Registration/Membership & Fees

Registration/Membership Categories

All Members

  • Complete, accurate and contemporary professional record which is available for inspection on request e.g. CV and ongoing CPD evidence including reflections.
  • Declaration of compliance with the UKBHC Code of Conduct (2024).
  • Compliance with Continuing Professional Development requirements & re-accreditation every five (5) years.
  • Payment of the relevant registration fee.
  • Satisfactory references and/or endorsement following current UKBHC guidance Join.

The UKBHC differentiates categories of registration/membership relating to the level of experience of the applicant and their fitness to practice.

Full Registration:

Full registration is intended for chaplains/spiritual care professionals working at Agenda for Change Band 6 and above, and who have developed their competence through extended supervised practice and training to the level of an autonomous practitioner, i.e. responsible for a wide-ranging/ complex caseload of patients/clients.

Full Registration (Full Fees)

Either:

  • Board Accredited postgraduate chaplaincy qualification such as a Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Chaplaincy OR
  • Two (2) units of CPE in the Northern Ireland context alone OR
  • Completed the Portfolio route

AND

  • Evidence of relevant qualifications and training. This would normally include evidence of study relevant to the applicant’s faith community or belief group such as theology, religious studies, philosophy of religion and belief;
  • Employed as a healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional (honorary or paid) or as a chaplaincy volunteer in the UK

Associate Membership (Full fees)

  • Evidence of relevant qualifications and training. This would normally include evidence of study relevant to the applicant’s faith community or belief group such as theology, religious studies, philosophy of religion and belief;
  • Employed as a healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional (honorary or paid) in the UK, at a level/or equivalent of AfC 5 or above.
  • Not yet completed any formal post-graduate chaplaincy study routes OR
  • Has completed a post-graduate chaplaincy certificate/diploma/degree from a course/institution which has not been accredited by UKBHC.

Student Membership (PG Certificate Route) (Reduced fees)

  • Evidence of undertaking a UKBHC-accredited post-graduate chaplaincy study, for example, a Post-Graduate Certificate/Diploma/Masters level in Healthcare Chaplaincy 2.
  • Evidence of a minimum of 900 hours of clinically supervised practice as a healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional (equivalent to six months autonomous supervised practice in most contexts), for example in a chaplaincy placement supervised by a board-registered healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional.

Student Membership (CPE Route) (Reduced Fees)

  • Undertaking two (2) units of approved Clinical Pastoral Education and full submission of relevant papers written
  • Evidence of at least six (6) calendar months of competent practice as a healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional, for example, in a chaplaincy placement supervised and signed-off by a board-registered healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional.

Student and/or Associate Membership (Portfolio Route) (reduced Fees)
The Portfolio Route includes the requirement that the individual demonstrate that they are:

  • Safe to practice
  •  Informed about the principles and practice of chaplaincy and
  •  Able to critically reflect on their professional experience, to qualify for full registration

Paperwork to be submitted:

  1. A completed application form, including a list of elements of the portfolio.
  2. Evidence would be presented of an equivalent quantity of learning that has already been undertaken and therefore include a track record of their time in Chaplaincy detailing their experience of that work, and the specific ways in which they have engaged in learning, critical reflection and professional development.
    • The evidenced learning could include, for example:
      • Accredited, or non-accredited courses
      • Training provided by an NHS Trust
      • Healthcare chaplaincy CPD programmes and/or courses
      • Critical reflection on practice with a line manager (including through appraisal)
      • Critical reflection on practice with a mentor, coach, supervisor, etc
      • Individual study
      • Providing training or education for others (e.g. healthcare staff, chaplaincy colleagues, chaplaincy volunteers)
      • Critical reflection on practice as a line manager (including through appraisal of other chaplains)
      • Critical reflection on practice with other chaplains as a mentor, coach, supervisor, etc

3.  The portfolio will need to include a paper or papers equivalent to his, on the applicant’s understanding of healthcare chaplaincy and the models of care that shape their practice. Each paper will need to show that the applicant can relate published or recognised models of healthcare chaplaincy to their practice.

