Coronavirus: The Chaplains at the Front Line of End-of-Life Care

June 8, 2020

(BBC) – Coronavirus has radically altered the working life of hospitals. But it has not just affected the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff. While the main role of chaplains – helping patients find a sense of peace – remains unchanged, the way they are doing that has changed beyond recognition. Lying on a table within the chapel of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a special document. On its pages are prayers and blessings for dying patients to be read out not by a person of the cloth but by a member of staff – such as a nurse or doctor – in the event a chaplain is unavailable. The document’s very existence is testament to the immense impact of Covid-19 on the inner workings of the health service.