We were delighted to announce our next ACGP conference at the start of this year. The conference presented a significant opportunity to increase awareness of the value and effectiveness of Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy. We aimed to empower those interested in offering a Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy service and further equip those already delivering it. The conference was aimed at anyone keen to learn about the benefits of Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy, including current and prospective Primary Healthcare Chaplains, health service commissioners, GPs, charitable funders and representatives of faith groups seeking to support wellbeing within their communities.
To view videos of the presentations given at this conference, you can visit our YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL62sSvMROuqGzR5N6TBn9O3P2f7X55m6X
Further details about this past event can be seen below:
Date: Friday 10th January 2025
Venue: Teaching and Learning Hub, University of Birmingham, B15 2SB
Time: 9:15 am - 5:30 pm, Registration from 8:30 - 9:15am
Our speakers:
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Seminars:
- Social Prescribing and Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy: This seminar will be led by Dr David Smart who has been involved in developing social prescribing services in Northamptonshire alongside Church partnerships. The session will have 4 sections:
Tuning in: sharing thoughts on social prescribing and the NASP definition
Exploring: considering the journey from illness through to Health and the place of faith communities amongst social prescribing pathways. David will discuss his experience in Northamptonshire including working with Public Health, and some of the ideas emerging nationally from the Theos and Church Works report which will be published in January (David has been part of the advisory board)
Connecting: Hearing from other examples of social prescribing including Anne Morgan and the development of the listening service
Action: Considering personal actions and opportunities for ongoing networks, learning from Desi Gradinarova Senior Policy Adviser – Wellbeing and Heritage Strategy and Listing Department, Policy and Evidence Group Historic England and National Association Social Prescribing. - Faith Communities and Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy: This seminar provides an opportunity to consider how the spiritual and pastoral care that exists within faith and community groups can be developed and connected with primary healthcare services. How could your local church, faith group or charity become better equipped to respond to the whole person/spiritual/mental health needs in your area through primary healthcare chaplaincy? How could this be done while ensuring that the individual’s cultural views and faith perspectives can be explored in a patient centred way?
- The interface between Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy and Holistic CBT, active listening and coaching: Primary Healthcare Chaplains bring a wealth of experience to the role, often drawing on skills and qualities from other disciplines. This seminar provides an opportunity to consider how the richness of other therapeutic interventions facilitates the distinctiveness of spiritual care offered in chaplaincy. With contributions from practitioners in the field, we will reflect on the wealth of interventions on offer.
- Experience in the provision of Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy: This interactive session will be led by those with experience of setting up and managing primary healthcare chaplaincy services in the NHS. It will create time to address questions about funding, provision, management, supervision, relationships with NHS bodies as well as discussing how spirituality and faith feature in this service. It will explore different models and give opportunity for participants to share their experiences.
- Public Health, Community Engagement and Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy: This seminar will give primary care Chaplains an opportunity to consider their own development needs. We will focus on how to create your portfolio of continuing professional development, with reference to best practice and achieving ACGP accreditation. With the patient/client at the centre, what do Chaplains need to provide excellent care, and how can you achieve this when time and resources are at a premium? The seminar is for those already practising as primary Chaplains, whether paid or unpaid, and for anyone just getting started.
- Maintaining excellence in Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy: ‘Health is not just the absence of disease, it is a state of physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being’ (WHO 1948). Working towards this broad view of health requires a breadth of integrated services of which Public Health often has the best overview. This seminar will be led by a Public Health director and will illustrate how community services can be developed and connected with primary healthcare and Primary Healthcare Chaplaincy.
Exhibitors
There were several exhibitor stalls during the networking periods of the conference. See below for a list of all exhibitors at our conference:
AtaLoss is a charity helping bereaved people find support and wellbeing in a society generally illiterate about bereavement and grief, by:
- raising awareness of the effect of bereavement and how to support through the media
- providing a signposting website of bereavement information and services, for comprehensive and holistic self-help and support
- training and equipping community support through churches, in particular the acclaimed The Bereavement Journey® programme.