  • Example:  Two pieces of work (e.g. written paper; video presentation with handout) each of which covers a different aspect of the theory and practice of healthcare chaplaincy, such as:
    • A written paper, discussing what overarching models of healthcare chaplaincy are appropriate to religious, spiritual and pastoral care in a multi-belief healthcare context; and how these shape and enable the chaplain’s practice (up to 4,000 words)
    • A video presentation with a written handout, discussing chaplaincy approaches and roles in a particular healthcare setting (e.g. acute medicine, palliative care; mental health care), focusing on a particular case (equivalent to up to 2,000 words)

The pieces of work would each identify and evaluate the sources used (e.g. publications relating to models of healthcare chaplaincy)

4.  The portfolio will need to include at least three case studies that include an example of chaplaincy practice (e.g. a verbatim of an    encounter with a patient) a critical commentary on the practice and a discussion of critical issues arising. These case studies should evidence an equivalent amount of supervised healthcare chaplaincy practice and critical reflection on that practice.

    • Example:  Three case studies of not more than 2,000 words each, where each case study:
      • Details a separate example of chaplaincy practice (e.g. via a verbatim set in context).
      • Identifies critical issues arising from the practice example.
      • Reflects (using an identified model of critical reflection) on those issues.
      • Draws, as appropriate, on the chaplain’s faith/belief tradition and established approaches to chaplaincy.
    • Together, the three case studies would show the breadth of coverage of chaplaincy practice as well as the depth of critical reflection in each case.

5. The applicant will need to provide a map of how they have developed the UKBHC capabilities and competencies appropriate to a
Band 6 post through the different elements of learning included in the portfolio. The map would need to reference particular pieces of learning included, or named, in the portfolio against each competence (although a specific piece of learning could be referenced more than once).

They will also need to provide evidence of having completed recent safeguarding training and having a current DBS.

Criteria
The portfolio will be assessed according to the following criteria, in particular, that it offers evidence of:

  • The chaplain’s development of the capabilities and competencies necessary for a Band 6 Healthcare Chaplaincy post (as set out by UKBHC)
  • 600 hours of learning, critical reflection and professional development that supported and enabled the development of those capabilities and competencies
    • Within those 600 hours, 200 hours of supervised practice (preferably with a Fully Board Registered Chaplain) on which the chaplain has reflected critically, drawing on recognised understandings of chaplaincy and, as appropriate, their own faith/belief tradition
  • An understanding of the theory and practice of healthcare chaplaincy, developed through critical reflection on published models and approaches, which demonstrably shapes and enables the chaplain’s practice.

Cost:  £350 for Assessment of Portfolio


Affiliate Membership – Fee:  £30.00

Available to Healthcare Chaplaincy Volunteers, AfC Band 3 Pastoral Care Support Worker and Band 4 Pastoral Care Assistant subject to the following criteria:

  • Evidence of at least six (6) calendar months of competent practice as a healthcare chaplaincy volunteer, healthcare pastoral care support worker or healthcare pastoral care assistant, supervised by a board-registered healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional.
  • Maintain an up-to-date record of CPD


Senior Associate Honorary Membership
For those within five years of stepping down from Full Registration and Employment as Healthcare Chaplains/spiritual care professionals who wish to remain a registrant/member of UKBHC:
• Maintain an up-to-date record of CPD
• Continue to have interest/involvement in Healthcare Chaplaincy
Minimal fees £10 per annum with any services to the Board being given pro bono

Suspended

  • Awaiting payment of fees,
  • Production of CPD,
  • Investigation of misconduct

Unless there are exceptional circumstances the maximum period a person will be suspended from the Register before removal is six (6) months.

