Chaplaincy
Welcome to our Chaplaincy page
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When life is difficult we can find ourselves with questions. What is it all about? Why me? In tough times we can struggle to find hope or strength. The things we believe about the world and our place in it can be called into question.
Chaplaincy can help in those times. It is available to all, takes account of culture and can support your spiritual and religious needs if you wish. It is focussed upon helping you in the way that you need.
Chaplains focus upon ‘What matters to you?’, in order to deliver the best person-centred care to patients and those who care about them. They are expert listeners able to sit with the deep questions that can arise as we respond to the experiences of life. The chaplaincy service offers support and compassion during challenging times. Importantly, we support both the person being cared for and the people caring for them. We are here for patients, those important to them, and for staff.
It is widely recognised that the spiritual is a natural dimension of what it means to be human. As expressed in the Scottish Government National Framework the basic spiritual needs that might be addressed within the normal, daily activity of healthcare are:
- The need to give and receive love
- The need to be understood
- The need to be valued as a human being
- The need for forgiveness, hope and trust
- The need to explore beliefs and values
- The need to express feelings honestly
- The need to find meaning and purpose in life
Chaplains are champions of holistic care, passionate about keeping patient experience at the heart of healthcare. We provide holistic care that responds to the pastoral, spiritual and religious needs of every individual we encounter.
Chaplains are providers of specialist pastoral, spiritual and religious care; recognising that general spiritual care is offered by many other professionals. Spirituality is much broader than whether a person has connection to a particular religious faith. Whilst for some it will include a belief in God, or the divine, for others it centres on meaning, connection, identity and hope in a more secular or relational sense.
Pastoral and spiritual care are overlapping terms, with some who have a non-religious or humanist worldview preferring the work pastoral. Pastoral and spiritual care is usually given in a one-to-one relationship, is completely person centred, and makes no assumptions about personal conviction or life orientation.
Religious care is given in the context of shared religious beliefs, values, liturgies and lifestyle of a faith community. Spiritual care is not necessarily religious. Religious care should always be spiritual.
The chaplaincy team is here to listen; to support you reflect on your feelings and thoughts and to provide a comforting presence when you need it. We offer creative expertise to respond to an individual’s experience of life.
Chaplains understand that profound questions can arise during times of illness or difficulty, and that these times can affect a person's values and sense of purpose. We can support you to explore your worldview, morals, and values, helping you navigate existential questions such as "Why me?" and "Who am I now?" For those who practice a particular faith or belief we can support that faith practice through various rites and rituals including prayer, worship, Holy Communion, sacraments, mindfulness, and meditation. To people of all worldviews, we offer meaningful rituals that align with your belief, helping mark the transitions of life.
General enquiries
For general enquiries about the Chaplaincy service, please contact us between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm daily:
- Central Campus: 0114 27 12718
- Northern Campus: 0114 27 15485
Urgent referrals
Chaplaincy provides a 24/7 on call service. If you would like a chaplain to visit a patient you are close to urgently, any time of day or night, please ask a member of the nursing staff to contact the on-call chaplain. Be sure that the staff member knows the patient’s faith or belief system so we can provide like-minded care to the best of our ability. Some beliefs require specific rites and rituals that only a designated person can conduct, for example, a Roman Catholic priest, or you might want us to contact a Muslim chaplain if one is available. Specifying these needs helps us ensure the best care for the patient.
Non-urgent referrals
For non-urgent requests to chaplaincy, please email sth.chaplaincy@nhs.net or leave a message at 0114 27 14999. We will aim to respond by the end of the next working day.
Feedback and comments
We value your feedback. If you have any comments or suggestions about the Chaplaincy service, you can write to:
Head of Chaplaincy
Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Glossop Road
Sheffield
S10 2JF
Alternatively, you can reach us by phone or email using the contact details provided above.
Northern General Hospital
Chapel and breathing space
- Location: Vickers Corridor, Level E
Prayer rooms
- Multi-Faith Prayer Room: Robert Hadfield Wing, Level AO
- Muslim Prayer Room (Female): Vickers Corridor, Level E
- Muslim Prayer Room (Male): Chesterman Wing, Level D
- Muslim prayers on a Friday take place in the A floor Training Room at the Medical Education Centre
Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Chapel and Breathing space
- Location: A Floor
Prayer Rooms
- Muslim Prayer Room: B Floor, at the end of the corridor to the left of the cafe
- Multi-Faith Prayer Room: A Floor, inside the chapel
- Muslim prayers on a Friday take place in the Board Room on A floor
Weston Park Hospital
Breathing space
- Location: 1st Floor, open throughout the day
At our Trust, we aspire to be a beacon of excellence in chaplaincy care. We are committed to continuous research, innovation, and development within our service. Our goal is to set a standard that others in the field of chaplaincy can follow.
One of our key initiatives is running the first Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) pilots at our Trust. These pilots are designed to enhance the professional standards of our chaplains and have a significant impact on the quality of care we provide. Moreover, through these initiatives, we aim to influence and improve national chaplaincy practices.
In addition to our professional chaplains, we welcome volunteers from all belief systems, including non-religious beliefs. Our volunteers play a crucial role in supporting patients, visitors, and staff as they navigate the existential and spiritual challenges they may encounter during their time in the hospital.
By fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, we ensure that everyone receives the compassionate care and support they need, regardless of their faith or belief system.
View the Royal Hallamshire Hospital Chaplaincy Department in 3D! Please click here to view.
This digital resource has been created by the chaplaincy team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to offer moments of calm, connection, and meaning to anyone who may need it; whether you're a patient, staff member, visitor, or someone exploring from home. We recognise that not everyone is able to physically visit a quiet space or chapel. Whether you're bed-bound, working long shifts, or simply looking for a moment of reflection, this immersive project allows you to access a wide range of faith and belief-based resources wherever you are. Here you'll find reflections, prayers, rituals, meditations and readings from diverse traditions; lovingly shared by chaplains and belief leaders both from within Sheffield and beyond. It's our hope that these voices and practices bring comfort, strength, or simply a moment of stillness in a busy or difficult day. This resource is part of our ongoing commitment to inclusive spiritual and pastoral care, and we're proud to offer it freely for all who wish to engage. You are warmly invited to explore, at your own pace, in your own way.
