Hospital Chaplaincy Procedures

The request was partially successful.

Dear Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership 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

Robson Claire,

Dear Ms Davis

 

Thank you for your e-mail regarding your request for information under the
Freedom of Information Act.

 

I am pleased to confirm that your request was received by the Trust on 25
March 2013 and, in accordance with the Act, the Trust has 20 working days
in which to respond, ending on 22 April 2013.  An initial investigation is
currently taking place into whether the Trust holds the information you
have requested and, if so, whether the information can be released in
accordance with the legislation.

 

Any fees applicable to this request will be detailed in writing as soon as
they can be determined and, should any further clarification of your
request be required we will advise accordingly.

 

If you require any further assistance, or would like to discuss your
request any further, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned
quoting the reference number above.

 

Kind regards,

Claire Robson

 

 

Claire Robson (Mrs) LLM

Information Rights Manager

Southlands Assessment Unit

Rook Lane, Bobbing, Nr Sittingbourne, ME9 8DZ

 

Tel : 01795 845068

Fax : 01795 845064

[mobile number]

 

[1][email address] / [2][email address]

 

 
Have your say!  For free membership and more information please click
[3]www.kmpt.nhs.uk Together we can make a difference!

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/

Robson Claire,

Dear Ms Davis

 

I write further to your recent request for information under the Freedom
of Information Act regarding Chaplains and would respond as follows:-

 

1.        

a.       The Trust does not have any specific policies or procedures
relating to a patients wishes to receive contract with a hospital chaplain
however, the attached two leaflets are made available and are accessible
for all patients admitted to Trust wards and explain the services
available if required.

 

b.      All Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy Volunteers receive stringent
training on their responsibilities and duties including the appropriate
way to approach individuals.

 

c.       The Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy Volunteers do not have access
to patients health records.  All health records are held under a duty of
confidentiality and access by Trust staff is limited strictly to those
with a legitimate relationship with the patient.

 

d.      In the event that Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy Volunteers are
privy to private and personal information about an individuals health
care, they are required to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of
this information in line with their contract of employment.  In addition,
all staff must undergo Information Governance training on an annual basis
setting out the legal responsibilities and Trust processes for the sharing
of information.  Staff are required to comply with Trust policies and
procedures regarding confidentiality.

 

2.       The Trust does not specifically have policies relating to the
provision of Chaplaincy Services however, the Trust Chaplains and
Chaplaincy Volunteers are employees of the Trust and required to comply
with all Trust policies and procedures.  Monitoring of adherence to this
is managed by the appointed Line Manager through individual personal
reviews, supervision and appraisals.  Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy
Volunteers also receive spiritual support.

 

3.       As the monitoring is managed through individual personal reviews,
supervision and appraisals, this information is personal data and held as
part of the individuals employment record.  With this in mind, we regret
that we are unable to share such information as it is protected by the
Data Protection Act 1998.

 

4.       The Trust has reviewed its records for the past two years and can
find no record of any complaints or concerns being raised regarding the
Chaplaincy Services provided by the Trust. 

 

I confirm the information above and attached completes your request for
information.  I am also pleased to confirm that no charge will be made for
this request.

 

If you have any queries, about this response please contact me.  Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication. 
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request, and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to the Complaints Manager, Kent & Medway NHS & Social
Partnership Care Trust at 35 Kingshill Avenue, Kingshill, West Malling,
Kent, ME19 4AX.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.  Generally, the
Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
complaints procedure provided by the Trust’s Complaints Department.  The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at : The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF.

 

Yours sincerely

Claire Robson

 

 

 

Claire Robson (Mrs) LLM

Information Rights Manager

Southlands Assessment Unit

Rook Lane, Bobbing, Nr Sittingbourne, ME9 8DZ

 

Tel : 01795 845068

Fax : 01795 845064

[mobile number]

 

[1][email address] / [2][email address]

 

 
Have your say!  For free membership and more information please click
[3]www.kmpt.nhs.uk Together we can make a difference!

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/

Robson Claire,

2 Attachments

Please accept my apologies and see attached the leaflets referred to in
the response.

 

Yours sincerely

Claire Robson

 

Claire Robson (Mrs) LLM

Information Rights Manager

Southlands Assessment Unit

Rook Lane, Bobbing, Nr Sittingbourne, ME9 8DZ

 

Tel : 01795 845068

Fax : 01795 845064

[mobile number]

 

[1][email address] / [2][email address]

 

From: Robson Claire
Sent: 22 April 2013 16:40
To: [FOI #154501 email]
Subject: FOI ID 3710 - Response to Request for Information

 

Dear Ms Davis

 

I write further to your recent request for information under the Freedom
of Information Act regarding Chaplains and would respond as follows:-

 

1.        

a.       The Trust does not have any specific policies or procedures
relating to a patients wishes to receive contract with a hospital chaplain
however, the attached two leaflets are made available and are accessible
for all patients admitted to Trust wards and explain the services
available if required.

 

b.      All Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy Volunteers receive stringent
training on their responsibilities and duties including the appropriate
way to approach individuals.

 

c.       The Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy Volunteers do not have access
to patients health records.  All health records are held under a duty of
confidentiality and access by Trust staff is limited strictly to those
with a legitimate relationship with the patient.

 

d.      In the event that Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy Volunteers are
privy to private and personal information about an individuals health
care, they are required to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of
this information in line with their contract of employment.  In addition,
all staff must undergo Information Governance training on an annual basis
setting out the legal responsibilities and Trust processes for the sharing
of information.  Staff are required to comply with Trust policies and
procedures regarding confidentiality.

 

2.       The Trust does not specifically have policies relating to the
provision of Chaplaincy Services however, the Trust Chaplains and
Chaplaincy Volunteers are employees of the Trust and required to comply
with all Trust policies and procedures.  Monitoring of adherence to this
is managed by the appointed Line Manager through individual personal
reviews, supervision and appraisals.  Trust Chaplains and Chaplaincy
Volunteers also receive spiritual support.

 

3.       As the monitoring is managed through individual personal reviews,
supervision and appraisals, this information is personal data and held as
part of the individuals employment record.  With this in mind, we regret
that we are unable to share such information as it is protected by the
Data Protection Act 1998.

 

4.       The Trust has reviewed its records for the past two years and can
find no record of any complaints or concerns being raised regarding the
Chaplaincy Services provided by the Trust. 

 

I confirm the information above and attached completes your request for
information.  I am also pleased to confirm that no charge will be made for
this request.

 

If you have any queries, about this response please contact me.  Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication. 
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request, and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to the Complaints Manager, Kent & Medway NHS & Social
Partnership Care Trust at 35 Kingshill Avenue, Kingshill, West Malling,
Kent, ME19 4AX.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.  Generally, the
Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
complaints procedure provided by the Trust’s Complaints Department.  The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at : The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF.

 

Yours sincerely

Claire Robson

 

 

 

Claire Robson (Mrs) LLM

Information Rights Manager

Southlands Assessment Unit

Rook Lane, Bobbing, Nr Sittingbourne, ME9 8DZ

 

Tel : 01795 845068

Fax : 01795 845064

[mobile number]

 

[3][email address] / [4][email address]

 

 
Have your say!  For free membership and more information please click
[5]www.kmpt.nhs.uk Together we can make a difference!

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/