CARES Award Responsibility Winner: Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team
The CARES Award for Responsibility is for taking responsibility for consistently delivering excellence and being open in all that we do
The Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team visit patients and staff all over the hospital at Hillingdon and Mount Vernon to attend to varying needs.
This can range from parents requesting the last rites for their child or a blessing to a Christian patient on bedrest requesting communion and prayers.
The team strives to be of service to the patients whatever their background, diagnosis, treatment, age, ethnicity, gender, faith and beliefs.
John Creagh, Christopher Geake and the team's volunteers were described as 'a shining example' of their commitment to the Trust's five values in their nomination.
The submission by Carol Lavender says volunteers have been at the forefront of re-establishing a flourishing and diverse team with a very strong ethic to deliver the best possible spiritual and pastoral care.
There was a real sense of people coming out of shock and trauma
"During and post Covid the team had sadly lost many members due to differing and various reasons, which left a very low number of volunteers from which to deliver a caring and compassionate service," she said.
"This was when the level of need from patients and staff were very obviously and evidently rising. There was a real sense of people coming out of shock and trauma and not quite knowing what was normal for them anymore and what their future held.
"This, and the real fears of being in a hospital with strangers, often heightened the anxiety patients and staff felt."
Our volunteers are very much frontline workers...they provide invaluable support
Chaplain Christopher Geake said: "I was absolutely delighted the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team and its volunteers were nominated for this award. Historically, the chaplaincy has always relied on volunteers to provide support to patients, visitors and staff.
"Covid hit us hard and we had to suspend all volunteering so the last 18 months has been challenging. But it has been very successful and we've ended up with a team of 15 people who are very enthusiastic and have a broad range of experience.
"Our volunteers are very much frontline workers, dealing with people struggling emotionally and provide a listening ear. They provide invaluable support so they do a fantastic job."