Removed

  • Due to non-payment of fees
  • Not producing CPD OR
  • Misconduct

 

Provisional or Student Membership:

Provisional or Student membership is intended for chaplains/spiritual care professionals in their first appointment who have developed the competence of a practitioner responsible for a routine caseload of patients/clients or students undertaking a programme of academic study such as a Post-Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Chaplaincy. It is expected that chaplains/spiritual care professionals with provisional or student membership will go on to apply for full registration once they have fulfilled the requirements for supervised practice and the development of their knowledge and skills as a healthcare chaplain/spiritual care professional.

Registered or Member with conditions

Conditions may be appropriate where there is evidence of incompetence or significant shortcomings in practice but where the Professional Conduct panel can be satisfied that there is potential for the chaplain/spiritual care professional to respond positively to training and supervision. The purpose is to enable the chaplain to remedy any deficiencies in his or her practice whilst the meantime protecting patients from harm. The chaplain/spiritual care professional will be subject to a future review hearing to determine whether the objectives of any conditions have been achieved. Any conditions should be appropriate, proportionate, workable and measurable.

Suspended

Suspension for a defined period is likely to be appropriate:

  1. For serious misconduct, but not so serious as to justify removal from the register (for example where there may have been acknowledgement of fault and where the panel is satisfied that the behaviour or incident is unlikely to be repeated);
  2. In a case of deficient performance in which the chaplain/spiritual care professional poses a risk of harm to patients but where there is evidence that he or she has gained insight into their deficiencies and has the potential to be rehabilitated if prepared to undergo a programme of education and training. During the period of suspension, the chaplain/spiritual care professional should not practise as an autonomous practitioner and should not perform on-call duties. [the GMC does not permit doctors to practice during the suspension but allows contact with patients under the supervision of a fully registered practitioner]. The chaplain/spiritual care professional will be subject to a future review hearing which will determine whether the objectives of the suspension have been achieved.

Removed

A chaplain/spiritual care professional may be removed from the Register to protect patients and the wider public interests. Cases of serious misconduct may lead to removal and include sexual misconduct, dishonesty, a serious failure to act in the patient’s best interest, and a serious failure to meet standards of professional performance. A conviction or caution in the British for a criminal offence, or a conviction elsewhere for an offence which, if committed in England and Wales, would constitute a criminal offence may also be grounds for removal.

Not Registered/Member

A chaplain/spiritual care professional who cannot meet the criteria for registration/membership or provides insufficient information or evidence to meet the criteria cannot be registered or have membership.

Registration Fees

Registration Fee for 2024

Registration Fee for 2024  is £60 and will be requested in January each year.  The fee is comparable with other healthcare professions and considerably lower than some. Non-payment of fees within a reasonable period of time will result in registration being cancelled.
 

Professional Registration/Membership

During 2017 The Board achieved Voluntary Professional Registration with the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).  Your Board Registration/Membership Fee includes the annual registration fee for the PSA.

Updating your Personal Information

When you go to the fee payments page you will be asked to update your personal information.  Please ensure we have both Work and Personal E-Mail Addresses as well as work and personal landline and mobile telephone numbers as this will help us keep in touch with reminders and information.

How do I pay?

The Board has a secure automated system using PayPal to handle and record payments. All registrants/members will be notified via email with details of how to make your payment. You can access the payment page using the link below. If you are not already logged in to the UKBHC website, you will be asked to log in before you can access the page.

A small number of registrants/members have reported difficulties with PayPal not accepting their payment. Please note the following advice:

  • You may need to make your payment from your home as some NHS systems block personal payments and websites such as PayPal.
  • If you have ever used PayPal in the past the system may recognise some of your details and require you to login to your account rather than pay by card.

If you are unable to pay your fee using PayPal you can pay by cheque to the treasurer or BACS but be advised it can take up to four weeks for a BACS payment to be confirmed. If you pay by cheque or BACS please remember to update your personal information on the UKBHC Website, particularly your e-mail address.