Spiritual care chaplaincy

UHS is proud to have a large team of chaplains available to support patients, their friends and families and our hospital staff and to offer spiritual care to all who find themselves within the walls of UHS.

Spiritual care is not about religion and the chaplaincy team are not here for religious services although they can perform those. The chief concern of our spiritual care chaplains is the human spirit, not religious, aspect of all people as it is outlined in UHS policy. The Trust recognises the importance of spiritual and religious care for patients, their carers, and staff. This is outlined in our spiritual care policy.

Spiritual care is seen as:

"care which recognises and responds to the needs of the human spirit when faced with trauma, ill health, or sadness and can include the need for meaning, for self-worth, to express oneself, for faith support, perhaps for rites or prayer or sacrament, or simply for a sensitive listener. It begins with encouraging human contact in a compassionate relationship, and moves in whatever direction need requires”.
End of Life Care in Neurological Conditions
NHS 2010

To support this the Trust chaplains are available to be with anyone who calls on their services or who is referred to their services by another concerned person. Sometimes it is as simple as a quick ‘hello’ and a smile twice a week while on other occasions it might be a daily visit and conversation for many months. We believe that no one should be lonely in UHS and we believe that frequent pleasant human contact improves quality of life, enhances care, improves medical efficacy and shortens stay length.

The Trust chaplaincy team is also actively involved internally with staff training around spiritual care and externally with engaging the local faith communities. Spiritual care forms a part of the work of everyone within UHS to a greater or lesser degree and our professional chaplains are charged with ensuring that every member of ward staff is aware of its importance and feels confident in delivering or facilitating it.

Most of our spiritual care chaplains are ministers of religion: Muslim, Hindu and Christian. We have on-call access to many other faiths as well. We are able to undertake most religious services and rites within UHS as requested by patients or relatives and we are able to facilitate civil marriages.

Contact us

Hospital chaplains are not medical staff, they are here to listen, to talk to, and to offer confidential general support through what can be trying times.  You can contact the chaplaincy service by:

• Asking a member of ward staff to contact the chaplains for you.
• Calling the spiritual care department on 023 8120 8517 - please leave a message on the answerphone if there is no immediate reply.
• Emailing the team via spiritualcare@uhs.nhs.uk - please note this email is usually checked around 8.30am Monday to Friday.
• If you need to speak to a chaplain urgently, please call the hospital switchboard on 023 8077 7222 and ask to be put through to the on call chaplain.
• A chaplain is always available on call between 8am and 10pm, seven days a week.
• We also have an office on D Level next to the multi faith chapel.

Spiritual care resource boxes containing prayers, readings and symbols from a variety of faith and non-faith traditions are available on the wards. Please ask if you would like to access these. Bibles and other materials can be obtained for patients by contacting the spiritual care team.

Caring for families/loved ones

Chaplains also support families and friends of patients. If you have a loved one in hospital and would value talking to someone, the chaplains are happy to support via phone, zoom or to meet on site. Please contact us using the details above.

Limited details of visits are recorded in line with Trust policies. No information will be shared without your consent.

Chapel services

The chapel and prayer rooms continue to be open 24/7 for anyone who is on site. 

Sunday - 4.30pm Roman Catholic Mass, all welcome.

Monday - 8.30am Holy Communion for staff but all are welcome.

Tuesday - 7.15am Staff morning prayers, all staff invited.

Tuesday - 12.15pm to 12.45pm, Circle of Silence.

Wednesday - 2pm Holy Communion for all. This service is recorded and broadcast the following Sunday on hospital radio at 7:00am and can be downloaded at anytime from dropbox. 

Thursday - 1pm Mindfulness meditation, all welcome.

Friday - 1.15pm Muslim prayers.

Everyday - 8.30am Chaplaincy staff prayers.

Male and female Muslim prayer rooms and a Christian chapel are always open and available. There is also a quiet room available in Princess Anne Hospital.

About us

• Spiritual care recognises the needs of a person when faced with trauma, ill health or sadness. This can include emotional support, prayer or a quiet space to reflect.
• Our chaplains are available for religious care when requested.
• We also provide support for our staff members and give advice around spiritual and religious care.
• Chaplains are employed by the Trust and are bound by Trust policies, their profession’s code of conduct and healthcare chaplaincy standards. They are also required to have accreditation from the faith group they represent.
• We are assisted by a number of excellent spiritual care volunteers.