The St Gemma’s Spiritual Care Team are here to care for the pastoral and spiritual needs of the whole Hospice community. Pastoral and spiritual care is for everyone: for people of all religions and none.
Here to support everyone
Getting to know you as an individual
You do not have to follow a particular faith; we will respond to everyone as we find them.
Not everyone has a religious faith but we all have a spirituality which is unique to us and represents all that is important in our lives. We will attempt to get to know you as you are.
For patients and their relatives
Coming into the Hospice can be an anxious time. The Spiritual Care Team are available to meet with, to be with, to listen or to talk things through with patients and their families.
We also provide the opportunity for individual prayer and facilitation and support for patients throughout the Hospice to observe religious practices and rituals, and arrange for representatives of other faith communities to visit as appropriate.
To contact a chaplain or to request a visit from a representative of another faith community, please contact the Hospice on 0113 218 5500 or ask any member of staff.
Using the chapel
The Hospice chapel is a multi-faith space open for anyone to use day or night, and is used regularly by patients, relatives/carers and staff as a place of quiet, prayer and reflection.
Apart from during formal services the chapel is always open for prayer.
Remembrance books in the chapel
There are books of remembrance at the back of the chapel. These record the names of all our patients, members of staff and volunteers who are deceased.
The chaplaincy team link in with the bereavement support mornings and occasionally offer opportunities for worship.
Bedside communion/rites and rituals
For patients who are too unwell to come down to the chapel, a member of the chaplaincy can visit them to bring communion to them at their bedside.
Likewise, visits from your own clergy or clergy from your faith can be arranged.
Everything you need for prayer or religious practice
Holy books from different faiths, prayer mats and private space can be provided for anyone requiring them for prayer and religious practice.
We will try to provide anything needed to help people practise their religion.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is natural that you may not know what to expect from hospice care and that you may have many questions. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions where we have tried to answer as many queries as we can.
