Job Advert
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/ record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
Head of Service for Spiritual Care and Bereavement Services - Band 8b Job Advert (Sep 2024)
Following a comprehensive service review, an exciting opportunity has arisen to lead our service in NHS Lothian.
The Spiritual Care and Bereavement Service in Lothian embraces a broad understanding of spiritual and religious care for patients, visitors, staff and volunteers, regardless of belief or life stance. It forms an integral part of the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care, supporting those that work within and those who access our services, their families and carers. The department delivers the following services in Lothian: healthcare chaplaincy, bereavement support, staff support and community listening. The team are looking to progress several innovative research and development projects.
Our Spiritual Care and Bereavement Service aligns with the Scottish Government national framework on Spiritual Care (2023), “Discovering meaning, purpose and hope through person-centred wellbeing and spiritual care” (2023), and the aims of “Shaping Bereavement Care” (2010). You will be responsible for leading and managing the ongoing development of our Spiritual Care and Bereavement Service in line with the deliverables in these documents and the Lothian Spiritual Care Strategic Plan.
We are keen to welcome a leader with a proven track record accompanied with experience in a senior chaplaincy leadership role, providing support and leadership, along with full registration with the UKBHC and experience of department administration and budgetary responsibility. We’d like you to bring high level credibility in spiritual care practice and leadership alongside excellent inter-personal skills, the ability to think strategically and analytically, good influencing and negation skills and the ability to deliver change in a multiagency environment.
Key to your success will be your ability to develop and maintain constructive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, internal and external to NHS Lothian, including working with NHS Education Scotland, HEIs, belief groups and third sector agencies.
Among the key purpose of the role is:
To hold strategic responsibility for the management, development and delivery of the Spiritual Care and Bereavement Service for NHS Lothian, in accordance with National Framework for Person Centred Wellbeing and Spiritual Care.
To direct and develop the NHS Lothian Spiritual Care and Bereavement Policies in line with the Framework, ensuring that there is clear governance systems and processes.
To be accountable strategically for the Spiritual Care and Bereavement Service acting as NHS Lothian’s expert practitioner on matters of specialist spiritual and religious knowledge and to liaise with local communities, ecumenical, religious, no faith and interfaith organisations.
To provide strategic direction and robust management in establishing NHS Lothian as a centre for specialist training in spiritual care and bereavement through collaboration with institutions of higher education and NHS Education Scotland.
To have strategic responsibility for the management, development, and delivery of the Bereavement Service for NHS Lothian, in accordance with Scottish Government Policy.
Informal enquiries to: Gillian McAuley, Director of Acute Nursing gillian.mcauley@nhs.scot
Interviews scheduled for Friday the 1st of November