires a visible and supportive presence, working proactively to provide a listening ear for patients, carers, and staff.

Main duties of the job

• Continuously update knowledge of culture, diversity, spiritual and religious care, current policy, and research evidence relevant to spiritual care services, and use this knowledge to promote and develop safe, effective, and inclusive practice with multidisciplinary colleagues to support people of all backgrounds.
• Provide spiritual wellbeing training and education to staff.
• Actively participate in Trust level groups, meetings and forums, as well as wider spiritual wellbeing activities.
• Hold and lead communal spaces with appropriate role authority in the context of issues and events that require bringing people together for connection, recognition and action (e.g., memorial services and incident planning for unexpected events).
• Work alongside the Service Manager and Volunteer Manager to select, train and supervise Spiritual Wellbeing volunteers and Honorary Chaplains.
• Maintain and develop external connections with a range of faith leaders and community support groups to better support the needs of our culturally diverse patients, service users, carers and staff.
• Engage in regular reflective practice and supervision, an essential aspect of the role to support personal wellbeing and inform professional practice due to frequent exposure to distressing or emotional situations.
• Occasional outdoor work.

About Us

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and in the community. We focus on delivering care that is easy to access, with many services available at home, work or in schools, and we also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of patients and staff, focusing on people who enable our Trust to be ‘outstanding’ by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.

Details

Date posted: 05 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part‑time

Reference number: 270‑TG572‑ACS

Job locations: Cynthia Spencer Hospice – Manfield Health Campus, Kettering Road, Northampton, NN3 6NP.

Person Specification

Behaviours and Values

Essential

• Be of a calm, caring and compassionate disposition.
• Commitment to compassionate, non‑judgemental and non‑discriminatory practice that is inclusive and accessible to all.

Desirable

• Values collaborative working with peers and colleagues across the organisation.
• Ability to work in a flexible way and respond to change.

Essential Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to degree level, or equivalent learning experience, in an area relevant to pastoral, spiritual and religious care and healthcare chaplaincy.
• Recognised or accredited, and in current good standing with faith or belief community.
• Significant knowledge and experience of providing pastoral and spiritual care in a healthcare setting, including experience of end‑of‑life palliative spiritual care provision.
• In‑depth knowledge of own faith or belief group teaching, tradition and practices, alongside a working knowledge of other faith and belief systems, with an ability to apply this in a secular multicultural, multi‑faith and belief context.

Desirable Knowledge and Experience

• Registered as a Chaplain with UKBHC or the Network for Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care in Health.
• Further studies relating to chaplaincy e.g. PG Cert in healthcare chaplaincy, pastoral, spiritual or religious care, clinical supervision, mentoring, or spiritual direction.
• Experience in creating and delivering teaching and training programmes.
• Experience of managing volunteers and delivering digital chaplaincy services (e.g. video appointments).

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to connect with individuals in a variety of complex spiritual care encounters, including empathetic conversations during traumatic events and handling difficult questions and strong emotions without collusion.
• Excellent reflective practice skills, ability to reflect theologically and/or existentially.
• Active listening skills and an ability to respond to others’ spiritual needs without proselytising personal faith or belief.

Desirable Skills and Abilities

• Keyboard skills and computer literacy, e.g. ability to work with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build relationships with local faith communities and other external organisations.
• Excellent organisational skills to prioritise and manage own workload.

Additional Information

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information consult the NHS Careers website.

Employer

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust – Cynthia Spencer Hospice – Manfield Health Campus, Kettering Road, Northampton, NN3 6NP. Website: https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/