Hospital Chaplaincy Procedures
Dear Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust,
I would like to request the following information on standards, policies and procedures relating to hospital chaplains in your Trust.
Could you please:
1. tell me whether policies or procedures exist to:
a. establish whether a patient admitted to any of your hospitals does or does not wish to receive contact from a hospital chaplain
b. ensure that patients (or their visitors, next-of-kin etc.) do not received unsolicited contact from chaplains
c. safeguard patients’ personal and medical data such that hospital chaplains by default do not have access to it
d. ensure that hospital chaplains, when given access to patient data, do not share any of it with third parties
If you answered yes to any of the above, please could you provide me with copies of the relevant policies or procedures
2. outline your approach for monitoring adherence to the policies and procedures above
3. provide me with a summary of the results of this monitoring for the last five years, including rates of compliance with the policies and procedures, and severity of any non-compliance events
4. provide me with details of any action taken in respect of any non-compliance identified (e.g. tightening of procedures, disciplinary action – in the latter case, taking care not to disclose any personal information)
Please could you release this information in electronic form by email via this WhatDoTheyKnow request.
Yours faithfully,
Susan Davis
Dear Ms Davis
Thank you for your request made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. Your enquiry has been logged and forwarded to the appropriate department for action. Please note that under the Act the Trust has 20 working days to provide a response, although we will endeavour to do so before then.
Kind Regards,
The FOI Team at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust
Dear FOI Team,
Please could you let me have an update on your progress in responding to my FoI request? I believe the 20 day limit has now passed.
Thank you,
Susan Davis
Dear Ms Davis,
Please accept our apologies for the delay in our response. We are currently awaiting approval from the relevant director.
Kind Regards,
The FOI Team at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust
Dear FOI REQUESTS (RDE) Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Tr,
Are you in a position to be able to respond to my request yet? As I'm sure you're aware, we are now well past the 20 day limit.
Yours sincerely,
Susan Davis
Dear Ms Davis,
Please accept our apologies for the delay in our response. We are
currently awaiting approval from the relevant director.
Kind Regards,
The FOI Team at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust
Dear Colchester Trust,
Thank you for your reply. The director has had the reply for approval since at least 29 April. Please could you remind him/her, and point out that the standard 20-day response period ended on 20 April. Could you also give me a projected date by which you expect to be able to send the reply.
Susan
Dear Ms Davis,
Due to the fact this has breached the 20 day limit we have escalated this to a senior director and we hope to have the required information approved for you as soon as possible.
Kind Regards,
The FOI Team at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust
Dear Ms Davis,
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
You requested:
1. tell me whether policies or procedures exist to:
a. establish whether a patient admitted to any of your hospitals
does or does not wish to receive contact from a hospital chaplain
b. ensure that patients (or their visitors, next-of-kin etc.) do
not received unsolicited contact from chaplains
c. safeguard patients’ personal and medical data such that hospital
chaplains by default do not have access to it
d. ensure that hospital chaplains, when given access to patient
data, do not share any of it with third parties
If you answered yes to any of the above, please could you provide
me with copies of the relevant policies or procedures
Procedures exist to establish whether or not a patient wishes to be
contacted by a Chaplain, do not receive unsolicited visits from a
Chaplain, or safeguarding patients’ personal and medical data such that
the hospital chaplains do not have access to it, or ensure that hospital
chaplains when given access to patient data do not share any of it with
third parties.
By the implementation of :
Chaplaincy Service Standards [CHUFT] Version 4 2013 [159] in addition to
CHUFT Consent for examination or Treatment Procedure [027] and CHUFT
Privacy and Dignity Procedure.
Please see the attached policy.
We also are governed by National Guidelines:
Caring for the Spirit – Department of Health 2003
Human Rights Act 1998 Article 9 [Right of the Individual for Religious
Observance]
NHS Chaplaincy- Meeting the Religious and Spiritual Needs of Patients and
Staff – Department of Health 2003
Code of Conduct for Healthcare Chaplains [Capabilities and Competencies
Framework UKBHC 2006 [updated 2011]
Standards for Healthcare Chaplaincy Provision – Multi-Faith Group 2010
These are publically available from the relevant government websites.
2. outline your approach for monitoring adherence to the policies
and procedures above
Outline for Monitoring Adherence to the foregoing:
1. Pre-service training and regular training updates through training
sessions, team meetings and appraisal:
2. Reflective Practice
3. Disciplinary Action for non-compliance
3. provide me with a summary of the results of this monitoring for
the last five years, including rates of compliance with the
policies and procedures, and severity of any non-compliance events
Results of Monitoring of Non-Compliance
None for the period of the last five years from 2007 – Present
4. provide me with details of any action taken in respect of any
non-compliance identified (e.g. tightening of procedures,
disciplinary action – in the latter case, taking care not to
disclose any personal information)
Method of Dealing with Non-Compliance:
1. First Meeting to discuss the Issues raised with a supportive
colleague present
2. Temporary suspension of contact with Patients and Service Users
3. Consultation with any witnesses/complainant
4. Review Meeting to discuss findings
5. Final Decision – either termination of contract or shadowing and
further training.
Hopefully this answers your request.
If you are dissatisfied with the way Colchester Hospital University NHS
Foundation Trust has handled your request for information, you can request
a review by writing to :
The Senior Information Risk Owner
Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust
Trust Headquarters
Colchester General Hospital
Turner Road
Colchester, Essex, CO4 5JL
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45 Website: [1]www.ico.gov.uk
There is no charge for making an appeal.
This information is protected by Intellectual Property Rights and
Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust does not give you
permission to make any commercial use of any part of this message. Any
copies you make must be attributed to us and you must seek permission from
the Trust if you wish to reproduce or publish this information in any
format.
If you have any ideas on how to improve our FOI service or changes that
you'd like to see, then please submit a Feedback Form at
[2]www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/foi_feedback.shtml. These can be
completely anonymous and will help us to provide a better service in the
future.
Kind Regards
The FOI Team at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust
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