Our Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care (SPaRC) team has developed a comprehensive and innovative mobile web app to supplement its face-to-face practice on the wards and corridors of the Trust.

View the video below (also available in Urdu here) or read on to learn more about the web app.

The SPaRC web app provides a range of multi-faith support services that patients, their loved ones and colleagues working within the Trust can access directly from any device.

Developed in conjunction with patients and staff, it offers a broad mix of helpful and inclusive resources, sensitively designed to help, guide and comfort those with any belief or none.

Among the many services the web app offers, you can:

• Listen to one of our practitioners or access materials providing words of comfort and helpful perspectives
• Access self-help materials, such as mindfulness recordings, religious songs, common prayers and specific prayers for critical moments
• View a multi-belief guide written by experts providing a holistic understanding of traditional and culturally sensitive support and care considerations
• Read information about our SPaRC practitioners, introductory videos and ways to request a visit from a member of the team
• Request resources, such as holy books, prayer mats and beads
• Translate the content into multiple languages

The web app was funded by Bradford Hospitals Charity and was a finalist in both the HSJ and Nursing Times Awards last year.

The Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care (SPaRC) team is made up of representatives of different beliefs and is here for staff and patients of all beliefs, including all major and minor world religions and those with worldviews that are more humanist or individual in nature. All beliefs are regarded as equal and we endeavour to understand your individual needs, responding in ways that bring you calm and strength.

Our team is present every day of the week, walking the wards and making visits on request. We will listen to you without judgement as it is your agenda, not ours, that leads our conversations.

If you are seeking specific religious support, we are a diverse team and we will endeavour to respond with resources and prayers as appropriate for your needs and wishes.

In September 2021 the Bradford Model for Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care was launched setting ambitious service standards for the coming period to promote a fully integrated and inclusive service at the Trust. At this point the team changed its name from Chaplaincy to SPaRC as we knew that the name was off-putting to some people and we wanted to build a fully inclusive service where our team work flexibly to offer pastoral and spiritual care to all and religious care to those who request it.

As part of our innovative approach to inclusive care we have developed the SPaRC App to support staff and patients in their spiritual wellbeing.

Please enquire if you’re interested in a localised subscription to access this app.

We are a diverse team of core staff and bank staff who operate across all the trust sites and facilities.  The SPaRC team are all committed to working in a cross-belief way that recognising the individuality of personal beliefs, the existential questions that may arise in acute care and the comfort of the familiar. We are all people who have a strong belief in the power of kindness and the importance of listening.  We all have a deep respect for the beliefs of others and an appreciation of the value of working alongside each other.

You are welcome to contact us to request a visit or meeting to leave feedback.

Telephone (with voicemail) 01274 365819

SPaRCteam@bthft.nhs.uk

Bradford Royal Infirmary
Duckworth Lane
Bradford
BD9 6RJ

Currently the team are available on site Monday to Friday 0830 till 1630. A member of the team is on call 1630 till 0830 each weekday and throughout the weekend.

The Chapel at BRI is located near the main Duckworth Lane entrance and is open daily.

Another chapel space is located at St. Luke’s alongside the Muslim prayer facilities which can be found on Level 0, Horton Wing (Signposted ‘Place of Worship’).

At the BRI, the staff Muslim Prayer Room is on the left as you approach the Duckworth Lane main entrance carpark. There is a public use Muslim Prayer Room located near the Duckworth Lane entrance.

We are hoping to introduce more quiet and reflective spaces in the future as we recognise that our facilities do not yet meet the needs of all staff and patients.

• WebApp
• SPaRC Characteristics
• SPaRC Service Standards
• Cross Belief Ethos
• Ramadan Friendly Employer