Chaplaincy

The Trust’s Chaplaincy team provides spiritual, pastoral and religious care to patients, relatives and staff. We recognise that all people have a spiritual dimension to their lives - those things which give you a sense of identity, meaning and purpose.

The Trust employs four chaplains, the Senior Chaplain the Reverend Bob Simmonds, supported by the Reverend Tumaini Kalaghe,  the Reverend Richard Bainbridge and Andy Ferguson. The Roman Catholic Chaplain is Father John Paul Lyttle and the Muslim Chaplain is Iman Mohammad Qari.

Whatever your circumstances or beliefs, you may find that you would value the opportunity to talk with someone in confidence about your feelings or thoughts. You do not have to be "religious" to talk to a chaplain. We are committed to care for each individual and to respect all people regardless of race, religion, creed or belief, gender, culture or lifestyle.

The team is made up of Christian and Muslim chaplains, who are employed by the Trust. There are also honorary chaplains representing other major world faiths.

We operate a 24 hour on-call service. Contact details of which can be found below.

Our office is located on level 2, at the end of the corridor next to the Cashier's Office (main entrance Craven Road). 

Contact us

To call a chaplain, please ask a member of staff to contact the department or self refer by telephoning 0118 322 7105 where you can speak to a chaplain or leave a message. If you need to make an urgent referral at anytime of day or night please phone the hospital switchboard on 0118 322 5111 and ask for the duty chaplain. If you need a Roman Catholic Chaplain or the Imam please make this clear when speaking to switchboard.

Places for quiet reflection:

• The RBH Chapel is open and lit during the day and night and for many people is a place of prayer and quiet. (The Chapel is shut after 10.00pm for security reasons.) The space is deeply rooted in the history of the hospital from a Christian perspective. It is located just inside the London Road entrance to the hospital in North Block.
• The Sanctuary is designed to be used by people of all faiths or none and for this reason there are no religious symbols. It is a hope that people will find this space a haven of peace for quiet reflection and contemplation. It can be found on Level 2 in the Concourse in Centre Block a short distance down the corridor to the left of the ‘Welcome Desk’. Muslim prayers are held here on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1.00-2.00pm and on Friday between 12.30-2.15pm.