UKBHC and other Organisations

News and publications from the UKBHC and other bodies, including palliative care partnerships, and chaplaincy, professional, or religious organisations.

The AHPCC doesn’t exist in isolation; we are part of the UKBHC and the Chaplaincy Forum, and we also represent hospice and palliative care chaplains in several groups, both in the UK and in Europe. This page seeks to keep you informed of current developments in the wider world of healthcare chaplaincy as well as giving ready access to some back copies.

Latest News

Chaplaincy Forum
The Chaplaincy Forum for Pastoral, Spiritual & Religious Care in Health met on 2 May 2024 and shared the following points for information.
  • The Forum discussed a range of strategic priorities and agreed that the following items, which relate to workforce planning, would kept as standing items on its agenda going forward.
    • Data – what is the size of the profession.
    • Safe staffing levels.
    • Updating the Agenda for Change chaplaincy job profiles.
    • Recognition of healthcare chaplaincy as a healthcare profession.
    • PR/Education to change misconceptions about the profession.
  • NHS England reminded members that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have launched their 10-year review of the NHS Constitution. The NHS constitution sets out the principles, values, rights and pledges underpinning the NHS as a comprehensive health service, free at the point of use for all who need it. This consultation is being delivered by DHSC. Further information about the Consultation can be found here: NHS Constitution. The Forum members encouraged all chaplains working in the NHS to submit their views, which can be done here.
  • The Network updated the Forum on its work monitoring job adverts through sending FOI requests when a post has any religion or belief restriction. The Forum noted that jobs may be legitimately restricted when an equality impact assessment shows a need. Members recognised that receiving a FOI can feel threatening, but this is not the intention of the requests and the Forum is grateful for the Network’s work collecting data.
  • The Forum discussed the challenges chaplaincy is facing in some Hospice settings where specialist chaplain/spiritual care roles have been removed. Both AHPCC and CHCC continue to support members in relation to this.
  • The Forum thanked Mark Burleigh and David Knight for their contribution to the Forum as both are stepping down as Network representatives.
Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC)

Scotland’s healthcare is similar to the rest of the UK, but structured entirely separately. Scotland has its own NHS, and its own Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPCC), in which the AHPCC is well represented. While the SPPC is concerned with all aspects of palliative care, spiritual care features quite often.

European Research Institute for Chaplaincy in Healthcare (ERICH)

The AHPCC works with ERICH, supporting research into spiritual care. This involvement also gives us some helpful insight into the very different models of healthcare chaplaincy that exist throughout Europe. ERICH hosts a Conference every two years, and publishes occasional Newsletters.

Faith in Older People (FiOP)

Faith in Older People is an Edinburgh-based charity that promotes spiritual care for older people. Much of its concern is for dementia and mental health; it also works actively to build links between healthcare services and faith communities, and runs regular training events.

As of March 2021, The Chaplaincy Forum Terms of Reference are now available

2020 Publications

SPPC 1 June 2020 – Covid-19 Update.
SPPC 1 May 2020 – Covid19 Bulletin
FiOP April 2020 Newsletter
SPPC 5 April 2020 – Covid19 Bulletin
ERICH April 2020 Report
SPPC 23 March 2020 – Covid19 Bulletin
SPPC February 2020 Bulletin
FiOP February 2020 Newsletter
SPPC January 2020 Bulletin

Publications for the previous five years

UKBHC November 2020 Newsletter
UKBHC Summer 2019 Newsletter
UKBHC January 2019 Newsletter
UKBHC Summer 2018 Newsletter
UKBHC August 2017 Newsletter
UKBHC January 2017 Newsletter
CLF (Chaplaincy Leadership Forum) ‘Future of Chaplaincy’ minutes 2013-2016 – Developments between chaplaincy organisations and NHS England
UKBHC April 2016 Newsletter
eHospice (USA), (2016) Evidence-based quality indicators for spiritual care
UKBHC December 2015 Newsletter