Senior counsellor, Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Service

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS foundation trust in Cambridge is looking for an experienced Senior Counsellor to support teenagers and young adults with cancer and their families. The role is collaborative and involves delivering high-quality assessments and therapy. Ideal candidates should have relevant counselling qualifications and experience working with young people. This position offers flexibility and a supportive working environment, promoting a diverse and inclusive culture within the team.

Benefits

On-site leisure facilities

Development opportunities

Subsidized parking

Qualifications

• Experience in providing therapy to young adults (16-24) with cancer.
• Ability to deliver high-quality assessment and therapy.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver assessment and therapy for young adults and their family members.
• Work closely with the TYA service and implement NICE guidelines.
• Contribute to team meetings and service improvement efforts.

Skills

Experience in counselling

Ability to work with teenagers

Collaborative skills

Education

Relevant counselling qualification

Job description

A Vacancy at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and committed senior counsellor to work with teenagers and young adults with cancer and their families throughout their cancer journey.

The Senior Counsellor is part of the Teenage and Young Adult Cancer (TYA C) Team at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH), providing specialist counselling to patients, carers, and families across the East of England, as a key member of the wider multidisciplinary team.

Please note that this is a job share position and the ideal candidate will be able to work across Monday, Wednesday and Friday during office hours, with occasional out-of-hours working as required.

The role involves delivering flexible, high-quality assessment and therapy, and collaborating closely with colleagues in a multidisciplinary team. The Senior Counsellor contributes to team meetings, care planning, service review and service improvement, helping to create a supportive environment for young people during and after cancer treatment, and their families.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver assessment and therapy for young adults (16‑24) from across the East of England living with cancer, and their family members, at any point during cancer treatment, as well as post‑treatment, end of life, and bereavement.
• Through assessment, ongoing therapeutic work and appropriate referrals, ensure that young adults and their families/carers receive appropriate specialised therapy.
• Work with the Lead Clinician & Lead Nurse for the TYA service and other members of the TYA service, in developing and implementing a strategy for the implementation of NICE Improving Outcomes Guidance and IOG guidelines.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1,100 beds, the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing "outstanding" care to our patients and rated "Good" overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, this is a testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together, Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community – a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Eligibility – Student Visa

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
• or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment

The advert will close at midnight on 21st January 2026. Interviews are due to be held week commencing 29th January 2026.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose‑created colleague‑only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work‑life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

This advert closes on Wednesday 21 Jan 2026.