East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Renal Counsellor - Nephrology

The closing date is 31 July 2025

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Job summary

The Renal Counsellor provides psychosocial support and counselling to patients with kidney disease, including those undergoing dialysis or preparing for renal transplantation.

This role involves helping patients cope with the emotional, psychological, lifestyle, and practical challenges associated with all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the various treatments.

Additionally, you will be expected to perform psychosocial assessments, identify barriers to treatment, and work with a multidisciplinary team to develop personalized care plans. The renal counsellor also coordinates referrals to external resources and support groups, ensuring that patients have access to the necessary services and tools for managing their condition and maintaining their quality of life.

Main duties of the job

  • You will be responsible for Patient Counselling and Support
  • You will support patients through all stages of kidney disease, dialysis initiation, transplant preparation, and conservative management and promote informed decision-making and encourage patient involvement in their care plans.
  • You will help patients cope with depression, anxiety, grief, body image issues, and lifestyle changes related to CKD.
  • You will conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments for pre-transplant evaluations.
  • You will Identify barriers to treatment adherence, such as financial issues, transportation, or mental health conditions, and collaborate on solutions.
  • You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including nephrologists, nurses, dietitians, and social prescriber and other healthcare professionals.
  • You will maintain accurate and confidential records of counselling sessions, assessments, and care plans.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

432-HR501-25

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5DP


Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree / Diploma in Counselling / CBT or equivalent as recognised by the BABCP, UKCP or a similar professional body

Desirable

  • Accreditation with BABCP, UKCP or other equivalent professional body.
  • Couple counselling training or qualification.

Experience

Essential

  • Post qualifying clinical practice experience.
  • Using more than one model of counselling/psychotherapy.
  • Working with a variety of different client groups.
  • Working within a multi-professional team.
  • Confidence in risk assessment and risk management.

Desirable

  • Experience in other fields of nursing.
  • Involved in change management

Knowledge

Essential

  • Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Role model our Trust values every day.
  • Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to lifelong learning.
  • Able to meet the travel requirements of the role - current drivers' licence / car owner
  • Ability to work as part of a team.
  • Good time management skills - able to plan and work to time scales.

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to communicate to a high level with a range of people, both in person, via video and over the telephone
  • Ability to develop and maintain therapeutic relationships.
  • Ability to maintain professional boundaries, including an understanding of the principles of confidentiality
  • Ability to prepare for and to participate in clinical supervision
  • Skilled in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulating treatment plans and setting goals.
  • IT competence including Word, Excel, Outlook and Office 365.

Desirable

  • Leadership skills.
  • Presentation and teaching skills
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree / Diploma in Counselling / CBT or equivalent as recognised by the BABCP, UKCP or a similar professional body

Desirable

  • Accreditation with BABCP, UKCP or other equivalent professional body.
  • Couple counselling training or qualification.

Experience

Essential

  • Post qualifying clinical practice experience.
  • Using more than one model of counselling/psychotherapy.
  • Working with a variety of different client groups.
  • Working within a multi-professional team.
  • Confidence in risk assessment and risk management.

Desirable

  • Experience in other fields of nursing.
  • Involved in change management

Knowledge

Essential

  • Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Role model our Trust values every day.
  • Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to lifelong learning.
  • Able to meet the travel requirements of the role - current drivers' licence / car owner
  • Ability to work as part of a team.
  • Good time management skills - able to plan and work to time scales.

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to communicate to a high level with a range of people, both in person, via video and over the telephone
  • Ability to develop and maintain therapeutic relationships.
  • Ability to maintain professional boundaries, including an understanding of the principles of confidentiality
  • Ability to prepare for and to participate in clinical supervision
  • Skilled in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulating treatment plans and setting goals.
  • IT competence including Word, Excel, Outlook and Office 365.

Desirable

  • Leadership skills.
  • Presentation and teaching 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

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5DP


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5DP


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Renal Nurse Specialist

Linda Cartmel

Linda.Cartmel@esneft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

25 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

432-HR501-25

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5DP


Supporting documents

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