Celebrating Spiritual Care Week 2025

This week marks Spiritual Care Week – also known as Pastoral Care Week – an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the compassionate work of spiritual caregivers across healthcare settings.

At County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT), we are proud to take this opportunity to celebrate the invaluable contribution of our Trust Chaplaincy Service, who provide vital emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and colleagues across all our sites.

The team offers spiritual, pastoral, and religious care to individuals of all faiths and none, ensuring everyone receives compassionate support tailored to their personal beliefs and needs.

The Chaplaincy Team operates across all CDDFT hospitals, including Darlington Memorial Hospital, University Hospital of North Durham, and Bishop Auckland Hospital, as well as community hospitals in Shotley Bridge, Chester-le-Street, Weardale, Richardson, and Sedgefield. They are available 24 hours a day for urgent calls, providing immediate support in times of crisis.

Last month, CDDFT recorded a special podcast with Catherine Minor, one of our long-standing chaplains. Catherine reflects on her role within the Trust, sharing both the challenges and rewards of being a healthcare chaplain. The episode can be found below, the RSS feed or via your usual podcast provider.

Our Chaplaincy Service is here to support staff as well as patients, offering care to people of all faiths and none. Find out more in the short video below.

The team also leads the Faith Staff Network Group, which provides a space for colleagues to connect, share experiences, and reflect on workplace culture from a faith perspective.

This week serves as a reminder of the vital role our chaplains play in providing comfort, compassion, and understanding — ensuring that spiritual care remains at the heart of the Trust’s approach to wellbeing and inclusion.