Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Over the past few years Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has been involved in a pilot study exploring the feasibility of introducing Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) as a training programme for healthcare chaplains within an English healthcare setting. CPE is the main training programme for healthcare chaplains in various national contexts including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the USA. Underpinned by an ‘action-reflection-action’ theory of education it is a form of adult transformative process learning designed for those working in pastoral care. The findings of assessment work put in place around the first unit can be read in this paper (and there is a lay summary of the article that can be accessed here.)

On Thursday 13^th March 2025, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals will be holding a CPE open day. This day will provide an opportunity to observe an aspect of CPE, to learn more about what CPE involves, to meet and ask questions to both a CPE Educator as well as chaplains who have taken CPE, and also to meet and talk with Lindsay de Wal, the Head of Chaplaincy at Sheffield, about her vision for the department. To register interest, please contact rachel.oleary5@nhs.net PA to Lindsay de Wal.

There are also currently two places available on an online CPE unit being run by the Education Centre at Cork University Hospital over twenty two weeks starting on the 16^th January. The unit has been specially put on for chaplains working within a UK setting. Because this is separate to the pilot/feasibility study that has been running, there is a cost associated with the unit of £1,900. Presuming further funding for study is secured, those participating in this unit would be eligible to continue a CPE journey within the study. Further information is available in the attached flyer. You can also contact Dr Daniel Nuzum at Daniel.nuzum@ucc.ie or Mark Newitt mark.newitt@nhs.net with any questions.