Chaplain

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust Chaplain

The closing date is 16 April 2026

The Spiritual and pastoral care team currently has a vacancy for a Band 6 Chaplain.

Applicants will need to demonstrate either healthcare chaplaincy experience, or equivalent pastoral experience, with an aptitude for sensitive pastoral working in this context.

Applicants will have accreditation/ licensing with authority to practice as a religion or belief (including non-religious beliefs) leader/representative and/or pastoral worker.

Role based at Queen's Hospital, Burton the Chaplain must be prepared to work at any of the 5 sites across the Trust.

Availability for weekend working and overnight 'on-call' is required (able to be on-site within 60 minutes).

As a member of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care team you will assist in the delivery of appropriate and sensitive spiritual, pastoral and religious care. Provision is for patients, staff and visitors across the Trust and offered equally for those of any particular faith/belief and those who do not identify with any.

The role requires a person-centred approach with active listening skills, from an experienced and proficient pastoral practitioner. It requires an ability to facilitate religious rites and sacraments. Chaplains practice in accordance with the Guidelines and Code of conduct of the UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy.

Main duties of the job

Chaplains share in 24 hour on-call provision assessing and providing pastoral, spiritual, and religious care needs. Scheduled interactions, crisis situations; and responding to emergency calls are part of the role. It also includes delivering training, supervising students, developing the chaplaincy service within the Trust and working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals. Frequent involvement in end-of-life care is to be expected, including peri-natal loss and conducting baby funerals.

About us

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AI-generated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click on the link to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship. Impacts of the changes to the UK immigration policy NHS Employers

Person Specification Skills and ability

• Able to assess spiritual and/or religious need and respond appropriately
• Effective in crisis work, e.g. responding appropriately to patients and relatives following traumatic injury or death, or in the event of a major incident.
• Experience of reflection on professional and pastoral practice both individually and within a team
• Good time management and Proficient in performance of administrative processes

Education Training and Qualifications

• Accreditation/ licensing with authority to practice as a religion or belief (including non-religious beliefs) leader/representative and/or pastoral worker. EITHER Anglican, eligible to be authorised by the relevant Bishop. OR: Free Church (Member of Churches Together in England), eligible for authorisation by appropriate Church authority. OR: Roman Catholic, in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and suitable for nomination and mandating by the Bishop of Nottingham. OR: A Faith/Belief Leader and/or pastoral worker authorised by their Faith/Belief community (Recognised by Network for Pastoral, Spiritual, and Religious Care.)
• Accredited training/qualification (normally degree level or higher) in a Chaplaincy related subject
• Evidence of further counselling skills supported by appropriate training.

Experience and Knowledge

• Evidence of recent pastoral experience in local faith/belief community setting or equivalent
• Evidence of healthcare chaplaincy OR of providing spiritual and pastoral care in a non-religious setting.
• Able to support and facilitate sacraments/rites and spiritual needs according to service user's own faith/belief group.
• Sufficient experience and understanding of spiritual, religious and pastoral care in the healthcare chaplaincy setting to advise colleagues on spiritual and religious care, and ethical and care issues.
• Awareness of professional and legal requirements relating to safe and effective practice working with service users and colleagues e.g. Safeguarding
• Experience of collaborative working in a multi-faith/belief setting.
• Understanding of current issues in NHS

Other requirements

• Car driver with current licence or ability to reach any of the Trust hospital sites within agreed response time frame (1 hour) when on-call.
• Availability for weekend working day time shifts and overnight-on call.
• Eligible for registration with the UK Board of Healthcare Chaplains

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.