We are seeking to recruit an experienced Accredited Counsellor to join the Counselling and Psychology Service working with patients, their families and carers under the care of the Dorset Cancer Centre and/or Forest Holme Hospice. You will provide a safe and effective psychological support service to individuals, couples and families who are affected by a diagnosis of cancer or life-limiting illness including bereavement support. You will work closely within our team comprised of other Counsellors, a Clinical Psychologist, and a Social Worker. We all work alongside multidisciplinary professionals providing nursing, medical and therapeutic care.

Although this post is full-time, we will consider those applicants who wish to work part time and we would consider a job share arrangement. We would require a minimum of 2 days per week commitment, however there may be opportunity to join the bank if you are interested in less than 2 days per week.

Main duties of the job

You will provide a safe and effective psychological support service to individuals, couples and families who are affected by a diagnosis of cancer. You will work closely within our team comprised of other Counsellors, a Clinical Psychologist, and a Social Worker. We all work alongside multidisciplinary professionals providing nursing, medical and therapeutic care.

We are looking for someone who will fit in well with our compassionate and dedicated team. You will need to be flexible and open-minded as we develop our services across the BCP patch in line with the recent merger of the acute hospitals. This means that our service currently based in Poole will be increasingly working collaboratively with services in Bournemouth and Christchurch. Our services provide a range of modalities to support our service users and you will be open to working with people face-to-face, via telephone and via video.

Base Location: Forest Holme Hospice

Interview Date: 11 September 2024

About us

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

In some cases this means that a services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview

Job description

Job responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Completed BACP approved diploma in Counselling
• Accreditation as a Counsellor with BACP or UKCP

Desirable

• Training in clinical supervision

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a qualified counsellor in the NHS or similar setting, with a wide variety of clients over the age of 16 presenting with mild to moderate levels of distress
• Experience in exercising clinical responsibility for clients' emotional care and treatment including maintaining confidentiality
• Experience of supporting people through loss and bereavement
• Experience of facilitating/leading groups

Desirable

• Experience in working with people diagnosed with cancer, people under palliative care services, and/or their families
• Experience in working therapeutically with children
• Experience of delivering training

Skills

Essential

• Highly developed interpersonal skills, including listening, empathy and advocacy
• Good team working skills and commitment to working collaboratively within multidisciplinary team
• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with service users
• Ability to work with issues of adjustment/loss, grief, anxiety and depression.
• Computer literate and confidence in using IT (e.g. Microsoft Office, electronic patient records system)

Knowledge

Essential

• Has an in depth knowledge of counselling theory and research
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BACP/UKCP/HCPC including fulfilling clinical supervision requirements
• Ability to draw on evidence base in choice of interventions

Desirable

• Understanding of trauma and how this presents in adjustment responses and/or bereavement
• Familiarity of mental health issues in staff wellbeing and/or counselling

Other requirments

Essential

• Maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Ability to contribute to service evaluation

Personal Attributes

Essential

• High level of enthusiasm and motivation
• Evidence of ability to work under pressure
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships, including being flexible and open to points of view that may differ from one's own
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively being aware of personal and professional limits and ability to balance self-care with the demands of the role
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the needs of the whole person
• Commitment to and understanding of equality and diversity and how this translates into good practice
• Car driver and/or ability and willingness to travel to locations in the organisation or client homes

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Forest Holme Hospice

Poole

BH15 1TS

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

153-SP03508