The Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care Champion initiative – NHS Hero nomination

The Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care Champion initiative – NHS Hero nomination

A pioneering programme at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is helping to ensure patients’ spiritual, pastoral and emotional needs are recognised alongside their physical care.
 
The Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care (SPaRC) Champion initiative has been shortlisted in the Emerging Good Practice category at the 2026 Picker Patient Experience Network (PEN) Awards and has now been nominated in the NHS Hero category of the Your Heroes Awards.

More than 20 SPaRC Champions are now working across UHNM acting as a link between clinical teams and the Trust’s Chaplaincy Service.

The programme was developed in response to feedback from patients, carers and staff which highlighted that spiritual care was not routinely included in patients’ care plans.

Rev Chris Wright, Head of Chaplaincy at UHNM, said: “This is fantastic recognition of the dedication and compassion shown by our SPaRC Champions and everyone supporting the programme.

“We know from patients and carers how important spiritual support can be, but not everyone is aware this support is available during their hospital stay.

“The Champions have become a bridge between clinical teams and Chaplaincy, helping staff from across UHNM feel more confident having conversations with patients, understanding what matters to them and making sure the right support is available when it is needed.”

Champions receive dedicated training and support and have introduced a number of practical improvements including prompts to identify spiritual needs during admission, increased referrals to Chaplaincy and ward-based awareness campaigns.

Victoria Winsor, Discharge Facilitator on the Acute Medical Unit at Royal Stoke and a SPaRC Champion, said: “The programme has helped open up conversations about caring for the whole person, not just treating a physical condition.

“Sometimes simply asking a patient about their emotional or spiritual wellbeing gives them the chance to talk about something that is really worrying them and helps us make sure they get the right support.

“Seeing the positive difference that support can make is the best part of being a Champion.”