Millions of people are bereaved in the UK every year, affecting every aspect of life. Therapists are usually the only help thought of or known and are generally oversubscribed. Unsupported grief is a main contributor to many societal issues, including mental and physical ill-health - but most people will navigate their grief healthily when understanding support is found. AtaLoss is bridging the gap.
To find out more about Ataloss, visit https://www.ataloss.org.
Ygam’s mission is clear: to prevent children and young people from experiencing gaming and gambling harms through awareness-raising, education and research. Our free-of-charge, City & Guilds assured workshops enable professionals to have proactive conversations with children and young people in relation to digital wellbeing, with particular focus on gaming and gambling harms, and are available to everyone who works or volunteers with the next generation.
To find out more about YGam, visit www.ygam.org.
The Guild of Health and St Raphael (also called GoHealth) is an ecumenical Christian organisation that offers a membership community, training, courses and resources to equip and inspire Christians to be a healing presence in the world. At GoHealth, our work combines faith, science and community to reach those on the frontline of healthcare in the UK today so that they can link their professional life with their core values and Christian faith. Together we are nurturing health and healing in ourselves, our communities and our world.
To find out more about GoHealth, visit www.gohealth.org.uk.
Nurturing the spiritual heart of healthcare
At WholeCare, we are passionate about the kind of healthcare that treats the whole person. What matters to the patient is what matters – whether physical, spiritual, psychological, or a combination, we recognise that these aspects are interconnected. By going beyond just the physical, this model ensures the patient is always at the centre of their care and that their human spirit is acknowledged. Whole person care benefits both patients and healthcare professionals by fostering collaboration across clinical specialisms as part of an integrated multi-disciplinary team.
Our mission is to foster excellence in whole person care through Chaplaincy, improving health outcomes and supporting the wellbeing of both patients and staff across healthcare settings. Our trustees are health professionals who bring decades of experience pioneering whole person healthcare, Chaplaincy in General Practice, staff wellbeing and Holistic cognitive behaviour therapy in various settings across the UK.
To find out more about WholeCare, visit www.wholecare.org.uk.
Spiritual, Pastoral, and Religious Care for Patients and Staff
Cappella Chaplaincy enhances patient and staff wellbeing through online 1:1 chaplaincy, counselling and mindfulness sessions, with in-person support available based on chaplain location. Our inclusive, confidential service provides a safe, non-judgmental space for everyone.
Our multi-faith chaplains are approachable, experienced and skilled in delivering spiritual, pastoral, and religious care tailored to individual needs. We respect and value all beliefs, offering support for life’s challenges and promoting spiritual wellbeing for people of all faiths or none.
What Makes Cappella Chaplaincy Unique:
- Diverse team: We come from various professional and cultural backgrounds and speak 7 languages.
- Specialised support: We address niche pastoral and wellbeing challenges that may intersect with ethnicity, faith, or language barriers.
- Expert practitioners: Our psychotherapists and counsellors are BACP-registered with over 40 years of experience.
- Workplace solutions: We offer change management and conflict resolution for teams to improve cohesion.
- Mindfulness programs: Tailored sessions reduce anxiety and stress, promoting calmness and wellbeing.
- Flexibility: We provide online support outside office hours and on weekends, as well as face-to-face sessions by appointment depending on geographical location.
- Global reach: Our services are accessible to individuals worldwide.
We also help organisations foster a culture of pastoral care and self-care through tailored training programs. These initiatives empower leaders to prioritise team wellbeing, creating healthier and more productive workplaces. By investing in wellbeing, organisations see reduced absenteeism, improved productivity, and notable cost savings.
At Cappella Chaplaincy, we listen deeply, invest in people, and affirm the inherent value of every individual. Together, we can create supportive environments where patients and employees alike feel valued, inspired, and empowered to thrive.
To find out more about Cappella Chaplaincy, visit https://cappellachaplaincy.com/If you have any further questions about the conference, please contact us here.
