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Spiritual and pastoral care – a guide for patients

Find out more about how we provide spiritual and pastoral care for all our patients.

We’re here for everyone

Being in hospital can be difficult and stressful for patients, and the family and friends who support them. It can be emotionally and spiritually unsettling, affecting one’s normal sense of wellbeing and making it harder to cope with illness or injury. As chaplains we are available to come alongside patients, visitors and staff and provide spiritual, pastoral and religious support, whether a religious belief is held or not.

How can the chaplaincy team support you?

Spiritual care involves exploring what matters to you most. It can include reflecting on relationships, activities and beliefs, and understanding how those things give us our sense of value and purpose.

Our team are here to listen and to offer compassionate support in a safe environment.

Religious care

If you want one of our team to support you with prayers, religious rites or ceremonies, including Holy Communion, please inform the nursing staff or contact us directly.

Emergencies and bereavements

Our chaplains provide a 24/7 emergency call-out service for support in crisis and life-threatening situations. This service is both for patients and those who are supporting them.

End of life support

Members of the chaplaincy team and pastoral visitors are available to support patients who are receiving end of life care, by being present when others are unable to visit or by providing religious care.

Worship, prayer and reflection

Our hospitals have places of prayer and reflection where you can sit quietly or pray privately. These rooms are open for patients, visitors and staff to use, whatever their beliefs may be. Services and prayer times are displayed on the notice boards in the prayer rooms.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital
The prayer room is located on the 1st floor above the circular restaurant at the main entrance.

Wycombe Hospital
The multi-faith room is situated to the right from the main entrance on the ground floor.

Amersham Hospital
The chapel is on the ground floor near the restaurant.

Contact us

If the chaplains can support you or your loved ones in hospital, then please do contact us in the following ways:

Call us – please leave a message on the confidential answerphone if no one is available to answer your call:

  • 01296 316675 (Stoke Mandeville and Buckingham Hospitals)
  • 01494 425072 (Wycombe and Amersham Hospitals)
  • 01296 332600 (Florence Nightingale Hospice)

Email us at bht.chaplaincy@nhs.net – we usually check emails at around 9.00am, Monday to Friday.

If you need to speak to a chaplain urgently then please call the lead chaplain on 07557 633289.