Counsellor

Rethink Mental Illness

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

About the RoleRethink Mental Illness is seeking a dedicated Step 2 Counsellor to join our integrated mental health team at HMP Millsike. Youll deliver brief intervention counselling (6-8 sessions) for individuals experiencing depressive symptoms, such as those related to bereavement or life adjustments, in line with IAPT guidelines. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team, you will also support broader mental health initiatives within the prison, ensuring continuity of care and collaborating with professionals for a high standard of mental health support.

Main duties of the job

Working as part of an integrated mental health team within the prison, providing brief intervention counselling for depressive symptoms secondary to a compact life event e.g. bereavement or adjustment in line with Step 2 IAPT guidelines.

This is delivered over a brief model (6-8 session) in either 1:1 or group settings. I support with wider mental health activities, such as service promotion, peer mentors, mental health initiatives and service improvement activities. Role specific supervision will be provided in line with BACP guidelines.

You will work with the following people and teams within Rethink Mental Illness -

  • Associate Director for Criminal Justice and Care Navigation
  • Head Criminal Justice and Secure Care
  • Head of Care Navigation
  • Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners
  • Counsellors
  • Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners
  • Health and Wellbeing Coaches

About us

You will work as part of an integrated care mental health team delivering Step 1 interventions, working alongside other professionals to support the mental health of the prison population.The team support people with a common mental health problem in the self-management of their recovery, building a professional relationship of trust in a non-judgmental manner with every client as a basis for developing and enabling therapeutic relationships.This ranges from providing informal information, support, and signposting, facilitating group activities and forums, to developing and training Peer Mentors and delivering service user engagement activities. You will work alongside the other staff in the mental health team to deliver high quality, mental health support during an individuals time in prison and in onward planning for their release into the community.

The team compromises a range of highly skilled professionals who work collaboratively to provide the highest quality of care for those with mental health needs within the prison and for Rethink Mental Illness employees, this is carried out between 0800 1600 Monday to Friday.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity and thats why equity is one of our core values.

Date posted

25 October 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0008-24-0017

Job locations

HMP Full Sutton

York

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO41 1PS


HMP Millsike

Moor Ln

Full Sutton

YORK

YO41 1FZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Accepting referrals via agreed protocols within the service. You will make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent, or step-up the persons treatment as necessary.

Assess and support people with mental health problems.

Undertake person-centred interviews identifying areas where the person wishes to see change and or recovery, identifying goals for counselling.

Conduct accurate assessments of risk to self and others.

Provide assessment for step 2 counselling interventions.

Formulate, implement, and evaluate counselling therapy programmes and care packages for clients.

Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment.

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.

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.

Record and evaluate `outcome measures` as part of the ongoing therapy process (GAD-7/PHQ-9)

Ensure the accurate entry of clinical data onto agreed systems, maintaining the highest standards of clinical record keeping.

Work in partnership with other disciplines and to maintain links with statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate, in relation to continuing care on release from prison.

Adopt a flexible and pragmatic approach to ensure the highest standard of service delivery is provided.

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.

Support the collation of monthly performance data for service management team.

Communicate effectively with patients, stakeholders, colleagues, and relevant professionals, both in verbal and written form

Open and transparent attitude to work, utilising all elements of supervision appropriately.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Accepting referrals via agreed protocols within the service. You will make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent, or step-up the persons treatment as necessary.

Assess and support people with mental health problems.

Undertake person-centred interviews identifying areas where the person wishes to see change and or recovery, identifying goals for counselling.

Conduct accurate assessments of risk to self and others.

Provide assessment for step 2 counselling interventions.

Formulate, implement, and evaluate counselling therapy programmes and care packages for clients.

Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment.

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.

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.

Record and evaluate `outcome measures` as part of the ongoing therapy process (GAD-7/PHQ-9)

Ensure the accurate entry of clinical data onto agreed systems, maintaining the highest standards of clinical record keeping.

