Healthcare Team
We are a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professions, HCAs and students.
Led in 2025 by: Dr Adrian Hayter, Chief Medical Officer; Tina Quinn RN, Chief Nurse; & Christopher Daubney RMN, Deputy Chief Nurse.
Join us for a unique clinical experience caring for our Assisted Pilgrims!
Contact us: healthcare@catholicassociation.co.uk
The Pilgrimage gives the opportunity as a health professional to deliver truly personalised care through often a deep understanding of the individual which includes their biopsychosocial and spiritual needs.
Nurses
Nurses volunteer to work for a week in Lourdes with the Catholic Association (CA), caring for our Assisted Pilgrims (AP’s). We work closely with the Doctors, Handmaids and Brancardiers, providing 24-hour care in the Accueil. A small number of our experienced Catholic Association nurses work in the hotels, providing minimal support to AP’s who are self-caring.
Healthcare Students
Healthcare students are very welcome to join for a unique elective placement tailored to you.
This will involve a very varied experience caring for pilgrims in a very different context to where you would normally, work for a whole week.
Are you a Medical Student, Student Nurse, Student Paramedic or other any other healthcare student, Lecturer or Practice Educator?: Please get in contact with us.
Allied Health Professions
Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Paramedics, Pharmacists and other allied health professionals are very welcome to join the team.
AHPs are vital to enhancing the holistic care we provide for assisted pilgrims.
Healthcare Assistants, Nursing Associates & Retired HCPs
In addition to trained Nurses with current UK NMC PINs, we welcome Students who will work under supervision. If you currently work in the NHS as a Band 2, 3 or 4, or are a recently retired nurse, you are also very welcome to apply to join the Healthcare Team. Please contact the Chief Nurse for further details: chief_nurse@catholicassociation.co.uk
Doctors
The Doctors work as part of a Multidisciplinary Team to support Assisted Pilgrims (APs) who join the Catholic Association Pilgrimage.
As part of this support your skills in working in a team to assist pilgrims in managing their conditions according to their care plans whilst away for the week is required. This support is offered to people in the various hotels around Lourdes or in the Accueil, a dedicated facility where all care needs are supported.
Care is provided to both children and adults with dedicated teams for both.
Pilgrims have varying needs from basic care to much more complex care for those with particular co-morbidities which include both physical and mental health conditions. Those with complex health conditions including some Neurological conditions are seen beforehand and a written care plan communicated for use during the Pilgrimage.
The Pilgrimage gives the opportunity as a health professional to deliver truly personalised care through often a deep understanding of the individual which includes their biopsychosocial and spiritual needs. Although our support is within the constraints of working alongside the French Health system we have a role in advocating for the health needs of each pilgrim and support them in navigating the health system working with local Pharmacies, primary care and secondary care practitioners. On your first visit as a Doctor you are encouraged to join the 'Bureau de Constations National' the Medical Bureau of Lourdes and become part of an international community of pilgrimage Doctors.
We welcome doctors in training as well as those from a wide range of specialities including General Practice. We require basic registration and licensing details as well as a current DBS. Indemnity is usually provided pro bono by the defence organisations as we work on a purely 'Good Samaritan' capacity as volunteers. The doctors are currently led by a Chief Medical Officer (currently Dr Adrian Hayer a GP). For more information and to express interest please contact cmo@catholicassociation.co.uk
How to Join
Please complete an application form: JOIN NOW
As a Doctor, Nurse or Registered Healthcare Professional on our Pilgrimage, you will be expected to have current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), or regulatory body, and be prepared to have clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB).
Dates
The CA Pilgrimage is during the last week of August each year. It welcomes people from all over the UK; but especially from the Catholic Dioceses of Clifton, East Anglia, Northampton and Southwark. The CA also includes Stonyhurst College and The Glanfield Children’s Group. We are represented on various other pilgrimage bodies, such as the British Lourdes Medical Association (BLMA).
Indemnity Insurance and Passport
As a healthcare professional on our Pilgrimage, you should have your own Indemnity Insurance. (Some professional organisations, such as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), include this as part of your membership). You will also need an GHIC card and current passport. If your Passport is not a British or European one, you may need a visa. Our Pilgrimage Travel Agent, Tangney Tours, will be able to give you advice on this and many other details of our Pilgrimage, or you can apply through your Diocese and they will be able to advise you.
Accommodation
Some Nurses stay in hotel accommodation for the week and some stay in hostel type accommodation. If you require hostel accommodation, it is important that you contact the Chief Nurse as soon as possible. Hostel accommodation will be on a first-come first-served basis and will only be available to nurses who have had their annual leave application approved by their manager and are able to volunteer for the whole Pilgrimage week. A deposit would be required at the time of booking.
Applications
The Nursing Team is led by the Chief Nurse (currently Tina Quinn).
If you wish to join us, please complete the registration form. You can also contact our pilgrimage’s Chief Nurse via email at chief_nurse@catholicassociation.co.uk or enquire through Tangney Tours or your Diocesan Director.
Subsidies
We warmly welcome you to work with us, in a voluntary capacity. It may be possible to subsidise you a minimal amount. This may be in the form of subsidised accommodation. Subsidies will only be given to healthcare professionals who are staying the whole Pilgrimage week (Friday to Friday). Nurses are expected to do some fundraising of their own to help with their expenses. Nurses are advised to approach their Diocesan Directors and local Parish, who may be able to help with expenses. Please Contact Us you need the contact details of your Diocesan Director.
Duties
As a member of the Nursing Team on our Pilgrimage, you will be expected to work a mixture of early, late, twilight and night shifts in the Accueil, where 24-hour nursing and personal care is provided to our AP’s. You will be expected to stay the whole week, which is from Friday to Friday. Any nurse, who cannot complete the whole week, should contact the Chief Nurse before booking travel and accommodation.
Application Deadline
The closing date for application forms is typically 1 June.