Our pastoral care services
Our pastoral care services deliver emotional, social and spiritual support to patients, families and carers. We offer a safe, confidential space to talk, reflect, find comfort and receive support when you or someone you love is faced with health challenges.
You don't need a particular faith, or any faith at all, to reach out. You can speak to our pastoral care team on the phone or visit our Place of Prayer. However you need us, we're here.
Getting to know pastoral care
Get in touch with us
Some people prefer to talk things through over the phone. Others like to visit in person at our Place of Prayer for a quiet moment of reflection. If you'd like more time with us, we're happy to arrange a dedicated appointment too.
We also provide a 24/7 service for after-hours emergencies. No matter what hour it is, just ask staff to call us, and someone will be available to assist you.
| Coordinator | Stephen Hughes PhD |
| ddh-thpastoralcare@health.qld.gov.au | |
| Phone | (07) 4616 6415 |
Support that keeps showing up
Grief doesn't stick to a schedule, and it doesn't end when the hospital visits do. These local services are here for you in the weeks, months and years that follow – whenever you're ready for them.
| Service | Who's it for | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Care | Community and home care provider running grief and loss support programs, alongside broader aged and community care services. | 1300 258 322 bluecare.org.au |
| Toowoomba Hospice | Free palliative care and bereavement follow-up for the Toowoomba community. | (07) 46 598 500 toowoombahospice.org.au |
| St Vincent's Care | Aged care and palliative support with pastoral and bereavement care available to residents and families. | 1300 703 346 svcs.org.au |
| Your care provider | Many aged and community care providers (e.g. Blue Care, Churches of Christ Care) have their own chaplain or spiritual care practitioner. It's worth asking directly. | Contact your provider |
| Local Churches | Open to everyone, whether or not you've been involved before. A good option if you're after a local, familiar face. | Search online or in the Yellow Pages |
| Grief Australia (formerly the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement) | Free counselling, support groups and online resources for anyone experiencing grief. | 1800 642 066 www.grief.org.au |
| MacKillop Seasons | Grief and loss education programs designed especially for children and young people. | 1300 379 569 www.mackillopseasons.org.au |
| Lifeline | Lifeline phone crisis support service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers are connected to a trained Crisis Supporter who will provide short-term support and be there to listen without judgement. | 131114 Text: 0477131114 https://www.lifeline.org.au |
| Beyond Blue | A free telephone and online counselling service is open 24/7 for everyone in Australia. No matter who you are, or how you're feeling, reach out to our free counselling services for support – we'll point you in the right direction so you can get the help you need. | 1300 224 636 beyondblue.org.au |
| National Centre for Childhood Grief | The National Centre for Childhood Grief (NCCG) is an Australian not-for-profit organisation dedicated to caring for bereaved children and their families following the death of a parent, sibling or other close loved one. | 1300 654 556 childhoodgrief.org.au |
| 13YARN | 13YARN [Thirteen YARN] is the first national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. We offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 13YARN empowers our community with the opportunity to yarn without judgement and provides a culturally safe space to speak about their needs, worries or concerns. | 13 92 76 www.13yarn.org.au |
| Headspace 12-25 year olds | Each year, headspace helps thousands of young people access vital support through our headspace centres across Australia, our online and phone counselling services, our work and study services, and our presence in schools. Headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support. | headspace.org.au |
Explore in your own time
Not ready to talk yet, or just want to learn more first? These resources are there whenever you need them – day or night.
Palliative Care Queensland: Support and free online training built for families and carers involved in palliative care
Palliative Care Australia: Helpful resources for carers, families and patients, wherever you're at.
Volunteer with pastoral care
Our team relies on generous locals who give their time to support patients and families across our community. If you've got a few hours to spare and a caring heart, we'd love to hear from you. We're currently looking for volunteers to:
● Train and qualify as a pastoral carer, walking alongside patients and families in person
● Help out with office administration, keeping our team running smoothly
● Organise and maintain our clothing pool, supporting patients with everyday essentials.
No matter which role suits you, you'll be helping make a genuine difference to people in your community during one of the hardest times of their lives.
Ready to find out more? Get in touch with our team.