Counsellor

Mercy Health Australia; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 35,000 - 52,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunities for professional development

Supportive team environment

Diverse culture

Job summary

A leading community health service is seeking a compassionate and experienced Counsellor in Community Palliative Care for a permanent part-time role in Sunshine, Victoria. You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team delivering holistic care to patients experiencing life-limiting illnesses and their families. The ideal candidate will have a relevant Bachelor Degree and experience in grief and loss counselling. You will help address patients' psycho-social needs and collaborate effectively with team members. Join us to make a meaningful difference in healthcare.

Qualifications

• Recognised qualifications in counselling.
• Experience in grief & loss counselling.
• Experience in psycho-social assessments & interventions.

Responsibilities

• Respond to the psycho-social-spiritual needs of clients.
• Provide counselling along the palliative care continuum.
• Make referrals to relevant services for patient benefit.

Skills

Counselling skills

Communication skills

Time management

Compassionate patient care

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor Degree in Counselling

Job description

Counsellor in Community Palliative Care

Employment Type: Permanent part-time

Hours: 56 hours per fortnight

Salary: Based on Victorian Allied Health Professional Enterprise Agreement

Location: Sunshine

Upload with Application: Resume, cover letter, and all relevant qualifications

Contact: Cathy Dow, Allied Health Manager – [e-mail], [phone]

Where there's life, there's Mercy. Where there's care, there's you. Through the battles and breakthroughs, we're there. Where will you be? For over a century, our incredible teams have provided care for people when they need it most. Our people feel great pride in this, and they value the security and stability we offer. It also means opportunity – to build on all that's gone before, to grow your impact and gain experience that's hard to find elsewhere.

As a purpose‑driven organisation with over 10,000 dedicated, compassionate people, we continue to offer more services and deeper care than ever before. With Mercy, you'll have the chance to make an impact and gain experience that's hard to find elsewhere.

About the opportunity

Mercy Palliative Care (MPC) is a 24‑hour community‑based palliative care service providing in‑home care to patients of all ages with life‑limiting illnesses. Our services cover the West Metropolitan region of Melbourne. Our multi‑disciplinary team – including allied health, doctors and nurses – is committed to providing holistic care to patients and their families, ensuring they experience the best quality of life while addressing their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.

A counsellor in community palliative care responds to the psycho‑social‑spiritual needs of clients of MPC and works as an integral member of the multi‑disciplinary team. Counselling is provided along the care continuum of palliative care and bereavement support in people’s homes, the office and via telehealth. MPC has a holistic approach to care and this counselling role also includes exploring practical needs and making referrals to other relevant services to benefit patients and their families/carers.

What you’ll bring

You're resilient, compassionate and have a whole lot of heart. Most importantly, you are committed to delivering exceptional patient‑centred care.

To thrive in this role, you will have:

• Recognised qualifications in counselling (prefer Bachelor Degree)
• Experience in grief & loss counselling across a diverse community
• Experience in psycho‑social‑spiritual assessments & interventions (casework)
• Enthusiastic, flexible, team‑orientated with effective communication skills
• Excellent clinical, time‑management, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to adapt and problem‑solve.
• A compassionate, flexible and positive approach to effective patient care and management.
• The ability to nurture friendly, respectful relationships and contribute to a collaborative team environment.

You will also be required to provide evidence of, or be in the process of obtaining:

• Counselling qualifications
• A current Police Record Check and Working with Children Check.
• Proof of current influenza vaccination and other vaccination status consistent with public health orders.

Ready to help us shape the future of healthcare?

Join us and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives – and your career. Are you ready to apply for this role? Click Apply now.

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi‑wurrung peoples, traditional custodians of the land in which our Head Office is based, on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation and recognise their deep connections to the land, sea, and culture. We extend this acknowledgement to the many traditional lands that we operate across Australia and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

The team at Mercy Health is as wonderfully diverse as the patients, residents, clients and communities we support. We’re proud to be recognised as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). Mercy Health strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, sexualities, genders, abilities and cultural backgrounds.