Job summary
- Main area
- Chaplaincy
- Grade
- 6
- Contract
- Permanent: Includes shared on call cover and some weekend working
- Hours
- Part time - 18.75 hours per week (Shared on call cover and some weekends.)
- Job ref
- 265-7338120
- Employer
- Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- University Hospitals of Northamptonshire
- Town
- Northampton
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 Per annum, Pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Hospital Chaplain - Part Time (Ordained Minister)
6
Job overview
Northampton General Hospital is situated in the centre of Northampton, serving the county of Northamptonshire. The Hospital Trust has over 900 beds with approximately 5,000 staff, and is renowned for being a good place to work. The Chaplaincy is valued by the whole hospital community in the diverse role which we have.
The Chaplaincy Department is seeking to appoint a Hospital Chaplain(part time) to join our team in order to meet the spiritual, religious and pastoral care needs of patients, relatives and staff.
Chaplains work closely with all professional healthcare teams, as well as with community colleagues and an active team of volunteers. The role is for a suitably qualified individual to work collaboratively with the Senior Chaplain and all members of the Chaplaincy Department to ensure the timely and appropriate response to referrals and requests for spiritual, religious and pastoral care support.
Main duties of the job
We aim to provide the best possible care for patients and staff, and the department has a spiritual calling to care for, support, encourage, nurture and provide for all patients across the Trust, especially in times of crisis and at the end of life.
As a Hospital Trust we respect and rejoice in diversity and difference as reflected in our immediate local community Chaplains support individual and corporate wellbeing through visiting, active listening, pastoral counselling, end of life care, bereavement counselling and, when appropriate, through particular rituals of the faith community to which a person belongs.
The successful candidate will demonstrate a creative approach to working as part of a multi-faith team and be willing to undertake an on call commitment shared between the team (with an ‘on-site’ response time of 30 minutes).
Any candidate applying for the posts should have sufficient experience to offer sensitive and safe religious, spiritual and pastoral care to patients, relatives, friends and carers, and to members of staff, whether these are persons of faith or not. There is also a commitment to weekend working, which is on a pro rata basis.
The role is demanding and fast paced and the successful candidate will have to demonstrate reliability, personal, physical, mental and spiritual resilience so as to be able to cope under pressure in difficult situations. The candidate will have a secure personal faith and the ability to work as a reflective practitioner.
Working for our organisation
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Spiritual and Religious
To work with the UHN Chaplaincy Team in ensuring the delivery of religious, spiritual and pastoral care throughout the hospital community. They will work alongside other Chaplains, Chaplaincy Volunteers and members of staff.
To be a resource for the Trust and its staff as appropriate, or when directed.
To assist in the provision of public worship in the Multi Faith Prayer Room and on the wards.
To assist in providing special care to the seriously ill and dying and ministering to both patients and their families in immediate need.
Professional
To share fully in the departmental ‘on-call’ duties, and to provide cover as appropriate. The on-call commitment will be on a pro-rata basis including some weekend cover, which will be through a rotational basis. An offsite on-call response time of 30 minutes is expected.
To provide regular ward visits and to respond to requests /referrals within agreed time scales.
To maintain good relations with local clergy, and other outside agencies as appropriate; and assisting nursing staff when faith leaders/ ministers of different religions need to be contacted.
To be involved in the teaching programme of the Hospital Chaplaincy Department on issues of bereavement, spirituality, and chaplaincy.
To assist in the training, supervision, recruitment, and day to day work of the Hospital Chaplaincy Volunteers.
To observe the requirements of confidentiality both within and outside the hospital community.
To assist in the implementation of appropriate standards of service; to be conversant with the necessary hospital policies and guidelines ensuring that these standards are met.
To encourage innovation and change within the Department, and in the service offered; being proactive in audit, research, and reflective practice.
To assist in the provision of information to the public about the Chaplaincy Department through the Trust’s website.
To have IT and administrative skills as required.
To keep necessary records, and to provide information and reports when required.
Freedom to Act
Freedom to initiate any action within the Chaplaincy code of conduct.
Freedom to act independently within the boundaries of existing Trust, policies, protocols, procedures, and strategies.
Personal
To attend any training opportunities relevant to the role.
To adhere to the Code of Professional Conduct as laid down by the College of Health Care Chaplains.
To maintain ongoing professional development to be a resource for ethical, theological, and pastoral matters within the Trust.
Communications and Relationships
To the Senior Chaplain:
To seek support and supervision.
To influence the decision making process.
To report incidents.
To other Chaplains:
To plan and organise alongside them.
To collaborate with all other team members.
Others:
To assist in the supervision and support of Chaplaincy Visitors
To assist in the supervision of theological students on placement.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree level or equivalent occupational qualification.
- Ordained priest/minister of a church in membership of Churches Together in England.
- Licensed/ authorised to provide full religious and sacramental care within their own faith tradition.
Desirable criteria
- Theological Degree.
- Counselling/ Psychotherapy Qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- An ordained priest/minister in good standing with their church.
- Experience of working as part of a team.
- Pastoral experience in a variety of settings.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of hospital Chaplaincy, or of a related health care setting.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent inter-personal skills; an ability to meet people on their terms.
- Good IT literacy.
- Good communication skills; and self awareness.
Desirable criteria
- Teaching skills
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Ability to manage personal stress
- Ability to reflect and to act independently
- Ability to be at ease with people whose beliefs, values or lifestyle are different from one’s own.
- Awareness of strengths and weaknesses
Desirable criteria
- Sensitive, reliable and committed, non-judgmental, calm under pressure, enthusiastic, motivational and able to work as a member of a team
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lisa Cooper
- Job title
- Head of Patient Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01604 544035
- Additional information
Marilyn Benjamin - Hospital Chaplain
01604-545773
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