Counsellor

Job description

Job responsibilities

Accepting referrals via agreed protocols within the service. You will make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent, or step-up the persons treatment as necessary.

Assess and support people with mental health problems.

Undertake person-centred interviews identifying areas where the person wishes to see change and or recovery, identifying goals for counselling.

Conduct accurate assessments of risk to self and others.

Provide assessment for step 2 counselling interventions.

Formulate, implement, and evaluate counselling therapy programmes and care packages for clients.

Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment.

Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.

Record and evaluate `outcome measures` as part of the ongoing therapy process (GAD-7/PHQ-9)

Ensure the accurate entry of clinical data onto agreed systems, maintaining the highest standards of clinical record keeping.

Work in partnership with other disciplines and to maintain links with statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate, in relation to continuing care on release from prison.

Adopt a flexible and pragmatic approach to ensure the highest standard of service delivery is provided.

Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.

Support the collation of monthly performance data for service management team.

Communicate effectively with patients, stakeholders, colleagues, and relevant professionals, both in verbal and written form

Open and transparent attitude to work, utilising all elements of supervision appropriately.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Post-qualification experience in offering and delivering counselling in IAPT setting.
• Evidence and understanding of working within a stepped care service with people who have experienced a mental health problem delivering and demonstrating recovery outcomes.
• Knowledge of assessment procedures, screening, referral, record-keeping, and evidence-based brief psychological interventions.
• Demonstrates an understanding of use of IAPT counselling and how this relates to this post.
• Ability to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients and practice in a non-discriminatory manner, respecting the beliefs and cultural practices of individuals and groups.
• Operates at all times from an inclusive values base which promotes recovery and recognises and respects diversity.
• Experience of using clinical outcome measures to inform practice.
• Confident communicator with excellent verbal and written skills.
• Good working knowledge of standard IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel, and use of database / information systems.
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and be self-reflective in own personal and professional development.
• Able to prioritise workload demands and positively respond to unforeseen challenges.
• Deals with stressful and difficult situations in a calm and solution focused manner.
• Able to utilise continued professional development, in collaboration with my supervisor and line manager to ensure that my work remains at the highest possible standard.

Desirable

• Experience working in prison environment or experience of working with offenders.
• Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
• Knowledge / relevant experience in other therapy modalities that are relevant to practice as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (e.g. solution focused therapy, supervision training).

Qualifications

Essential

• Successfully completed a diploma in Counselling (therapeutic) or equivalent that allows access to training programmes and accreditation with a regulating body, e.g., BACP.

Desirable

• Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Rethink Mental Illness

Address

HMP Full Sutton

York

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO41 1PS

Employer's website

https://www.rethink.org/ (Opens in a new tab)