Pastoral Practitioner

Welcome to St John of God Health Care
St John of God Health Care (SJGHC) is one of the largest private providers of health care services in Australia, employing more than 16,000 employees (caregivers). We operate 26 hospitals and services comprising more than 3,300 hospital beds, including home nursing, disability services and social outreach programs.

Join St John of God Midland Private Hospital, set to open in August, as a Pastoral Practitioner and play a vital role in delivering compassionate, person-centred care. Working as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team, you will provide holistic pastoral services that support the emotional, spiritual, and psychological wellbeing of patients and clients. This role encompasses building meaningful therapeutic relationships, facilitating rituals, and supporting diverse faith and belief systems, while offering trauma-informed care, grief and loss counselling, and thoughtful theological reflection. Through your empathy and emotional intelligence, you will help ensure every patient feels supported, respected, and cared for throughout their healthcare journey. Apply now to be part of a values-driven team and help shape the patient experience in our brand-new hospital.

About the new Midland Private Hospital

• A brand-new purpose-built state-of-the-art facility, currently under construction, located just 300 metres from the St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals Campus.
• A comprehensive range of medical and surgical services, with interventional cardiology being offered for the first time in the region
• The hospital will feature:
  • 96 overnight inpatient beds, including a six-bed critical care/high dependency unit.
  • 33-bed/chair short stay and day procedure unit
  • Eight operating theatres.
  • A cardiac/vascular catheter laboratory

The Position

• Identify and respond to the spiritual, emotional, and psychosocial needs of patients/clients and their families.
• Establish therapeutic pastoral relationships with individuals from diverse cultural, faith, and social backgrounds.
• Employ active listening and effective communication skills to provide compassionate, person-centred care.
• Partner with patients/clients, families, and the multidisciplinary team to develop and contribute to spiritual care plans.
• Recognise and respond to grief, loss, trauma, and mental health concerns, escalating as appropriate.
• Lead and facilitate prayer, reflection, rituals, and bereavement support in line with best practice.
• Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and compliance with organisational policies and documentation standards.
• Contribute positively to the multidisciplinary team and support a collaborative approach to holistic patient care.
• Model respect for cultural diversity and faith/belief integration in all aspects of care.
• Demonstrate reflective practice and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

The ideal candidate will have completed, or be currently working towards, a tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline such as Social Work, Counselling, Pastoral Care, or Nursing. Applicants may also demonstrate suitability through prior experience in the provision of pastoral care within a relevant setting, including completion of the SJGHC pastoral internship program, supervised pastoral field placements, or professional development courses aligned to pastoral practice. You will bring proven capability in establishing therapeutic pastoral relationships with patients and clients from diverse faith, cultural, and social backgrounds, alongside the ability to deliver rituals, liturgy, prayer, or reflective practices that respectfully honour individual beliefs and values.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team while maintaining clear professional boundaries. The successful candidate will demonstrate flexibility with working hours. Ensuring you are equipped to respond appropriately within a healthcare environment.

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

We can offer you

• Highly competitive salary + 12% superannuation
• Permanent part time position
• 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, additional purchased leave 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)
• Access to a range of Lifestyle, Health & Wellbeing rewards and discounts

For enquiries contact Erin Gillespie, Pastoral Services Manager, 0407 703 505.

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.