East London NHS Foundation Trust

Band 6 Counsellor

The closing date is 21 November 2025

Job summary

Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies (THTT) is one of the leading national Talking Therapies services and we are keen to recruit an experienced Counsellor. The successful candidate will join our dynamic Counselling Therapies team and work alongside other therapists who are trained in a number of different modalities including; person-centred, humanistic, integrative, and psychodynamic. Other teams of therapists at THTT are trained in a range of therapies including EMDR, Eating Disorders treatment, CBT and a well-established PWP team.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will provide individual and group counselling interventions for clients with mild to moderate common mental health problems as appropriate to meet service user needs. They will monitor their performance and outcomes in conjunction with the stream lead.The post-holder will be BACP/UKCP registered/accredited and is required to be eligible and willing to undertake the NHS Talking Therapies training in Counselling for Depression if requested. The post holder will implement a stepped care approach to clinical practice and will work with clients who present with depression and anxiety for which Counselling is demonstrated to be clinically effective and appropriate.A percentage of the post-holders' clinical contact hours will be filled with triage assessments. The number of triage assessments required per week will be specified by line managers/clinical lead. Assessments may be face-to-face or via telephone or other communication mediums that are approved by your line manager/clinical leadThe post-holder will work with people from different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and may work in various community settings, including GP surgeries and other community settings.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details

Date posted

11 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£46,419 to £55,046 a year -

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

363-SS7581157

Job locations

Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies

71 Johnson Street

London

E1 0AQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Offer 1:1 and group brief counselling interventions which may be face-to-face, via telephone or on online using Teams. Work their hours flexibly, to include one late night clinic to 7pm, as agreed with the line manager.2 Book 25 hours of clinical contact appointments per week for a 1.0 WTE (37.5 hours per week) with the expectation of a minimum of 20 hours attended clinical contacts per week. Clinical contacts include treatment and triage assessments. Collect and record on IAPTus specified NHS Talking Therapies (previously IAPT) outcome measures at assessment and every treatment session. Competently use an electronic patient information and recording system such as IAPTus for recording of all assessment, treatment and supervision sessions, to include inputting clinical outcome measures, recording risk assessment and risk management plans, problem descriptors, and all other specified fields as required by the service and your line manager. Engage with regular clinical, case-management and line-management supervision as specified by your line manager and clinical lead. All supervision will be conducted by a suitably qualified and experienced clinician/manager, employed and supplied by East London NHS Foundation Trust. Undertake additional tasks as requested by the post-holders line manager/clinical lead in connection with the provision of an efficient and efficacious NHS Talking Therapies service to the residents of Tower Hamlets in accordance with National Guidance and Requirements.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Offer 1:1 and group brief counselling interventions which may be face-to-face, via telephone or on online using Teams. Work their hours flexibly, to include one late night clinic to 7pm, as agreed with the line manager.2 Book 25 hours of clinical contact appointments per week for a 1.0 WTE (37.5 hours per week) with the expectation of a minimum of 20 hours attended clinical contacts per week. Clinical contacts include treatment and triage assessments. Collect and record on IAPTus specified NHS Talking Therapies (previously IAPT) outcome measures at assessment and every treatment session. Competently use an electronic patient information and recording system such as IAPTus for recording of all assessment, treatment and supervision sessions, to include inputting clinical outcome measures, recording risk assessment and risk management plans, problem descriptors, and all other specified fields as required by the service and your line manager. Engage with regular clinical, case-management and line-management supervision as specified by your line manager and clinical lead. All supervision will be conducted by a suitably qualified and experienced clinician/manager, employed and supplied by East London NHS Foundation Trust. Undertake additional tasks as requested by the post-holders line manager/clinical lead in connection with the provision of an efficient and efficacious NHS Talking Therapies service to the residents of Tower Hamlets in accordance with National Guidance and Requirements.

Person Specification

Qualification

Essential

  • Diploma in Person Centred Counselling or equivalent
  • Accredited with the BACP/UKCP or Eligible for accreditation with the BACP/UKCP, within the next 6 months.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in delivering a variety of counselling interventions, within Primary Care Services or equivalent short term therapy Services.
  • Experience in conducting triage and assessments and identifying an appropriate treatment intervention and plan.
  • Significant experience of delivering counselling to patients who have had common mental health difficulties, specifically depression.
  • Experience of 'partnership working'
  • Experience of using IT system (preferably IAPTUS) for Clinical case recording, case management and supervision
  • Experience of developing and running groups at Step 2 /2.5 level within a Primary Care Service.
  • Experience of working with a multi -cultural client group and working with interpreters.

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Skills in assessment and management of risk and the ability to generate a risk management plan and take appropriate action, as indicated by the service policies.
  • Ability to develop good therapeutic Alliance with client.
  • Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Ability to liaise and network with a wide range of organizations.
  • Good IT skills, including word processing and patient administration systems.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of different models of mental health/mental illness
  • Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice, in relation to Mental health, safeguarding etc.
  • Knowledge of NHS policies, procedures and guidelines
  • Knowledge of working with diversity and knowledge of working with black, minority ethnic groups
  • Knowledge of outcome measures and their use for clinical and audit purposes
  • Knowledge of medication used common mental health problems, especially depression.
  • Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
  • Understands the concept of stepped care and how it relates to the care of people experiencing common MH problems
Person Specification

Qualification

Essential

  • Diploma in Person Centred Counselling or equivalent
  • Accredited with the BACP/UKCP or Eligible for accreditation with the BACP/UKCP, within the next 6 months.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in delivering a variety of counselling interventions, within Primary Care Services or equivalent short term therapy Services.
  • Experience in conducting triage and assessments and identifying an appropriate treatment intervention and plan.
  • Significant experience of delivering counselling to patients who have had common mental health difficulties, specifically depression.
  • Experience of 'partnership working'
  • Experience of using IT system (preferably IAPTUS) for Clinical case recording, case management and supervision
  • Experience of developing and running groups at Step 2 /2.5 level within a Primary Care Service.
  • Experience of working with a multi -cultural client group and working with interpreters.

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Skills in assessment and management of risk and the ability to generate a risk management plan and take appropriate action, as indicated by the service policies.
  • Ability to develop good therapeutic Alliance with client.
  • Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Ability to liaise and network with a wide range of organizations.
  • Good IT skills, including word processing and patient administration systems.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of different models of mental health/mental illness
  • Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice, in relation to Mental health, safeguarding etc.
  • Knowledge of NHS policies, procedures and guidelines
  • Knowledge of working with diversity and knowledge of working with black, minority ethnic groups
  • Knowledge of outcome measures and their use for clinical and audit purposes
  • Knowledge of medication used common mental health problems, especially depression.
  • Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
  • Understands the concept of stepped care and how it relates to the care of people experiencing common MH problems

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).

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.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies

71 Johnson Street

London

E1 0AQ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies

71 Johnson Street

London

E1 0AQ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Counselling Lead

Adam Davies

adam.davies41@nhs.net

02077027641

Details

Date posted

11 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£46,419 to £55,046 a year -

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

363-SS7581157

Job locations

Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies

71 Johnson Street

London

E1 0AQ


Supporting documents

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