Counsellor

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation NHS Trust (LPFT) delivers an NHS Talking Therapies service. An opportunity has arisen for a qualified counsellor Band 5 or Band 6 to join the Lincolnshire Talking Therapies service based in Lincoln although you may also be required to cover alternative bases to meet service need. The Service provides evidence-based interventions within a stepped care model, treating people with mild to moderate common mental health problems. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a major national service, which has fundamentally changed the way in which psychological treatments are provided.

In return we can offer you:

  • A well-established, friendly and supportive therapy team.
  • Personal and Professional Development opportunities.
  • Regular management and clinical supervision.
  • Annual appraisal
  • Early access to our staff wellbeing service and psychology therapies
  • Excellent working environment.
  • NHS Pension
  • NHS benefits

For further information regarding this post please contact Meika Woods, Team Manager for Lincoln Talking Therapies, on email Meika.woods1@nhs.netor Lauren Andrews Lead counsellor/IPT on Lauren.andrews16@nhs.net

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be able to work within a team environment and be thoroughly conversant with the use of clinical systems.

The Band 5 counsellor will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing counselling for depression. The post holder will be expected to hold a clinical caseload and will be provided with clinical supervision. The service will provide the relevant training to acquire a qualification in a Talking Therapies modality (cfc/IPT/ccfd).

To acquire the Band 6 post the candidate will need to continue to hold a caseload, be accredited with a professional body, complete and pass a qualification in a Talking Therapy modality (cfc/IPT/ccfd). They will be responsible in providing clinical supervision to counselling colleagues.

About us

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health services and a number of learning disability, autism and social care services in the county of Lincolnshire. Employing around 2,800 staff, and serving a population of over 766,000, our people lie at the heart of everything we do.

You could be part of a Trust rated by staff as one of the best mental health and learning disability trusts in England, in an area heralded as a fantastic place to live and work. We firmly believe the key to high quality care is a contented workforce. This is reflected in our Care Quality Commission rating of 'outstanding' for well-led and 'good' overall. In the most recent National NHS Staff Survey, our staff rated us as the number one trust nationally for staff morale and one of the top scoring NHS Trusts in the Midlands for being compassionate and inclusive. We're really proud of this!

We are also leading the way in transforming care, with multi-million-pound transformation of patient environments and radical redesign of community services.

This is the time to join and help redesign our services of the future. We offer options for flexible working and provide a wide range of training and promotion opportunities in all professions. We support and celebrate diversity, have active staff networks groups and are always looking at what more we can do to support our staff.

Date posted

14 January 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £44,962 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

217-11305-AC

Job locations

Lincoln Lincolnshire Talking Therapies, The Archway Centre

Carlton Centre, Outer Circle Road

Lincoln

LN2 4WA


Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

Screening referrals for service suitability via agreed protocols within the service

Undertake psychological assessments of patients referred to the service. Assessments will include identification of the patients problem, comprehensive risk assessment and identification of goals for therapy.

Formulate, implement and evaluate counselling therapy programmes for clients

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

Attend meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate

Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service

Keep coherent and contemporaneous records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols

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

TRAINING AND SUPERVISION

To attend CPD and mandatory training provided by the Trust

To attend clinical supervision

To complete one of the IAPT approved modalities within agreed timescale.

PROFESSIONAL

Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the Trust and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (eg BPS, UKCP ), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. IAPT, National Institute for Clinical Excellence)

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times

Be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of counselling and other agreed psychological therapies

Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development

Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager

Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives

Keep up to date all records in relation to Continued Professional Development (CPD) and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments

Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives

GENERAL

To contribute to the development of best practice within the service

To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures

All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public

All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies

It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

Screening referrals for service suitability via agreed protocols within the service

Undertake psychological assessments of patients referred to the service. Assessments will include identification of the patients problem, comprehensive risk assessment and identification of goals for therapy.

Formulate, implement and evaluate counselling therapy programmes for clients

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

Attend meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate

Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service

Keep coherent and contemporaneous records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols

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

TRAINING AND SUPERVISION

To attend CPD and mandatory training provided by the Trust

To attend clinical supervision

To complete one of the IAPT approved modalities within agreed timescale.

PROFESSIONAL

Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the Trust and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (eg BPS, UKCP ), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. IAPT, National Institute for Clinical Excellence)

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times

Be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of counselling and other agreed psychological therapies

Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development

Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager

Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives

Keep up to date all records in relation to Continued Professional Development (CPD) and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments

Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives

GENERAL

To contribute to the development of best practice within the service

To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures

All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public

All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies

It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Diploma in counselling (therapeutic)
  • Evidence of continued professional development
  • Meets the criteria for accreditation with BCAP

Desirable

  • Accreditation with BCAP

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable evidence of supervised practice
  • Knowledge of the application of counselling in mental health practice
  • Knowledge of a broad range of psychological therapies including time limited interventions
  • Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
  • Ability to manage own caseload and time
  • Ability to meet agreed/ specified service targets

Desirable

  • Knowledge of and commitment to appropriate ethical framework.
  • Delivery of time limited interventions
  • Counselling in a GP practice or Healthcare setting

Skills

Essential

  • Good written and communication skills
  • A good level of analytical and judgemental skills
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Ability to carry out assessment
  • Awareness of Child Safe guarding requirements
  • Awareness of adult safe guarding requirements
  • Understanding of common mental health problems and of current approaches to treatment e.g NICE Guidelines

Desirable

  • Worked in a service with agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
  • IT skills
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Diploma in counselling (therapeutic)
  • Evidence of continued professional development
  • Meets the criteria for accreditation with BCAP

Desirable

  • Accreditation with BCAP

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable evidence of supervised practice
  • Knowledge of the application of counselling in mental health practice
  • Knowledge of a broad range of psychological therapies including time limited interventions
  • Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
  • Ability to manage own caseload and time
  • Ability to meet agreed/ specified service targets

Desirable

  • Knowledge of and commitment to appropriate ethical framework.
  • Delivery of time limited interventions
  • Counselling in a GP practice or Healthcare setting

Skills

Essential

  • Good written and communication skills
  • A good level of analytical and judgemental skills
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Ability to carry out assessment
  • Awareness of Child Safe guarding requirements
  • Awareness of adult safe guarding requirements
  • Understanding of common mental health problems and of current approaches to treatment e.g NICE Guidelines

Desirable

  • Worked in a service with agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
  • IT skills

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).

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.

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

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lincoln Lincolnshire Talking Therapies, The Archway Centre

Carlton Centre, Outer Circle Road

Lincoln

LN2 4WA


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lincoln Lincolnshire Talking Therapies, The Archway Centre

Carlton Centre, Outer Circle Road

Lincoln

LN2 4WA


Employer's website

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

For questions about the job, contact:

Team Manager

Meika Woods

Meika.woods1@nhs.net

01522340160

Date posted

14 January 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £44,962 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

217-11305-AC

Job locations

Lincoln Lincolnshire Talking Therapies, The Archway Centre

Carlton Centre, Outer Circle Road

Lincoln

LN2 4WA


Supporting documents

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