Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains
Encyclopedia
The Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains (AHPCC) http://www.ahpcc.org.uk/index.htm is a UK professional body
, existing specifically for chaplains working in a Hospice
and/or Palliative Care
setting. Like any professional association their raison d'être is to encourage good practice, including developing a set of professional standards; to enable professional development
; and to provide support and a means of networking
among its members. It is a separate entity from the College of Health Care Chaplains
, although many of its members belong to both organisations.
Professional body
A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a...
, existing specifically for chaplains working in a Hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
and/or Palliative Care
Palliative care
Palliative care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients...
setting. Like any professional association their raison d'être is to encourage good practice, including developing a set of professional standards; to enable professional development
Professional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
; and to provide support and a means of networking
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
among its members. It is a separate entity from the College of Health Care Chaplains
College of Health Care Chaplains
The College of Health Care Chaplains is one of the three UK national professional associations for chaplains working in health care, including the NHS. The college was formed in 1992 by the fusion of the Hospital Chaplains' Fellowship and the National Association of Whole Time Hospital Chaplains....
, although many of its members belong to both organisations.