Roman Catholic Chaplain

NHS; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in the United Kingdom is looking for a Roman Catholic Chaplain to join their dedicated team. The role involves providing spiritual care to patients, families, and staff, ensuring their religious and pastoral needs are met. You will work collaboratively as part of a multi-faith environment and engage in various responsibilities such as responding to requests for religious support and providing end-of-life care rituals. Candidates must have relevant qualifications and experience in pastoral care.

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Opportunities for further training

Qualifications

• Degree-level training in healthcare chaplaincy is essential.
• Substantial experience in Healthcare Chaplaincy required.
• Accreditation or acknowledged status for faith/community leadership is needed.

Responsibilities

• Respond to patient and family requests for religious care.
• Provide rituals for End-of-Life Care patients.
• Collaborate with the chaplaincy team to meet the spiritual needs of patients.

Skills

Counselling / pastoral skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Degree in theology, religious studies, or equivalent

Postgraduate degree in chaplaincy-related discipline

Job description

Roman Catholic Chaplain – Bank

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust is currently seeking applications to join its highly valued Hospital Chaplaincy Team.

Closing date: 09 February 2026

Main Duties

The jobholder's primary responsibility is to be available to visit patients/carers/relatives/staff in wards and departments as requested and when required to offer the appropriate care. The jobholder will work as part of the chaplaincy team ensuring that pastoral, spiritual and religious needs are met.

Chaplains and chaplaincy volunteers deliver person-centred pastoral, spiritual and religious care for patients, relatives, friends, carers and members of staff, regardless of whether these be persons of faith or not.

It is essential that you are a team player and enjoy working collaboratively.

About Us

We employ more than 6,500 staff who deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals – Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary – as well as in community sites, health centres and in patients' homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.

We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children's and young people's services; end of life care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.

We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.

We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation. Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS – yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards.

Job Responsibilities

• Respond to urgent and non-urgent referrals for patients and their families requesting religious care and support.
• Arrange Roman Catholic services and be involved in corporate or public services as the Trust requires and participate in multi-faith services and events under the guidance of the Lead Chaplain.
• Provide prayers, sacraments and rituals for End-of-Life Care patients and families and parents who have a pregnancy loss or still birth.
• Support ward staff in the provision of health care by providing information, advice and support regarding pastoral, spiritual and religious care.
• Provide support to relatives of patients, including those who are bereaved.
• On occasion share in the provision of prayer and worship for patients, families and staff.
• Make specialist independent judgements and provide support regarding religious and spiritual care, dependent upon the situation including End of Life Care and other issues as they arise.

Standard Information

Carries out Chaplaincy duties within the Chaplaincy Policy and the SOP (standard operational procedure) under the direction of the Lead Chaplain. Adheres to agreed procedures and promotes by example a high standard of pastoral, spiritual and religious care. Works closely with and under the guidance of the Lead Chaplain. Collaborates and liaises with other members of the multi-faith/cross cultural chaplaincy team. Fosters good relationships with patients, families, carers and other members of staff. To be a skilled communicator and be able to establish and maintain relationships sometimes in a pastorally challenging environment. To be able to work effectively in highly stressful situations such as where there is distress or verbal abuse. Maintains a personal and professional profile. Develops within the scope of professional practice. Available during hours of duty, to support relatives of patients, particularly those who are bereaved. To attend the quarterly chaplaincy team meetings and participate in reflective practice and supervision. Keeps records of the service provided including records of patient visits on EPR (Electronic Patient Record) and when required contributing to the writing of reports e.g. Quarterly End of Life Strategy group Report and the Chaplaincy Annual Report.

Person Specification – Qualifications and Training

• Degree level training in a subject relevant to health care chaplaincy that includes systematic study in any of the following fields: theology, religious studies, pastoral care, psychology, counselling or psychotherapy.
• Accreditation/acknowledged status for faith / belief community leadership role.
• A commitment to undertake further training essential to the requirement of the post.
• Postgraduate degree or diploma in a chaplaincy-related discipline or engaged on a course leading to this.
• Registration with the UK Board of healthcare Chaplains or eligibility to register.

Knowledge, Experience & Expertise

• Substantial experience in Healthcare Chaplaincy or the equivalent in a pastoral care setting.
• Significant work with people from diverse backgrounds, including of faith and no faith.
• Counselling / pastoral skills.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary setting and the ability to promote shared decision making.
• Demonstratable evidence of working with and respecting religious, spiritual and pastoral diversity and differences.
• Deputise for the lead chaplain in chairing and facilitating meetings for staff, volunteers and interfaith service meetings.
• Endorsement to practice as a healthcare Chaplain by a recognised sponsoring faith, community or belief group.
• Working knowledge of major faith communities and belief groups in relation to the acute hospital context.
• An understanding of the NHS and chaplaincy.
• An understanding of the principles and practice of governance.
• A proven pastoral, spiritual and religious expertise in complex, emotional and distressing situations.
• Knowledge of religious, spiritual and ethical issues related to healthcare.
• Ability to represent the chaplaincy department.
• The ability to communicate sensitively with people who have mental and physical health problems, to request support and escalated concerns as required to Lead Chaplain.
• Authorised minister or lay worker in the Roman Catholic tradition.
• Involvement in the recruitment of staff e.g., volunteers.
• Evidence of experience of the NHS as a healthcare chaplain.
• Experience in counselling and pastoral techniques.
• Effective performance as a healthcare chaplain at a minimum of Band 5.

Communication and Relationships (including Management Responsibilities)

• The ability to regulate own workload and work on own initiative.
• The ability to establish effective relationships and maintain the cooperation of others.
• To be trustworthy, showing careful attention to the individual and specific needs of those in their care and to have an approach that values and affirms the rights of those outside the chaplain's own tradition to practice their beliefs appropriately.
• Demonstrate appropriate personal and professional values and behaviours and practice in accordance with the UKBHC Code of Ethics.
• A professional Chaplaincy identity rooted in one's own religious/spiritual/pastoral heritage that integrates professional values and disclosure, positive use of power and authority, clear and responsible boundaries behaviours, skills and specialist knowledge.
• Competent use of self in chaplaincy practice including emotional availability, cultural humility, appropriate self.
• Supportive of the Trust's values.
• To participate in the on-call rota which offers cover overnight and at weekends.
• To deputise for the Lead Chaplain on operational issues as required.
• Willingness to respond to urgent and unexpected event e.g., major incident supporting the Lead Chaplain.
• To have experience of supervising others e.g., volunteers.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Name

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year, pro rata

Contract

Bank

Reference Number

372-FW1467-B

Job Locations

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust