Specialist Counsellor

NHS; Romford; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Romford is seeking a part-time qualified practitioner in counselling for their hospice. You will offer one-to-one, telephone, and online therapy to individuals and their loved ones dealing with palliative conditions. The ideal candidate will have a degree in counselling and substantial experience. This role includes working within a multi-disciplinary team and providing psychological assessments and interventions.

Benefits

Regular supervision

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a counsellor in specialist palliative care.
• Experience in providing counselling/psychological therapy supervision.
• Experience of working autonomously within a multi-professional team.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessments of individuals in palliative care.
• Implement psychological interventions for individuals and their families.
• Support the induction and ongoing education of students and volunteers.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Ability to manage high emotion

Education

Degree and professional qualification in counselling/psychology

Accreditation with a counselling profession

Diploma in Supervision

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Outlook email

Job description

Overview

We are excited to be recruiting a part time qualified practitioner in the Counselling profession to work in our hospice. You will be part of a well-established growing counselling service with a forward-thinking approach to holistic health care. You will be joining our Family & Individual Support Services Team offering one-to-one, telephone, and online therapy, working with individuals who have been diagnosed with a palliative condition, and their loved ones.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be accredited or working towards their accreditation. The successful candidate will either possess or be willing to develop towards a supervision qualification.

You will be joining a fantastic team of practitioners both in the team and wider. Working alongside psychologists, counsellors, social workers, chaplains, and wider MDT roles, who work collaboratively to deliver the best service and outcomes to those referred to us. Health and wellbeing of staff and investing in our team is important to us. You will receive regular supervision and will also have the opportunity to attend relevant training to support your professional development.

It is essential that the post holder has the ability to travel efficiently and effectively to people\'s homes across various locations within the hospice catchment area, and can obtain their own vehicle insurance for business use.

About us

We are not a Licensed Sponsor & are unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not have the Right to Work in the UK.

We are a dynamic, forward-thinking organisation delivering a full range of specialist palliative care services for individuals with palliative or end-of-life care needs and their loved ones. We achieved Outstanding in our CQC inspection and have reconfigured our services to meet the changing needs of our local community. We support Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and have a robust governance structure in place. We provide hospice-based clinical services within a modern, personal & friendly 18-bedded ward, as well as Specialist Community Crisis Support Service, Hospice at Home Service & Specialist Therapy Services. We also have the hospice Pepperell Education Centre that has an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality education programmes and study days.

All communication regarding your application including invitations to interviews will be sent by email so please ensure you provide this on your application form. If you could also provide a contact telephone number as well.

Please note that we are a charity & not part of an NHS Trust & we are situated in a quiet location in the village of Havering-atte-Bower, outskirts of Romford, therefore please consider our location when applying.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

Working with the hospice MDT to provide specialist psychological assessments of people with palliative care needs, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex psychological data following interviews with those diagnosed, families/carers and others involved in the individual\'s diagnosis and care.

To assist with induction and ongoing support/education of Students/Volunteers in the service

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To work with the Ward, Pemberton Place and Community individuals to provide specialist psychological assessments as per job summary.

To support carers, relatives, and significant others through direct and indirect methods

To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, couples, carers, families, and groups within palliative care, drawing upon different explanatory models, including 1-2-1 work, groups, and activities

To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance, and consultation to other professionals

To participate in developing and delivering teaching, training, and education in the specialist field of psychosocial constructions and understandings of terminal illness experience to the MDT staff teams

To receive regular supervision from an appropriately trained and senior counsellor

To continue to develop own skills and knowledge through CPD by attendance at related teaching events, conferences etc.

To attend hospice meetings as required

To undertake data entry onto approved IT systems of individuals with diagnosis information, taking full account of the need to balance the highest standards of confidentiality with the need for clear communication.

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry recording and report writing via patient notes, hospice i-Care system and Health Analytics

To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health

To ensure that an appropriate range of supportive information leaflets, referral agencies and other literature is available for individuals diagnosed and families as required.

To participate as a member of the Family & Individual Support Services team, attending team meetings and any other meetings as required

• Any other appropriate tasks agreed with the Family & Individual Support Services Manager

HOSPICE-WIDE

• To participate as a member of the MDT in the delivery of specialist therapeutic intervention to individuals with palliative or end of life care needs, bereaved relatives including children and young adults, friends/carers and to offer a psychological and psychotherapeutic perspective.
• To attend MDT meetings, staff meetings and department development meetings, where necessary
• To sensitively share relative individual diagnosed/their loved ones/carer information in support of the care of the individual diagnosed and their loved ones where necessary
• To work with all hospice teams to identify those people potentially at risk in bereavement.
• To provide 1-2-1 counselling to individuals diagnosed and families during illness and in bereavement to maintain a client caseload as per NICE Guidelines
• To support Quality and Care HoDs in the facilitation and delivery of ad-hoc reflective practice sessions to healthcare, nursing professionals and other hospice professionals
• To keep and report on where necessary comprehensive statistics for the Psychology service in accordance with local and national requirements.
• To undertake Safeguarding Training and be part of the Safeguarding Leads team for the organisation

VOLUNTEERS

1. To advise and co-ordinate voluntary input into the Bereavement Service where required

2. To support when required the Family & Individual Support Services Manager in the recruitment and selection of the Volunteer Bereavement Counsellors and to co-facilitate a programme of induction training, ongoing education and continuing personal development.

3. To provide tutorial and supervision support to volunteers

4.To participate in development and provide Induction training to volunteers

EDUCATION

• To participate in the hospice Champion work streams
• To lead and participate in clinical audit and forums promoting the work of the Family & Individual Support Services team.
• To support an environment where learning and opportunities are actively encouraged supporting staff and promoting continual learning and reflection.
• To participate in the Saint Francis Hospice education programme through preparation and delivery of higher education and the provision of short courses and study days
• To provide education to students of different disciplines attending courses and seminars at the hospice Education Centre
• To participate in in-house education sessions for qualified and unqualified staff and volunteers on a variety of psychosocial issues, both formally and informally

To provide outreach work in the community and internally on the issues of Psychological Care of the Dying, Total Pain and Grief, Loss, and Bereavement

PROFESSIONAL

• To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of best practice through adherence to the Ethical Framework for good practice in counselling and psychotherapy as defined by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
• To participate in external Supervision
• To provide Supervision to volunteer Counsellors in accordance with BACP guidelines
• To adhere to the policies and conditions of service of Saint Francis Hospice relating to sickness and absence, conduct, Health and Safety, Data Protection and any others that are relevant.
• To take responsibility for own professional and personal development which will be monitored in supervision sessions through the hospice appraisal system.
• To keep up to date with developments in the field of Psychotherapeutic and Psychosocial issues in Palliative Care
• To have an understanding of the importance of multi-professional team working and the ability to promote it within the organisation.
• To have an understanding and awareness of behaviours and interpersonal skills that are vital to effective team working and practice them at all times.
• To participate in hospice professional developments systems and work towards achieving professional and personal objectives

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

1. Some information received or supplied during the course of duty will be of a confidential nature confidentiality is not to be breached and is a disciplinary matter.

2. To ensure that all data is managed within the requirements of the Data Protection Act

3. To report any accidents/incidents or potential hazards and to work in accordance with the hospices Health and Safety at Work policy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree and professional qualification in counselling/psychology, or equivalent experience.
• Accreditation with a counselling profession (BPS, BACP, etc)
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• Diploma in Supervision or equivalent supervision qualification
• Training in palliative care and bereavement.

Experience

• Significant experience as a counsellor in specialist palliative care.
• Significant counselling experience using a range of psychological techniques.
• Experience of communicating complex psychological issues clearly to individuals diagnosed, carers, and other professionals.
• Experience of working autonomously as well as part of a multi-professional team.
• Experience in providing counselling/psychological therapy supervision.
• Experience of working with people facing death & bereavement.
• Experience of leading groups for individuals diagnosed and carers.
• Knowledge and understanding of CQC requirements.

Other Requirements

• Ability to understand and maintain the importance of confidentiality.
• Flexible approach to work and changing priorities.
• Ability to travel efficiently and effectively to various locations within the hospice catchment area.
• SFH Values
• Compassionate we are a caring team, kind to each other and put the needs of individuals and their loved ones at the heart of what we do.
• Collaborative we value working in partnership across our communities and are proactive about nurturing relationships with our stakeholders.
• Creative we are forward-thinking, adaptable in our changing world and embrace change and innovative ways of working.

Skills, Abilities, Knowledge

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal presentation skills with the ability to communicate and manage highly complex and emotive issues.
• Working knowledge of IT Microsoft word, excel, Outlook email and database entry systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of hospice work coupled with enthusiasm and commitment to the work of the hospice.
• Ability to work alone and as part of a team.
• Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively and manage workload with competing priorities.
• Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries.
• Motivated, enthusiastic, and innovative in approach to teaching as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to evaluate the quality & effectiveness of services.
• Ability to manage & contain high levels of emotional distress.
• Regard for others & respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
• Knowledge of best practice, standards and latest evidence base for psychological therapies, bereavement, and palliative care.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Family & Individual Support Services Manager

£36,971 to £43,792 a yearActual pro rata salary £22,182 - £26,275 per annum.