Regulation of Healthcare Chaplaincy
Authorisation and Regulation Project
The Authorisation and Regulation project is designed to complete the MFGHC's work of developing authorisation processes for healthcare chaplains within the nine world Faith Communities of which it is comprised and to then extend that work so that all nine authorising bodies work together as a regulatory body for healthcare chaplaincy. (It has subsequently (September 2009) been decided that MFGHC should not itself be the regulatory body – instead it is working to create an independent regulatory body.)
The form of that regulatory body will be designed to serve as the vehicle whereby healthcare chaplaincy can claim to be a healthcare profession regulated to agreed standards of education and practise in accordance with best Department of Health guidance.
The approach being adopted by the project is to seek involvement and engagement in these authorisation and regulatory issues from chaplains, Faith Communities, chaplaincy bodies, the Department of Health and the NHS. In this way, the isolated initiatives made over the last several years can be added together to achieve a comprehensive whole which is owned and shared by all stakeholders.
Such consensus working has been difficult to achieve to date and may still lead to stresses and strains on established linkages and alliances. For this reason, the project is establishing a reference group chaired by a senior NHS Chairman to serve as a forum to discuss and resolve differences and to record agreements.
The project will use methodology based on PRINCE2 which is the NHS standard for project management. Much of the detail will be developed over time but the strategy will be based on that advocated by the Voluntary Regulation Council.
Contact with the project board can be made via the Chairman (chair@mfghc.com), the project director (chief.officer@mfghc.com) or the project officer (project.officer@mfghc.com )
Regulatory Framework
The MFGHC has completed its view of the regulatory framework which might apply to regulation of healthcare chaplains. This framework can only be implemented with the support of all stakeholders in healthcare chaplaincy and MFGHC is working to foster that support as soon as is practicable. In the meantime the following elements of the regulatory framework are made available here for information and comment as you may wish:
- Capabilities and competences of healthcare chaplains
- Code of practice for healthcare chaplains
- Continuing professional development of healthcare chaplains
- Common standards for registration of healthcare chaplains
- Registration arrangements for healthcare chaplains
- The Healthcare Chaplaincy Regulatory Council and its supporting Committees
- Articles of association of the proposed Regulatory Council
- Appeals procedures operated by the Regulatory Council
- Fitness to practice procedures operated by the Regulatory Council
- Staffing, costs, and miscellaneous duties of the Regulatory Council
Survey of Chaplains
Although the project has received helpful and informed comment from a range of chaplains, the Project Board hoped that it could elicit a wider and more general view about regulation and its detail. To this end, the Project Board is undertaking a short survey which it is hoped that chaplains will complete and submit.
The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/s/MFGHC
Or can be completed using the copy attached which can be downloaded and completed manually. When completed, the survey form should be returned to the project officer at PO Box 2261, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6WE. An analysis of survey responses will be available on this webpage post November.
Survey Report
The Executive Committee agreed that the report on the survery of chaplains should be made available widely and that it should be sent to all chaplaincy bodies for information and necessary action. The report will also be discussed between MFGHC and UKBHC and a copysent to the Department of Health.
Authorisation and Regulation of Healthcare Chaplaincy
Milestones for the project
Milestone A
Agree the Draft Project Brief and Approach with the Project Board (The MFGHC Executive Committee)
Milestone B
Recruit Chair for Reference Group (Champions Board)
Milestone C
Finalise Project Plan
Milestone D
Finalise authorisation arrangements for remaining faith communities
Milestone E
Reference Group meeting
Milestone F
Report back on NHS and faith communities views re code of conduct, education pathways, fitness to practice
Milestone G
Draft code of conduct for consultation
Milestone H
Report outcome of meetings with education providers re education pathways and CPD
Milestone I
Determine Governance arrangements for MFGHC including Trustee status
Milestone J
Finalise registration form following consultation
Milestone K
Recruit Lay Reps on Trustee Board
Milestone L
Submission of proposals
Background Papers
- PowerPoint Slides presentation by Chairman to the North Western Collaborative meeting October 2009
- PowerPoint slides from presentation to MFGHC Council February 2009
- More information about the Project Plan
- Structure for the Authorisation and Regulation Project
- Regulation diagram