Work in partnership with other disciplines and to maintain links with statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate, in relation to continuing care on release from prison.

Adopt a flexible and pragmatic approach to ensure the highest standard of service delivery is provided.

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.

Support the collation of monthly performance data for service management team.

Communicate effectively with patients, stakeholders, colleagues, and relevant professionals, both in verbal and written form

Open and transparent attitude to work, utilising all elements of supervision appropriately.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Post-qualification experience in offering and delivering counselling in IAPT setting.
  • Evidence and understanding of working within a stepped care service with people who have experienced a mental health problem delivering and demonstrating recovery outcomes.
  • Knowledge of assessment procedures, screening, referral, record-keeping, and evidence-based brief psychological interventions.
  • Demonstrates an understanding of use of IAPT counselling and how this relates to this post.
  • Ability to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients and practice in a non-discriminatory manner, respecting the beliefs and cultural practices of individuals and groups.
  • Operates at all times from an inclusive values base which promotes recovery and recognises and respects diversity.
  • Experience of using clinical outcome measures to inform practice.
  • Confident communicator with excellent verbal and written skills.
  • Good working knowledge of standard IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel, and use of database / information systems.
  • Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and be self-reflective in own personal and professional development.
  • Able to prioritise workload demands and positively respond to unforeseen challenges.
  • Deals with stressful and difficult situations in a calm and solution focused manner.
  • Able to utilise continued professional development, in collaboration with my supervisor and line manager to ensure that my work remains at the highest possible standard.

Desirable

  • Experience working in prison environment or experience of working with offenders.
  • Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
  • Knowledge / relevant experience in other therapy modalities that are relevant to practice as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (e.g. solution focused therapy, supervision training).

Qualifications

Essential

  • Successfully completed a diploma in Counselling (therapeutic) or equivalent that allows access to training programmes and accreditation with a regulating body, e.g., BACP.

Desirable

  • Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Post-qualification experience in offering and delivering counselling in IAPT setting.
  • Evidence and understanding of working within a stepped care service with people who have experienced a mental health problem delivering and demonstrating recovery outcomes.
  • Knowledge of assessment procedures, screening, referral, record-keeping, and evidence-based brief psychological interventions.
  • Demonstrates an understanding of use of IAPT counselling and how this relates to this post.
  • Ability to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients and practice in a non-discriminatory manner, respecting the beliefs and cultural practices of individuals and groups.
  • Operates at all times from an inclusive values base which promotes recovery and recognises and respects diversity.
  • Experience of using clinical outcome measures to inform practice.
  • Confident communicator with excellent verbal and written skills.
  • Good working knowledge of standard IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel, and use of database / information systems.
  • Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and be self-reflective in own personal and professional development.
  • Able to prioritise workload demands and positively respond to unforeseen challenges.
  • Deals with stressful and difficult situations in a calm and solution focused manner.
  • Able to utilise continued professional development, in collaboration with my supervisor and line manager to ensure that my work remains at the highest possible standard.

Desirable

  • Experience working in prison environment or experience of working with offenders.
  • Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
  • Knowledge / relevant experience in other therapy modalities that are relevant to practice as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (e.g. solution focused therapy, supervision training).

Qualifications

Essential

  • Successfully completed a diploma in Counselling (therapeutic) or equivalent that allows access to training programmes and accreditation with a regulating body, e.g., BACP.

Desirable

  • Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.

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

Rethink Mental Illness

Address

HMP Full Sutton

York

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO41 1PS


Employer's website

https://www.rethink.org/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Rethink Mental Illness

Address

HMP Full Sutton

York

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO41 1PS


Employer's website

https://www.rethink.org/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Recruitment Team at Rethink Mental Illness

recruitment@rethink.org

Date posted

25 October 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0008-24-0017

Job locations

HMP Full Sutton

York

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO41 1PS


HMP Millsike

Moor Ln

Full Sutton

YORK

YO41 1FZ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Rethink Mental Illness's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)