Macmillan Counsellor

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical:

Accept referrals via agreed service protocols and refer on to appropriate services if required.

Assess the emotional needs of people affected by cancer who may present with multiple issues. Negotiate a therapy contract with a rationale and plan for sessions, or refer on to appropriate services as appropriate.

Deliver counselling based on current needs for people affected by cancer using appropriate models of level 3 psychological interventions (NICE, 2004). This will usually be one-to-one, but may include couple, family or group work and seeing patients on the ward.

Communicate with a high degree of skill and sensitivity, complex information while working with people to understand their individual difficulties in adjusting to a cancer diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and sometimes a life-limiting illness.

Make and keep appropriate notes of clinical sessions and accurately record and analyze screening and outcome measures.

Undertake risk assessment and management to include suicide risk and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and make referrals as necessary.

Exercise autonomous professional responsibility and accountability for clinical work undertaken and organize and manage own clinical caseload, supported day to day by The Cove Centre Manager and professionally by the Macmillan Lead Clinical Psychologist.

Involve partners, family members and others in counselling sessions as necessary, conveying psychological information with sensitivity in easily understood language.

Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or patients in treatment as appropriate.

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

Ensure that confidentiality is maintained in accordance with the guidance from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling.

Arrange and work with interpreters as necessary to ensure that all patients have equal access to counseling.

Teaching, training and supervision:

Contribute to the teaching, training and support of clinical staff in conjunction with the Cove Psychological Service.

Research and service evaluation:

Participate in clinical audits of service performance, including service satisfaction surveys and evaluations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Policy and service development:

To contribute to the further development of best practice within the Cove Psychological Service, highlight potential service improvements and implement changes under the direction of the Macmillan Lead Clinical Psychologist.

To highlight aspects of the service where counselling and/or organisational matters need addressing.

General:

To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice through (a) active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes within the BACP requirements to maintain registration in consultation with the Macmillan Lead Clinical Psychologist, and (b) the encouragement and active participation of service users in the design, provision and evaluation of clinical services.

To receive regular clinical supervision within the requirements of accreditation by the BACP.

To ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with manager through regular performance development review and to pursue a personal development plan.

To ensure the maintenance of high standards of practice according to Trust policies and the BACP and operate within the appropriate ethical frameworks at all times.

To maintain the highest standards of record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice and Trust policies and procedures.

To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to cancer, other areas of physical health, mental health and counselling.

KEY RESULT AREAS

To deliver the highest possible standards of psychological care and support to people who are referred to the Cove Psychological Service and triaged as appropriate for level 3 interventions (NICE, 2004).

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Have the ability to skilfully convey sensitive and accurate information in written and verbal form to patients, their families and wider multidisciplinary teams at appropriate times in the best interests of the patient.

Examples of working relationships:

Consultants, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Breast and Palliative Care Nurses, ward staff and wider clinical multidisciplinary teams within and outside the Trust, e.g. General Practitioners, Community Palliative Care Nurses, Hospices. The Cove Macmillan Support Centre team. Department of Clinical Health Psychology.

To meet the ever increasing demands placed on cancer services in the face of high levels of distress.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional counselling qualification to Level 4 Diploma as recognised by the BACP
• Accreditation with the BACP/UKCP (or accreditation applied for)

Desirable

• Qualifications and experience in a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities

Experience

Essential

• Experience of providing time-limited therapy using a range of therapeutic approaches
• Ability to assess the appropriateness of counselling for patients

Desirable

• Experience of working in an oncology &/or physical health setting
• Experience of providing supervision or mentorship to colleagues

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Address

Cove Macmillan Centre

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Truro

TR1 3LJ

Employer's website

https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)