Firstly, chaplaincy has now been withdrawn at all the smaller ‘cottage’ hospitals. There is a weekly communion service in Sheppey Community Hospital. It is on Wednesday mornings at 10.30. All are welcome. If someone is an inpatient at the hospital, they, or someone on their behalf can ask for them to be taken to the service and returned to the ward thereafter. However, often there are not enough nurses for one to stay with the patient through the service.
Secondly, it is now almost impossible for clergy to visit a patient at the larger hospitals unless they know the date of birth and address of that patient. Without this, details of which ward they are on will not be given. So please be prepared with this information when requesting visits!
Kent Community Health NHS Trust withdrew funding within the coastal community hospitals at Sheppey, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable and Tankerton, Herne Bay and Deal; effective from 28th July 2016.