Counsellor

Job overview

Applications are invited for a 2X Band 6 Counsellor 0.6 WTE (2x 3days) role on a permanent contract. We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Counsellor to work within the adult therapies service working with adults who have experienced recent sexual violence and trauma. You will have relevant experience in providing assessments and counselling to adults in one-to-one therapy as well as groups and workshops. Experience of assessing and managing risk in the context of mental health and safeguarding is vital as well as experience of providing short to medium-term therapy.

The successful candidate will be registered with an accrediting body (BACP, UKCP or any other recognised body) and able to work within the modality they have trained in. We encourage applicants from minoritised backgrounds.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team and within the Havens Therapies team with responsibility to ensure the systematic provision of a high quality specialist therapeutic service to adults who have experienced sexual violence. You will have clinical responsibility for managing your caseload, waitlists, safeguarding responsibilities, report and letter writing, collection and collation of outcome measures and activity.

The post holder will help develop the Havens Therapies service and ensure the development of strong inter-agency relationships is established. The post holder will also work closely with other psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, doctors, nurses and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs).

The post holder will work closely with and advise the Senior Psychotherapist and the Head of the Havens Psychology and Counselling service on aspects of service delivery. There is a requirement of working on a Tuesday (Havens Therapy team meetings day) and working at least one evening in the week (up to 20h00) and the occasional Saturday. The role involves online working as well as face to face on site.

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities:

• To assess clients requesting/referred for counselling, to decide on an appropriate contract of time limited counselling or to refer on to other disciplines or specialist services as necessary.
• To manage a caseload of clients by providing weekly counselling sessions to those Haven clients with whom a contract has been agreed.
• To exercise full responsibility and autonomy for the treatment and discharge of clients from the Counselling Service, ensuring appropriate assessment and interventions, communicating with the referral agent and others involved in the client’s care including the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service whenever appropriate.
• To provide an environment that is non-judgemental, sensitive and confidential and to ensure the integrity of the counsellor/client relationship by being a member of a professional organisation e.g. BACP, UKCP and abiding by their Code of Ethics.
• To undertake risk identification and management for relevant individual clients and to provide both general and specialist advice on psychological aspects of risk identification and management to the clinical team.
• To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment and treatment plan of clients and to monitor and evaluate progress.
• To attend regular clinical supervision.
• To be a specialist resource for the Havens staff and other professionals such as voluntary and statutory agencies and offer advice and training on the psychological impact of rape and sexual assault.
• To liaise with members of the therapies team and the multidisciplinary Haven team within which you will be working.
• To participate actively in staff appraisal with their manager and to attend regular managerial supervision, team business meetings and CPD.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• To ensure the highest standards of clinical record keeping, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the relevant professional body e.g. BABCP, UKCP/BACP and Trust policies and procedures.
• The post holder must maintain the confidentiality about clients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Code of Confidentiality or Personal Health Data, the professional body Code of Conduct and Trust policy.
• To maintain accurate statistics and record action in the client’s medical record.
• To contribute to maintain and update Haven protocols as appropriate.
• To develop and update a list of resources of relevant voluntary and statutory agencies working within the specialist field of rape and sexual assault in the locality.
• To be involved in the production, maintenance and distribution of health education and client information leaflets, particularly pertaining to rape and sexual assault, and the work of the Havens.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Recognised professional counselling qualification, minimum Graduate level
• Accredited or eligible for accreditation with relevant professional organisation e.g. BACP, UKCP.

Desirable criteria

• Recognised professional supervision qualification.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working with clients who have experienced violence and trauma
• Understanding of and issues around confidentiality.
• An understanding of the psychological effects of trauma.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of counselling within an NHS setting.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or clinical supervision of other counsellors and professional staff.
• Experience of the application of counselling in different cultural contexts.
• Record of having published in peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.
• Experience of facilitating group therapy and other group work.
• Experience of working in sexual health.
• Good working knowledge of STIs

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Verbal Communication Skills
• Written communication skills
• Organisational skills.
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to communicate in a non-judgemental way.
• Self-awareness and ability to reflect upon own internal processes.
• Basic computer skills.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by relevant professional organisation.

Other Requirements

Essential criteria

• A commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both counselling and MDT audit, and a wish to continue to develop expertise in the service area.
• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to ‘hold’ the stress of others and understand vicarious trauma.

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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