There are 14 voting members of the board made up as follows:

• Four ex-officio directors consisting of the most senior honorary office-holders/representatives of AHPCC, CHCC, NIHCA and SPLG (Scottish  Professional Leadership Group for Spiritual Care); 
• Four appointed professional directors
• Four lay members
• The Chair and Secretary are appointed by the Board. 

The Board may also co-opt up to four non-voting members.

Profiles for board members can be accessed by clicking on individual names.

Current Board Membership

Tony Brookes (Chairperson)

Derek Johnston (Secretary)

Claudia Francis (Treasurer)

Anne Edwards (Registrar) – Please Note: The Registrar is an officer of the board, reports to the Board and is in attendance at Board meetings but does not have voting rights.

Professional Associations (ex Officio Officers)

Jill Thornton  – Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains (AHPCC)

Simon Harrison – College of Healthcare Chaplains (CHCC)

Michael McMillan  – Northern Ireland Healthcare Chaplains’ Association ( NIHCA)

Dawn Allan – Scottish Professional Leadership Group for Spiritual Care (SPLG)

Lay Members

Linda Ross

Lorna Jones

Martin Garrity

Professional Members

Derek Fraser

Paul Nash 

Vacant

Co-opted (non-voting) Members 

Mark Evans – National Spiritual Care Strategic Advisor Operational Lead Scotland

Andrew Todd – Academic Adviser

Mark Newitt – Chaplaincy Forum Chair

Shaykh Yunus Dudhwala

On 11th September 2015 The UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy was registered with Companies house as UKBHC Ltd,  a Private Company Limited by Gurantee.  The Articles of Association detail the format of the company and the Board has published Standing Orders (2015) that outline the workings of the Board.  The Standing Orders are available to download below.

Attachment                                                                         Size

Standing Orders of UKBHC Ltd September 2020

Articles of Association UKBHC Ltd.  

UKBHC exists to support the work of the three professional chaplaincy bodies in the UK and the Scottish Professional Leadership Group for Spiritual Care (SPLG).

The board was formed through a Memorandum of Understanding which gave the Board powers to pursue the objects contained in its Standing Orders and in particular to work towards professional registration of Healthcare Chaplaincy.  The three professional bodies are as follows:

The Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains is the UK body which exists to promote good standards among chaplains involved in the pastoral and spiritual care of people facing death from a life threatening illness, as they seek to:

• Assess and address complex spiritual and religious needs
• Discern and respond to the cultural, spiritual and religious needs, traditions and practices of all, including those of no faith
• Ensure that all spiritual and religious care is person led

In so doing, the AHPCC:

• Identifies and promotes good practice in religious and spiritual care
• Is an agent of professional development
• Provides professional support and fellowship
• Promotes links with the constituency of palliative care and relevant church bodies and faith communities

For further information and links go to the AHPCC website.

The College of Health Care Chaplains is a multi-faith, interdenominational, professional organisation, which is open to all recognised healthcare chaplaincy staff, both paid and voluntary, and to those with an interest in healthcare chaplaincy.  It is the largest professional membership body for chaplains in the UK.  The College exists to promote the professional standing of healthcare chaplaincy and that of its members both nationally and within health and social care organisations;

• By supporting members in their individual professional roles and aspirations
• By representing chaplaincy in the wider context to employers and others

Most of this work relates to chaplains working in the NHS, including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but the wider membership includes those working in hospices and the voluntary and private sectors, and those with an interest in UK health care chaplaincy, whether or not they are based in the UK.

For further information and links go to the CHCC website.

The Northern Ireland Healthcare Chaplains Association is the representative and consultative body for healthcare chaplains in Northern Ireland. The values it promotes are:

• The dignity and worth of all
• Faith as an essential dimension of wholeness
• Spiritual care of persons, communities, organisations and systems
• Inclusivity and diversity
• Justice and equality
• Professional competency and ethical practice.

The aims of NIHCA are:

• To support healthcare chaplains to carry out their responsibilities
• To provide a forum for sharing opinions and increasing knowledge
• To keep up to date with best practice and disseminate this information to chaplains
• To facilitate and provide appropriate training and encourage appropriate professional and vocational development
• To encourage theological and pastoral reflection
• To establish and promote good working relationships with religious and other organisations involved with healthcare

For further information and links go to the NIHCA website.

UKBHC is hoping to recruit at least one voluntary Lay Director to assist with the work of the Board. We want to raise awareness of this opportunity and ask you to distribute this more widely to individuals, registrants and groups as appropriate.

Sincere thanks for your assistance,

Derek Johnston

(UKBHC secretary)

……………………………………………………………………

UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy (UKBHC) Lay Director position (voluntary role): 

UKBHC has at least one exciting volunteer opportunity for anyone who can demonstrate commitment to supporting the highest standards of safe and effective Chaplaincy/spiritual care in UK health and social care. 

Healthcare Chaplains promote pastoral, spiritual and religious well-being through skilled compassionate person-centred care. This is available to our patients, their families and carers, staff, volunteers and students.  They enable people to celebrate according to their religion or belief within NHS and other healthcare settings and support those facing tough situations such as the death of a loved one, psychosis, being diagnosed with life-threatening conditions and people who are receiving end-of-life care, as well as being alongside those who just appreciate having a listening ear or a time to chat.

The purpose of the UK Board is to safeguard the well-being of the public by ensuring that healthcare chaplains deliver the highest standards of safe and effective care.  The Board do this by supporting and promoting the work of healthcare chaplaincy through:

a) Maintaining a register of accredited healthcare chaplains, which is recognised by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA);

b) Setting standards for education and practice;

c) Giving guidance to the registrants on matters relating to their role; and

d) The provision of Professional Advisers in the filling of vacancies

The Board is currently seeking to add at least one volunteer Lay Director to our existing team.

Please see the attached Expression of Interest for further information and the website – UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy – UKBHC 

We would particularly welcome interest from applicants who have experience and skills in governance and/or communication. 

Lay Director Expression of Interest 2024.Doc