The Narrative
The Narrative information digest is a free monthly email for health and social care chaplaincy supported, amongst others, by the CHCC. Each edition contains:
- A short opening reflection normally sharing a poem or short piece of reflective prose.
- Information and resources that have been shared or updated recently.
- Links to forthcoming courses, events, and CPD opportunities suitable for chaplains.
- When shared, details of good practice or innovative ideas in a section called ‘Opening up the Black Box.’
- Details, with brief comments, to new research or articles relevant to chaplaincy/spiritual care.
- Current health and social care vacancies.
You can access previous episodes here.
Research First Journal Club
The college is delighted to support a monthly UK wide digital journal club, organised as a joint venture by the CHCC and Free Churches Group (FCG) and supported and promoted by the Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains, NHS Education for Scotland, the Northern Ireland Healthcare Chaplains Association and the Paediatric Chaplaincy Network. The journal club provides opportunity to earn up to 3 CPD points accredited by the UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy (for full details, see the latest issue of the Digest or The Narrative).
Through 2025 the Journal Club will meet towards the end of each month, meeting between 14:00 and 15:15. Dates for the next few months are:
- Wednesday 4th December 12:45 to 14:00, exploring: den Toom, N., Visser, A., Körver, J., & Walton, M. N. (2024). ‘The perceived impact of being a chaplain-researcher on professional practice’, Journal of health care chaplaincy, 30(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2022.2132036 (open access)
- Thursday 30th January 2025, exploring: Kentish-Barnes, Nancy. et al., ‘A three-step support strategy for relatives of patients dying in the intensive care unit: a cluster randomised trial’, The Lancet, vol 399, Issue 10325, Pages 656-664 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02176-0.
- Tuesday 25th February 2025
- Monday 31st March 2025
If you have questions about the journal club, or would like to receive diary invites for the sessions, contact mark.newitt@freechurches.org.uk
NB – CHCC members have free online access to Health and Social Care Chaplaincy. Instructions on how to register for access are in the Members Area (requires log in to view).
Pop-up Reflective Practice
Reflective practice is part of the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities described in the UKBHC Capabilities and Competences (2015) document. Similarly, within the Spiritual Care Competences for Healthcare Chaplains (2020) document agreed for Scotland, is recognised as one of four domains of healthcare chaplaincy competence. As part of the process of continuing professional development chaplains are expected to demonstrate the ability to reflect upon practice in order to develop and inform their professional practice. Reflective practice, as described by Mark Stobert, is a form of supervision that is underpinned by a reflective practice mindset. It uses the potential of ‘reframing’ situations to unearth creative responses to those situations and to develop new knowledge of practice for those situations. Over time it becomes a developing state of mind so that we can reflect in action, not just on action. These pop-up sessions are for anyone to join, but are particularly aimed at those in smaller teams who might otherwise struggle to engage in reflective practice.
It may be helpful to read through the participants guide before a session and this framework provides some background to Mark Stobert’s understanding of the reflective practice paradigm.
Dates for 2025 are as follows:
• March 6th 10:00 to 11:00
• March 25th 15:00 to 16:00
• April 28th 12:00 to 13:00
• May 21st 15:00 to 16:00
• July 3rd 10:00 to 11:00
• August 13th 12:00 to 13:00
• September 11th 14:00 to 15:00
A reflection sheet for chaplains to use before the session to help think about what they might have on their mind and after the session to record learning can be downloaded from here (Word).
For more information or links/diary invites to session please contact Mark Newitt.