Jo shares this latest news on behalf of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust. Ed
In his final annual report, retiring Senior Chaplain Rev Kelvin Burke reports on the activities of the Chaplaincy Team at Isle of Wight NHS Trust during 2017/18 – a year during which the Chaplaincy celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
Data for 2017/18 shows:
- 11,312 documented chaplaincy visits (3% increase)
- Average 943 visits per month
- Average 186 visiting hours per month (11% increase)
- Peak month was Nov 2017 with 1,228 visits and lowest month was April 2017 with 777 visits
- 2,235 hours of significant encounters (2017: 2,033 hours)
- Visits average 12 minutes
- 60 of the total documented visits related to emergency out-of-hours calls (2017; 54)
- 1,356 Holy Communions shared including 321 Roman Catholic Eucharistic Ministers sacrament
- 1,216 attended the 10.30am Sunday Worship and seasonal services (2017: 1172)
“Positive impact on the holistic care of all”
Kelvin said:
“This has been the 25th year of the chaplaincy department in our Island’s NHS Trust and I believe this report highlights ways in which we have made a positive impact on the holistic care of all.
“At a national level; it is 70 years since the birth of the NHS and 25 years since the inauguration of the national College of Healthcare Chaplains. So, there have been and will be a number of opportunities to celebrate and acknowledge advances in healthcare and celebrate good spiritual care over the years.
“The 2015 NHS Chaplaincy Guidelines states that Chaplaincy departments promote excellence in Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care. In 2017/18 and we have again broken records and exceeded past years patient visits, staff support, bereavement counselling and end of life care.
“Chaplaincy volunteers have again been an integral part of our quiet and compassionate service. We are encouraged by the many letters, cards and emails we receive each month from patients, carers and staff. Such feedback gives wind to our sails as we go about our ministry of spiritual care.”
The care provided
The 2017/18 report includes examples of care provided by the Chaplaincy Team. During the course of the year this has been recognised by the donation of over £6,000 to the Chaplaincy’s charitable funds.
The Chaplaincy service comprises four staff (1.75 whole time equivalent), three honorary chaplains and 39 volunteers.
Suzanne Rostron, Director of Quality Governance at Isle of Wight NHS Trust said:
“The Chaplaincy service – both the Chaplains and the Chaplaincy Volunteers – play an important part in the life of the Trust. They provide a listening and comforting ear and shoulder to lean on for patients, relatives and staff.”
Find out more
You can access the 2018 report and previous reports on the Chaplaincy page on the Trust’s Website.
Rev Burke retires from Isle of Wight NHS Trust at the end of August 2018. His last service in the Chapel at St Mary’s Hospital will be at 10:30am on Sunday 26th August 2018.
Image: Olli Jalonen under CC BY 2.0
