Bereavement Counsellor

Whittington Health; London; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in healthcare is seeking a compassionate and skilled counsellor to provide vital support to women facing pregnancy loss. This role involves offering one-on-one counselling, facilitating support groups, and collaborating with healthcare professionals to ensure holistic care. You will play a crucial part in helping individuals navigate their grief while also training staff to better support grieving patients. Join a dedicated team committed to making a difference in the lives of those experiencing loss, and be part of an organization that values diversity and equal opportunities.

Qualifications

• Accredited counsellor with BACP and minimum diploma in counselling required.
• Two years of post-qualifying experience in supervised one-to-one counselling.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one counselling to women and couples dealing with pregnancy loss.
• Facilitate support groups and train staff on supporting grieving patients.
• Maintain accurate patient records and develop tailored treatment plans.

Skills

Counselling

Communication

Mental Health Knowledge

Team Collaboration

Flexibility

Listening Skills

Education

Diploma in Counselling

Accreditation with BACP

MA in Counselling or equivalent

Job description

Employer: Whittington Health NHS Trust

Employer type: NHS

Site: Whittington Health NHS Trust

Town: London

Salary: £44,806 - £53,134 per annum (pro rata) inclusive of HCAs

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 05/01/2025 23:59

Getting vaccinated, and getting a booster, remains the best defence against COVID-19. We encourage and support staff to get COVID-19 vaccine and a booster dose as and when they are eligible.

Please note in order to progress your application, your data will be processed by our 3rd party recruitment providers – North London Partners Shared Service, who conduct recruitment activities on behalf of Whittington Health NHS Trust.

By applying for this role, you accept in the event you are successful that your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS.

Job overview

To provide counselling and support for women in the gynaecology and maternity services. The role of counselling within women’s health is to provide a confidential service to clients and their partners in respect of their pregnancy loss. This will include supporting couples through a subsequent pregnancy. The post holder will be required to provide support to staff when required.

Main duties of the job

• To work within British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) standards and guidelines.
• Provide One-on-One Counselling to women and couples referred by the Bereavement Support Midwife or other Health Professionals.
• To carry out assessments to determine what kind of interventions are most appropriate.
• Providing resources and strategies for coping with loss.
• To establish and facilitate support groups for individuals experiencing similar losses.
• To collaborate closely with the bereavement support midwife and other professionals to ensure holistic care.
• Provide training to healthcare staff on how to communicate with and support grieving patients.
• To attend regular counselling supervision and keep professional counselling skills updated.

Working for our organisation

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. We aim to employ a workforce that is as representative as possible of this population, valuing differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Conduct follow-ups with patients after they leave the hospital.
• Offer immediate counselling during critical incidents.
• To communicate with other Health Professionals to ensure a holistic care approach.
• Facilitate support groups for individuals experiencing similar losses.
• Train staff on how to communicate with and support grieving patients.
• Be involved in developing an appropriate debriefing facility for staff involved in difficult situations.
• Maintain accurate and confidential patient records.
• Develop tailored treatment plans for bereaved patients.
• Monitor and audit counselling activity.
• Record all counselling sessions on appropriate Trust systems.

Person specification

Education/qualification

• Accredited as a counsellor with British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
• Minimum of a diploma in counselling.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.
• MA counselling or equivalent.

Knowledge & Experience

• Two years post-qualifying experience in supervised one-to-one counselling.
• Knowledge of mental health.
• Experience of working within a healthcare setting.
• Experience of working with a diverse client group.
• Experience of working with issues related to pregnancy loss.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of working with bereavement issues.

Skills & abilities

• A flexible counselling approach incorporating a range of skills.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent communication and listening skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• To work face-to-face in Trust arranged venues.
• To be able to work remotely if required.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS

To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies. All staff have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

• Ensure familiarity with and compliance with local protocols.
• Participate in required training and supervision.
• Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct.

Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Your application form

• Provide only business email addresses for your referees.
• Include all evidence of meeting the essential requirements in the job description.

Our processes

• Closing dates are given as a guide; we may close adverts early.
• If you do not hear from us within 3 weeks after the closing date, you have not been shortlisted for interview.
• Please check your emails regularly for correspondence.
• Employment is subject to successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.

Other important information

• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome.
• We are committed to equal opportunities.
• In submitting an application, you authorise Whittington Health NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.