Spiritual and pastoral care available for you
What our chaplains do
Our Trust Chaplains Julie and Sam are there to provide a listening ear, emotional support and spiritual support to patients, relatives and friends, and hospital staff.
They can provide support during a crisis as well as during ongoing recovery. They will often also support bereaved family members and staff. You don’t have to be a practising believer to use this service.
Whilst Julie and Sam are Leaders in their Churches, they are available to support those of all faiths and those who hold no faiths.
Julie and Sam are also equality leads with a special expertise in the protected characteristic of faith and belief.
Where you’ll meet our Chaplains
Our chaplains visit patients on our wards or in other areas where our services are provided on request and staff can also contact our chaplains through emails or phone them.
Julie and Sam also organise, on request, religious and non-religious ceremonies and celebrations for the whole mental health community.
Qualified support
Our Chaplains are professional religious ministers, trained in pastoral care. They also have specialist training for working in a healthcare setting. They have a degree or equivalent, plus a professional qualification.
How to contact our Chaplains
Julie and Sam are available Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00.
They offer a Chaplaincy Helpline Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, to access this helpline telephone 01603421421 and ask for Chaplaincy.
You can also email Julie and Sam at spiritualcareteam@nsft.nhs.uk
Julie is also Chair for Spirituality, Faith and Belief Staff network. If you are a member of staff you will find more information about the network on the staff intranet.
The meaning of 'spiritual care'
Spiritual care is simply caring for a person's 'spirit', their sense of self and inner wellbeing. Our chaplains believe all people have a spirituality; a sort of inner climate, which is sometimes in need of support.
The spiritual care offered by our Chaplains is provided in the context of illness and recovery. It is person-centered, and makes no assumptions about personal conviction or life orientation. Our chaplains aim is to listen to people and support them where they are.
We aim to address the spiritual, pastoral and religious needs of those who contact us; these may include one or more of the following:
- Finding meaning in what has happened,
- Discovering new purposes in life,
- The healing of painful memories,
- Regret and forgiveness,
- Supporting religious beliefs, rituals and practices,
- Non-religious beliefs,
- Reflecting on past life experience,
- Issues of mortality.