Here for you
Coming into hospital can raise all kinds of issues for a patient. They may be practical or they might be connected with some of the deeper questions we may want to ask from time to time, questions about the meaning and purpose of life, our hopes and our fears.
The Princess Elizabeth Hospital spiritual care providers offer support to staff and patients during their time in hospital. This is inclusive of religious, spiritual and pastoral care to patients, visitors and staff of all faiths or no faith. We are here to help everyone, whatever their background, whether they have a religious tradition or not.
A spiritual care team member is available, day or night and may be contacted through the ward staff or switchboard.
Spiritual care providers regularly visit the wards and are always happy to see patients, staff or visitors, to be a 'listening ear'. We are also available to pray with a patient or to offer the appropriate religious support. We can provide a link to the faith community of the patient when required.
To seek spiritual care a patient can ask a member of the nursing staff to contact the spiritual care provider who is on-call. If they would like a member of the spiritual care team to visit a friend or relative in hospital, a member of the team can be contacted in the same way.
Our team includes professional chaplains and volunteers who have each undertaken appropriate training so that they have the very particular skills to work as a spiritual provider in a healthcare setting.
There is a Chapel on the second floor of the hospital, near The Gloucester Room. The chapel is always open as a quiet place to sit and be. It is also a place where mothers can find privacy to breastfeed their baby. On Monday mornings there is a service of Holy Communion at 10:00 am, which lasts about 30 minutes. There is a faith room in the Oberlands that can also be used for reflection and prayer by all.
We work in every area of the hospital, supporting the work in acute care, continuing care and acute mental health. We work as part of the multi-disciplinary team.
We all share deep love, compassion and respect for everyone.
"Love doesn't mean doing extraordinary or heroic things.
It means doing ordinary things with tenderness."
- Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche, an international private voluntary organisation working with people with learning disabilities.
