Hospital Appoints Muslim Chaplin

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed the Resident Alim of Wessex Jamaat as an assistant Hospital Chaplin. Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo has been recognised as a Hospital Chaplaincy volunteer at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and will be working alongside the appointed chaplains. In this volunteer position, Sheikh Fazle Abbas will be part of the wider chaplaincy team, which includes 50 other volunteers, ministering to people of all faiths and none. His prime focus will be in supporting and ministering to the Muslim Community. He will also cover emergency call-outs for Muslim patients and will be working alongside the Chaplaincy Team of the hospital.

This unique opportunity for Sheikh Fazle Abbas emerged after an intensive local Chaplain Programme to which Sheikh was invited.  The programme included both theory and practice and opportunities were created to put the learning into practice through supervision and mentoring processes.  For example, skills were given on the stages of bereavement and how to help the individual through those stages through recognition of symptoms.

Canon Nick Fennemore, Head of Chaplaincy and Bereavement Services, at Portsmouth Hospitals said, “It is good to have Sheikh Fazle Abbas working with us alongside other chaplaincy assistants. It is important that we meet the spiritual and religious needs of all who come into our hospital.”

Roshan Gangji, President of Wessex Jamaat said: "Alhamdullillah, this has been a unique opportunity for Wessex Jamaat as it builds on its external relations and interfaith strategy.  The help provided by COEJ in training and development of the resident ‘Aalim has helped us create this opportunity locally.  Without such investment and processes, we would not have explored these areas where Allah's work is carried out helping the wider community and giving us the chance to share the universal values of Islam."

Sheikh Fazle Abbas commenting on this said: "Alhamdullillah, I am learning how to support patient, staff and carers and working with my colleagues in the Chaplaincy Team, understanding how help is given."

Wessex Jamaat aims to building links with the local community, which will in turn result in a more harmonious society which can be beneficial to all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Sheikh Fazle Abbas’ appointment is yet another step in fulfilling this aim.

Wessex Jamaat Media Team

Zahra T. Jaffer
Ammaar Rahim