Referrals

How do I make a referral?

Referrals are classed as either urgent (to be seen immediately) or non urgent (to be seen within 24 hours or when agreed with referrer).
Referrals are made in the following ways:

• During office hours, by calling the Chaplaincy department on 023 8079 8517
• Outside office hours, if no one answers the telephone, please call switchboard on 023 8077 7222 and ask to be put in touch with the duty chaplain.
• Referrals can be made verbally to the link chaplain when on the ward.

The chaplains have formal records for each referral. We will ask the referrer the name of the patient, the next of kin, if appropriate, the medical condition, the faith of the patient (if relevant), the reason for the referral, the name and job role of the referrer (if they are a member of staff) and contact number. They will also ascertain the urgency of the referral in order to prioritise call outs.

Who can make a referral?

Anyone can make a referral to the Chaplaincy team – any member of staff, relative, friend, member of the patient’s faith community or the patient themselves. The chaplain will make sure with the patient that they are happy for the visit to take place.

 

How do I make referrals for people requiring support from faiths other than Christianity?

The Chaplaincy team hold details of faith representatives in the area, including contacts for Humanist and Spiritualist representatives. If the family are not able to contact their local faith leader themselves, the Chaplaincy team can arrange for someone of each major faith group to attend and will also offer support for the faith representative called in.

Can I refer relatives and carers?

Yes. Relatives and carers are often referred to the Chaplaincy service, especially if they are distressed, highly emotional, bereaved, are just about to have or have had bad news broken to them or they are deeply concerned about issues. It’s about offering support to them so that they are better able to support their loved ones. This support for relatives and carers is whilst the patient is in hospital and immediately afterwards, where required. Long-term support cannot be provided by the Chaplaincy team who will advise on appropriate support routes available, if this is required.