The closing date is 9th Aug 2026
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Job summary
This is an exciting post for an experienced practitioner who wants to take the next step in delivering spiritual, pastoral, and religious care in a hospital environment.
Are you a faith representative in good standing and able to be endorsed (meeting the appointment criteria) by their faith/belief/philosophical or non-belief body as laid out in the Network for Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care in Health (NPSRCH)?
Looking to work in a supportive values-based environment and job role?
Do you want to join a team of spiritual care practitioners who are ambitious and committed to developing best practice and delivering best care within a modern healthcare environment?
If you answer yes to each of the above questions, please read on and refer to the attached job description and consider joining the team here in Somerset.
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Main duties, tasks & skills required
Working as a Chaplain at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust you will seek to establish relationships of trust and support with all those in the post-holder's care, identifying SPaRC needs and responding to them. You will:
Engage in the assessment, delivery, enablement, monitoring and recording of person-centred SPaRC which addresses the individual and collective needs of the hospital community.
Provide safe, effective, compassionate, and responsive care and interventions that address the identified holistic SPaRC needs of people to support healing and wholeness, within the parameters of the role and in accordance with professional codes of conduct and clinical governance.
Respond to people in spiritual distress including those who may show challenging behaviours or have complex needs by using professional and pastoral knowledge, skills, and practice.
Take active steps to work with, involve and support people in addressing their own healthcare needs, maximising their potential healing and wholeness within the limits of their illness.
Provide or enable, within the limitations of the post-holder's religion/belief and faith authority, religious rites as may be requested or required. To include prayer, baptism, blessing, naming, and other rites at times when patients, including children and babies, may be facing complex surgery, approaching the end of life, after death, or following baby loss during pregnancy or soon after.
This is a cross-county role and own transport is required.
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About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
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Job description
An autonomous, qualified practitioner whose role is to seek out and respond to the spiritual, pastoral, and religious needs of individuals, their carers and staff while remaining accountable to the Spiritual Care Leads for all aspects of their duties and decisions.
Engage in the assessment, delivery, enablement, monitoring and recording of person-centred Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care (SPaRC) healthcare chaplaincy which addresses the individual and collective needs of the hospital community.
Providing safe, effective, compassionate, and responsive care and interventions that address the identified holistic SPaRC needs of people to support healing and wholeness, within the parameters of the role and in accordance with professional codes of conduct and clinical governance.
Respond to people in spiritual distress including those who may show challenging behaviours or have complex needs by using professional and pastoral knowledge, skills, and practice.
Take active steps to work with, involve and support people in addressing their own healthcare needs, maximising their potential healing and wholeness within the limits of their illness.
Provide or enable, within the limitations of the post-holder's religion/belief and faith authority, religious rites and ceremonies as may be requested or required. This may include prayer, meditation, contemplation, baptism, naming, recitations, and other rites at times when patients, including children and babies, may be facing complex surgery, approaching the end of life, after death, or following baby loss during pregnancy or soon after.
Some sites offer a 24/7 on call service for SPaRC emergences and you may be required to participate in the on-call rota if working at those sites.
Provide SPaRC support as required during any Major Incidents subject to separate or prior agreement.
Arrange, conduct, or advise on emergency marriages in hospital according to national, legal, endorsing faith body, and Trust guidelines.
Facilitate any religious need that is outside the scope of the post-holder's belief or authority.
Please see the attached detailed Job Description for further information.
Qualifications
Comprehensive theological/spiritual education to at least diploma level or equivalent.
Meets the Network for Pastoral, Spiritual, and Religious Care in Health (NPSRCH) endorsement and appointing criteria for faith group.
Experience
Evidence of SPaRC healthcare chaplaincy that embraces the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda with openness and respect.
Evidence of pastoral work responding to complex needs in a diverse community.
Evidence of personal standards that support Trust values: Kindness, Respect, Teamwork, Everyone, Everyday..
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further Essential and Desirable criteria.
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Person specification
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Qualifications
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Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent
Ordination (Christian or Jewish) or qualified
Alim/Alima who has worked as a health care chaplain. Alternatively, Lay or people from non-religious backgrounds (e.g. Humanist) must demonstrate that they have worked as a chaplain in an NHS setting for a minimum of 400 hours.
To be in good standing/accredited/able to be licensed by the faith group or non-religious group you represent.
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Desirable
Member of UK Board of Health Care Chaplaincy or awaiting registration
Counselling/Psychotherapy qualifications
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Experience
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Essential
Evidence of SPaRC healthcare chaplaincy that embraces the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda with openness and respect.
Evidence of pastoral work responding to complex needs in a diverse community.
Evidence of personal standards that support Trust values: Kindness, Respect, Teamwork, Everyone, Everyday..
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further Essential and Desirable criteria.
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Desirable
Experience of working with volunteers
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Additional Criteria
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Essential
Please see the attached JD
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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.
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For help with your application, contact:
Andy Robins
[email protected]
07833236314
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Pay scheme
Agenda for Change
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Band
Band 5
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Salary
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£32073.00 to £39043.00 Yearly
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Contract
Permanent
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Working pattern
Part-Time, Full-Time, Jobshare
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Reference number
184-OL-PU-5426
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Job locations
Trustwide
The Crescent
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 4DY
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