Meet the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team

Key members of the Chaplaincy and spiritual care team at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) include:

Lead Chaplain & Deputy Director of the Centre for Paediatric Bioethics

Jim grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, USA where he was ordained in the United Methodist Church in 1981.In 1992 he moved to England and served his first full-time healthcare chaplaincy post at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. Ordained into the Church of England in 2001, Jim has been chaplain to the Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust from 1998-2006 when he took up his post as Senior Chaplain at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Jim's particular areas of interest are in spiritual assessment, the spirituality of children, medical ethics and the role of research to create clearer understandings of, and methods for, delivering spiritual care in the healthcare setting, specifically in respect to the needs of families and carers of patients with healthcare needs. Jim is in the hospital every weekday.

Senior Chaplain (Christian) & Deputy Team Leader

Dorothy was ordained in 1998 in the Diocese of London and has spent most of her ministry in healthcare chaplaincy, gaining a a postgraduate certificate in Healthcare Chaplaincy in 2006. After working in the chaplaincy team at GOSH from 2002-2008, Dorothy spent two years as a chaplain in an adult hospice in Hertfordshire.

Dorothy returned to GOSH in 2010 and her main focus is supporting patients and families in the cardiac and respiratory wards, becoming Deputy Team Leader in 2013. As well as her chaplaincy role, Dorothy is a staff wellbeing coach and is also currently working on an MA in Chaplaincy & Pastoral Care.

Dorothy works every weekday Monday to Friday.

Chaplain (Muslim)

Fatima was appointed as the first Muslim female chaplain at GOSH in 2009. She is available to support Muslim patients and families with their spiritual and religious needs. Along with the other Muslim chaplains, she visits all wards in the hospital. Fatima is also a trained community nurse.

Fatima is proficient in Gujurati, Urdu, Kiswahili and Kutchi, and her usual working days are Mondays and Wednesdays.

Romana - Senior Chaplain (Muslim)

Romana combines her work at GOSH with working for the Muslim community as a female spiritual facilitator and as an Islamic counsellor. As well as her work at GOSH, Romana is a chaplain at Kings College London.
She works across the hospital to support Muslim families. Romana is proficient in Gujurati, Urdu and Punjabi.

Romana's usual working days are Tuesday to Friday.

Roman Catholic Chaplain
Colette has an extensive background in nursing and chaplaincy and works with us on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Jewish Volunteer Lay Chaplain

Michelle comes to the hospital once a week to support Jewish patients, families and staff.

Jewish Volunteer Chaplain

Rabbi Alan is here once week and can be consulted on any matters which need rabbinical advice or support. He is also available for advising staff on cultural and religious issues for Jewish families.

Volunteer Roman Catholic Chaplain

Sister Rachel is a member of the Servite Order and has a healthcare background. She supports our RC families and the chaplaincy team on Fridays.

Volunteer chaplains

• Sadaf Solangi Volunteer Muslim Chaplain
• Zahra Sobieroj Volunteer Muslim Chaplain
• Tahmid Paine-Tsherit Volunteer Muslim Chaplain
• Fr Mario Sant Volunteer Roman Catholic Chaplain
• Fr Joseph Formosa Volunteer Roman Catholic Chaplain