News from our Sector Ministers  

Revd Dan Foster

Volunteer Chaplain at Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury

I love being a volunteer hospital chaplain here. As you can see from the photo, Tunbridge Wells Hospital is in fact in Pembury and since I am the pastor of Pembury Baptist Church it’s just up the road - I ride my bike here to save faffing about trying to park. On most wards the patients have their own individual room with an ensuite bathroom. Great for those who don’t mind their own company - and infection control - but for the more social types, as well as those who are in for any length of time, it can feel like prison and they go stir-crazy. Every room has a TV but only some of them actually work. So often people are just desperate for a bit of company and a chat - which generally the (superb) staff are too busy to offer. 
 
I take each person as I find them and everyone is just so different. Some people are too ill to talk whereas others going through a major life crisis are asking deep questions. Some are super grateful and can’t thank the staff enough. Others (on the same ward) are much more critical. Many just want to be listened to. Some weeks the conversations feel pretty surface-level and no-one seems to want prayer, on other times it feels like a series of divine appointments and I end up praying for quite a few people. Usually it’s a bit of both.
 
There are paid chaplains here (FT and PT) and as I’m also registered as a bank chaplain I occasionally do a longer shift to help out. Then, instead of just going round my usual ward, I get given a list of people who have requested a chaplain. We have ongoing reflective sessions led by our wonderful leader Rev Amanda Pink and with it being the NHS there are umpteen bits of online training to complete. 
 
It’s the one time of the week I put a dog collar on. It means some patients get a scare as they think I’m visiting for their last rites. Only occasionally does someone want to send me packing. I often get called ‘Father’ or even ‘Padre’ by staff members and I try to remember to be friendly (but not too fake) to passers-by in the corridor!