Hospital Chaplain
At a glance
- Band
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Posted
- 09/09/2026
- Closes
- 20/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This role involves joining the Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy team to provide high-quality spiritual, pastoral, and religious care across five hospital sites. The post-holder will support patients, carers, families, and staff, often in highly emotive situations, and participate in a 24/7 on-call service. Responsibilities include liaising with faith leaders, supervising volunteers, and contributing to educational sessions. The chaplain will also lead services, support those experiencing loss, and represent the chaplaincy at various Trust meetings.
Key responsibilities
- Provide routine pastoral, religious and spiritual care to patients, their families, volunteers and staff during normal working hours.
- Respond to urgent calls, offering support in emotionally difficult and challenging situations.
- Offer support to patients and their families approaching the end of life and provide bereavement support.
- Participate in the spiritual care and chaplaincy service 24/7 on-call rota.
- Plan and lead funerals for which the Trust is responsible, and participate in annual memorial services.
- Represent the chaplaincy and spiritual care service at various Trust meetings and provide supervision to volunteers.
Essential criteria
- A member of good standing within a member Church of Churches Together in Great Britain and Ireland.
- Educated to degree level in a relevant subject area.
- Be able to demonstrate relevant experience.
- Awareness of ethical issues relating to the healthcare setting.
- An understanding of current healthcare issues.
- Experience of chaplaincy work, ideally in a healthcare setting.
- Knowledge of a range of religions and faiths.
- Ability to use pastoral and listening skills to assess situations quickly.
- Able to work effectively in a multi faith team.
- To contribute to the development of good practice within the service.
- Ability to analyse and use initiative in sometimes highly emotive pastoral situations.
- Ability to communicate with and offer spiritual, religious and pastoral care to a wide variety of people.
- Competence at general administrative tasks, including word processing and digital record keeping.
- Ability to work independently, deciding when to refer to manager, plan daily activities and own workload.
Desirable criteria
- Ordained minister from a member church of Churches Together in Great Britain and Ireland.
- A qualification or training in pastoral care, counselling or hospital chaplaincy.
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 6 at £37,338 – £44,962 a year, across England.
This advert: £38,682 – £46,580 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 0d ago · Closes in 12d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Hospital Chaplain
The closing date is 20 September 2026
Job summary
An opportunity has arisen to join the Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy team at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The post-holder will contribute to delivering high-quality spiritual, pastoral and religious care over five hospital sites to patients, carers, families and staff often dealing with highly emotive situations.
You will be part of a team of chaplains working across the Trust to deliver a 24/7 on-call service.
As well as supporting staff and patients at times of need you will also be an advocate for spiritual care, liaise with faith leaders, supervise chaplaincy volunteers/students and contribute to educational opportunities to teaching sessions for staff and volunteers.
Main duties of the job
You will work as part of the spiritual care and chaplaincy team at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Truston a daily basis.
Within the service you will share responsibility for ensuring the provision of spiritual, pastoral and religious care across all trust sites including appropriate rites, ceremonies and events to support both staff and patients.
You will be part of the 24/7 trust-wide on-call rota and be able to respond within the Trust standard.
There will be opportunities to contribute to servic
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