Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Healthcare Chaplain (Maternity Cover)

The closing date is 15 October 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Healthcare Chaplain to join the Chaplaincy Team on a fixed term (twelve months) maternity cover..

The chaplain will have an open approach and will work collaboratively to provide a flexible, responsive service of spiritual, pastoral, and religious care to patients, visitors, and staff, whatever their beliefs, culture, or lifestyle.

Main duties of the job

Conducting relevant religious/non-religious rites of passage as required.

Having the emotional strength to cope with challenging pastoral situations.

Offering staff support as a vital component of chaplaincy, both on an individual basis and to teams/groups.

Collaborating in an interdisciplinary health setting with other healthcare professionals to provide an available, accessible service based on choice.

Cooperating and working with medical, nursing and management staff

Liaising with leaders of local faith communities, fostering and maintaining effective links

Organising and participating in acts of worship/study days, etc, when required.

Promoting and modelling good working practices and relationships

Being available to offer pastoral care to staff individually or in groups as requested by the Lead Chaplain

About us

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with

visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million.

We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School.

The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles.

Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.

Details

Date posted

18 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

156-7382019

Job locations

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Treliske

Truro

TR1 3LJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

  • Identity Checks
  • Professional registration and qualification checks
  • Employment history and reference checks
  • Work health assessments
  • Criminal record check standards
  • Right to work checks

For further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. Please talk to us at interview about any flexible working arrangements you would prefer or require. While we may not be able to fully accommodate all requests, such requests will not be referenced during the interview scoring process, and we will fully consider and try to accommodate them for successful applicants.

We reserve the right to close this advert early, or when the allocated number of applications has been reached. Please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

  • Identity Checks
  • Professional registration and qualification checks
  • Employment history and reference checks
  • Work health assessments
  • Criminal record check standards
  • Right to work checks

For further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. Please talk to us at interview about any flexible working arrangements you would prefer or require. While we may not be able to fully accommodate all requests, such requests will not be referenced during the interview scoring process, and we will fully consider and try to accommodate them for successful applicants.

We reserve the right to close this advert early, or when the allocated number of applications has been reached. Please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Postgraduate certificate or diploma in healthcare chaplaincy, or comprehensive theological education to at least diploma level, or evidence of an equivalent accredited faith qualification.
  • Endorsed by an appropriate faith or belief group willing to formally endorse your role, or able to provide robust references from UKBHC Registered Chaplains.
  • Eligible to be registered with UKBHC.

Desirable

  • Board Registered Chaplain with UKBHC.

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Able to lead services or rites of passage in differing situations
  • Ability to work collaboratively across faith and belief boundaries
  • Pastoral/Counselling skills
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

  • Ability to face up to the challenges that mental health presents
  • Understanding of contemporary health care philosophy and environment
  • Presentation and teaching skills

Experience

Essential

  • Pastoral experience in a variety of settings including healthcare
  • Working with a variety of disciplines
  • Working as part of a team
  • Pastoral care of bereaved people
  • Care of terminally ill people

Desirable

  • Good working knowledge of acute healthcare
  • Experience of hospital chaplaincy or in a related healthcare setting
  • Care of people bereaved of children and experience of dealing with death through miscarriage, still birth and neo-natal death
  • Care and support of staff under pressure
  • Able to lead relevant rituals/sacraments of your tradition

Personal

Essential

  • Ability to travel between hospital sites
  • Full UK driving license required
  • Non-judgmental
  • Good organiser of time and of others
  • Calm under pressure
  • Enthusiastic, motivational and able to work as a member of a team
  • Ability to be at ease with those whose beliefs, values or lifestyle differ from one's own

Professional development and training

Essential

  • Desire to continue in- service training
  • Committed to ongoing professional review and appraisal

Desirable

  • Member of College of Healthcare Chaplains (CHCC)

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Ability to take part in a 24 on-call rota, seven days a week
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Postgraduate certificate or diploma in healthcare chaplaincy, or comprehensive theological education to at least diploma level, or evidence of an equivalent accredited faith qualification.
  • Endorsed by an appropriate faith or belief group willing to formally endorse your role, or able to provide robust references from UKBHC Registered Chaplains.
  • Eligible to be registered with UKBHC.

Desirable

  • Board Registered Chaplain with UKBHC.

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Able to lead services or rites of passage in differing situations
  • Ability to work collaboratively across faith and belief boundaries
  • Pastoral/Counselling skills
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Desirable

  • Ability to face up to the challenges that mental health presents
  • Understanding of contemporary health care philosophy and environment
  • Presentation and teaching skills

Experience

Essential

  • Pastoral experience in a variety of settings including healthcare
  • Working with a variety of disciplines
  • Working as part of a team
  • Pastoral care of bereaved people
  • Care of terminally ill people

Desirable

  • Good working knowledge of acute healthcare
  • Experience of hospital chaplaincy or in a related healthcare setting
  • Care of people bereaved of children and experience of dealing with death through miscarriage, still birth and neo-natal death
  • Care and support of staff under pressure
  • Able to lead relevant rituals/sacraments of your tradition

Personal

Essential

  • Ability to travel between hospital sites
  • Full UK driving license required
  • Non-judgmental
  • Good organiser of time and of others
  • Calm under pressure
  • Enthusiastic, motivational and able to work as a member of a team
  • Ability to be at ease with those whose beliefs, values or lifestyle differ from one's own

Professional development and training

Essential

  • Desire to continue in- service training
  • Committed to ongoing professional review and appraisal

Desirable

  • Member of College of Healthcare Chaplains (CHCC)

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Ability to take part in a 24 on-call rota, seven days a week

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Address

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Treliske

Truro

TR1 3LJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Address

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Treliske

Truro

TR1 3LJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead for Chaplaincy and Voluntary Services

Revd Dom Whitting

dom.whitting@nhs.net

01872252899

Details

Date posted

18 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

156-7382019

Job locations

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Treliske

Truro

TR1 3LJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)