Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care / Chaplaincy

Palliative Care is holistic care, aimed at helping the patient to live and die in comfort and with dignity, by meeting their physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs. Within this context, the aim of pastoral care is to support the patient to live their spirituality to the end. This care extends to include the patient’s family and significant others.
Central to understanding the role of the chaplain is to see it as relational. The chaplain is there for the patients, their families and carers, the Hospice staff, and extends into the local community. Within this context of the network of relationships, the core elements of the Chaplain's work include:
• provision of spiritual and emotional support to patients/families/carers
• individual and group accompaniment and guidance
• a resource and spiritual support to the Hospice staff
• celebration of religious services, including remembrance services
• animation of the spiritual life of the hospice community
• provision of opportunities for reflection and prayer across the spectrum of carers

The core guiding principle of the Chaplain is in being a faith presence in the hospice setting.  The service is provided within all hospice settings (inpatient, day care and home care).