Pastoral Practitioner

Your role at St John of God Bunbury Hospital

St John of God Bunbury Hospital is seeking a Pastoral Practitioner to join our team. The Pastoral Practitioner works as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team, providing holistic pastoral care to patients and clients across the hospital.

The role focuses on offering emotional and spiritual support through pastoral relationships, theological reflection, ritual facilitation, and faith or belief integration, as well as supporting individuals and families experiencing trauma, grief and loss. If you are a compassionate and reflective practitioner with a genuine commitment to person‑centred care, we invite you to apply and join our supportive, values‑driven team to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The Position

• Identify and respond to the spiritual needs of patients/clients and families.

• Assess and reflect on patient/client’s verbal and non-verbal communication.

• Employ active listening skills to respond compassionately to client’s needs.

• Establish appropriate professional boundaries according to scope of practice.

• Maintain intentional personal reflective practice.

• Participate in and facilitate team reflective practice

• Comply with organisational and regulatory requirements requiring privacy and confidentiality, and storage of confidential information.

• Integrate quality and risk principles into spiritual care practice.

• Partner with patients/families to develop a spiritual care plan in accordance with agreed interventions

• Advocate for patients/clients and families where stated priorities and best interests are not being recognised.

• Facilitate client/patient empowerment in personal decision-making.

• Synthesise communication from patient/client to provide input into assessment and care planning as an effective part of the multidisciplinary team.

• Work independently in routine cases of spiritual assessment, care plans and related interventions, however, may require guidance when involved with more complex cases.

• Prioritise and respond to referrals in accordance with service procedures and guidelines.

• Identify and respond to risk factors that may affect patient/client safety to include recognising mental health concerns and trauma and escalate as per hospital/service policy.

• Collate and provide patients/clients and families with relevant health care information and community resources as appropriate to their needs.

• Contribute to assessment and review of service guidelines and procedures to reflect organisational policy and best practice.

• Comply with SJGHC pastoral documentation standards.

• Lead prayer, worship, reflection and rituals and contribute to review and development of current practice.

• Identify and respond to grief, loss and bereavement issues.

To succeed in this role, you will have completed or be working towards a relevant tertiary qualification and/or possess prior experience in the provision of pastoral care in a relevant setting including SJGHC pastoral internship program and/or supervised pastoral field placement and professional development courses relevant to pastoral practice. 

You will demonstrate the ability to establish pastoral relationships with patients and clients from diverse faith, cultural and social backgrounds, and deliver ritual, liturgy, prayer or reflection in a respectful and inclusive manner. Willing to engage with Clinical Pastoral Education within one year of commencing in the role (facilitate by SJGHC).

You will bring strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to contribute positively within a multidisciplinary team while working within the professional boundaries of the role. Flexibility is essential.

Above all, people will be at the core of everything you do committing to and supporting our Mission and Values.

We can offer you

• Salary: $79,061 to $101,492 per annum, pro rata for part time, plus 12% superannuation

• Permanent part time position, working 45.6 hour per fortnight

• Salary packaging up to $18,550 on a range of benefits such as mortgage, rent, meal entertainment, holiday accommodation or other everyday living expenses as well as options to salary package benefits above the FBT cap on items such as:

  • Novated leasing 

  • work related expenses

  • self-education and

  • additional superannuation

• A healthy work-life balance through flexible work options and well-being programs

• Employee discount on St John of God Hospital & Medical Services and Private Health Insurance

• Employee support through our dedicated free Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Professional Development opportunities

• Highly competitive salary and entitlements

• Collaborative leadership team

• Access to a range of Lifestyle, Health & Wellbeing rewards and discounts

For enquiries contact Marisa Wessels, Pastoral Services Manager on (08) 9722 1647.

If suitable applicants are identified advertisement may close prior to listed date and screening/interviews may commence throughout the advertising process.

At St John of God Health Care, we celebrate diversity and warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Our commitment is to create a safe and nurturing environment for all children and vulnerable individuals in our care and proactively take steps to protect them from abuse, ensuring their safety and well-being.

Our inclusive culture fosters an environment that is respectful and secure, welcoming and accessible, and unified through our diverse community.