Job summary
Applications are invited for the position of Lead Community Women's Health Counsellor. This position is in the Sylvia Pankhurst Centre at Mile End Hospital in East London, which is part of ALL EAST Integrated Sexual Health Services, Barts Health NHS Trust.
The Lead Community Women's Health Counsellor will play a pivotal role in the coordination and provision of counselling support to clients accessing services at Sylvia Pankhurst Centre, an integrated Termination of Pregnancy Service and Women's Health Service for Tower Hamlets. The post holder will offer assessment and counselling support as part of an integrated pathway, for clients accessing care relating to female genital mutilation, menopause, and pregnancy options.
Please note: There is a possibility for increased hours with the new local Women's Health Hub. With increased hours, this post holder will collaborate with our Service and Clinical Leads in developing counselling support services for this new initiative for East London.
Informal visits from interested applicants are welcomed. For informal visits and enquiries contact Stuart Gibson (stuart.gibson5@nhs.net) or Matthew Toal (mattew.toal@nhs.net).
We reserve the right to close adverts before the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.
Main duties of the job
The Lead Community Women's Health Counsellor will play a pivotal role in the coordination and provision of counselling support and intervention to clients accessing services at Sylvia Pankhurst Centre, an integrated Termination of Pregnancy Service and Women's Health Service for Tower Hamlets. The post holder will offer assessment and time-limited counselling support and intervention as part of an integrated pathway, for clients accessing care relating to female genital mutilation, menopause, and pregnancy options. The post holder will also serve as a designated link for safeguarding children and adults, and will work closely with the Lead Nurse, Medical Consultant Lead and Sexual Health Safeguarding Advisor/Safeguarding Named Nurse in ensuring high quality care and support for women and their families. The post holder will act as a leader in organising, monitoring, supporting, and supervising a team of Community Women's Health Counsellors.
About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling, Psychotherapy, or equivalent counselling or psychotherapy qualification
- UKCP, BACP or COSRT accredited (or evidence in progression towards)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Qualification in psychosexual counselling
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Well-developed communication and presentation skills
- Ability to develop effective local and national networks
- Training and facilitation skills
- Advanced decision-making skills
- IT skills for record keeping and communicating with clients through letters and emails
- Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Audit and research skills
Experience
Essential
- Supervised counselling experience in a related field
- Experience of counselling women in relation to sensitive issues - FGM, abortion, menopause, sexual and domestic abuse.
- Experience of providing time-limited counselling in a health care setting
- Experience of delivering pregnancy options counselling
- Experience of crisis intervention and safeguarding young people and adults
Desirable
- Experience of working with interpreters in direct patient contact
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrates a sound understanding medical and surgical terminations and the issues surrounding
- Demonstrates a sound understanding of reproductive and sexual health
- Up to date knowledge and information base of appropriate external organisations to which to refer clients on where necessary after assessment
Other Requirements
Essential
- Self-Motivated
- Proactive and resourceful
- To be able to work independently yet be part of a multi-disciplinary team
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling, Psychotherapy, or equivalent counselling or psychotherapy qualification
- UKCP, BACP or COSRT accredited (or evidence in progression towards)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Qualification in psychosexual counselling
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Well-developed communication and presentation skills
- Ability to develop effective local and national networks
- Training and facilitation skills
- Advanced decision-making skills
- IT skills for record keeping and communicating with clients through letters and emails
- Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Audit and research skills
Experience
Essential
- Supervised counselling experience in a related field
- Experience of counselling women in relation to sensitive issues - FGM, abortion, menopause, sexual and domestic abuse.
- Experience of providing time-limited counselling in a health care setting
- Experience of delivering pregnancy options counselling
- Experience of crisis intervention and safeguarding young people and adults
Desirable
- Experience of working with interpreters in direct patient contact
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrates a sound understanding medical and surgical terminations and the issues surrounding
- Demonstrates a sound understanding of reproductive and sexual health
- Up to date knowledge and information base of appropriate external organisations to which to refer clients on where necessary after assessment
Other Requirements
Essential
- Self-Motivated
- Proactive and resourceful
- To be able to work independently yet be part of a multi-disciplinary team
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
