The Register
Administering a register of healthcare chaplains is a core function of the UKBHC. The register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
The UKBHC maintains a professional register to demonstrate the accountability of healthcare chaplains to the patients and their carers, to employers and colleagues in healthcare chaplaincy and other healthcare professions. The maintaining of a register will, in turn, promote high standards of practice and behaviour and support professional regulation. Chaplains approved by the Board will be entitled to refer to themselves as a ‘Board Registered Chaplain’.
As visible evidence of our professional registration with UKBHC, and as approved by PSA, all fully registered chaplains are encouraged to include both UKBHC and PSA logos/quality marks as part of their email signature and on other chaplaincy communication. This helps promote the profession and gives assurance of their standing and practice.
Like all healthcare professionals, chaplains are required to meet educational standards, participate in training and maintain a record of continuous professional development. You can find out more about the standards of education healthcare chaplains are required to meet here.
Full registration status would indicate that a Chaplain is working within the professional parameters set down by the UKBHC and is deemed fit to practise. To maintain registration a chaplain needs to demonstrate:
- Complete, accurate and contemporary personal record.
- A Continuing Professional Development activity log.
- No known professional misconduct issues.
- A chaplain may have a different registration status, including ‘Provisional/Student’, ‘Affiliate’, ‘Registered with conditions’, ‘Suspended’, ‘Removed’ or ‘Not Registered’.
One of the major benefits of the creation and maintenance of a register of healthcare chaplains is public safety. The UKBHC would want to hear from patients and carers who have any concerns about the fitness of any Chaplain to practise – see ‘Making a Complaint‘.
Dual Registration
Some chaplains who are on the UKBHC Register also have dual registration. For professional or other reasons, they are registrants of two or more professional registers. Please use The Register’s search function to see if a chaplain is a Board Registered Chaplain and their registration status. If a Board Registered Chaplain has been disciplined, suspended, or removed, that designation will be shown beside the chaplain’s name together with the date of same.
Some chaplains for instance also practice as counsellors or psychotherapists. In this instance, a registered chaplain has trained in counselling or psychotherapy and therefore registers in two different but allied fields.
Below are links to other professional bodies so that you may know of them and if necessary be able to access them easily to progress enquiries or complaints.
Association of Child Psychotherapists
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, which also has a specific register page (see below).
British Association of Play Therapists
British Psychoanalytic Council
Health and Care Professions Council
The National Counselling Society
The Nursing and Midwifery Council
UKCP, which also has a specific register page (see below).
Professional Standards Authority
Patient & Public Involvement
Listed below are a number of websites related to patient and public involvement and recent health legislation.
National Library for Health: This Library aims to support the implementation of patient, user, carer and public involvement in health care by providing access, in one location, to the best information which is freely available on the Web.
Department of Health: Provides policy background, information and links to publications. Click here for information specific to patient and public involvement.
Legislation in England: Section 242 of the NHS Act 2006 requires NHS organisations in England to involve and consult patients and the public in:
1. planning of the provision of services
2. development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided
3. decisions made by the NHS organisation affecting the operation of services
Further, the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, enhances and clarifies section 242, stressing its relevance to the manner in which services are delivered and the range of services. It also places a new duty on Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to report on consultation.
Local Involvement Networks (LINks)
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/links/Pages/links-make-it-happen.aspx