Job summary
St Margaret's Hospice Care is looking for a compassionate and skilled Family and Patient Support Therapist to join our Supportive Care Service.
- Salary: £23,952.07 to £28,842.81 (equivalent to a full time salary of £39,920.11 -£48,071.35)
- Contract: Permanent, part time
- Hours: 22.5 per week. Although the majority of work will be within normal working hours, some evening and weekend work will be needed.
- Interview date: 24th April 2026
This is a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of patients and families affected by life limiting illness and bereavement.
Working across our Taunton and Yeovil sites, you will be part of a caring, values led hospice charity where the patient and their loved ones are at the heart of everything we do.
If you are an experienced therapeutic practitioner seeking a role that combines clinical expertise with genuine human connection, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking a practitioner qualified to deliver specialist psychotherapeutic support to individuals and groups.
As part of our Supportive Care Service, you will provide evidenced based, therapeutic support to patients with a palliative diagnosis, families, children and young people who have been, or are about to be bereaved of someone significant to them.
This cross-county role will be based in our Taunton and Yeovil Hospice sites and will see clients as out-patients, in their own homes and at other community venues.
You will work alongsidethe wider supportive care team of counsellors and therapists.
About us
Be part of a welcoming, community minded charity. Our mission is to provide excellent specialist palliative care for patients and support to their families.
If you speak to any of our staff or volunteers, they will tell you how the patient is at the heart of everything they do. So, if youre looking for a role where you can really make a difference, working as part of a supportive team, we could be a perfect match.
Holiday entitlement
- 33 days holiday including bank holidays rising to 35 days after 1 year, and increasing with length of service (pro-rata if part-time)
- Recognise continuous service for clinical staff paid at band 5+ who join directly from the NHS or another hospice
- Ability to buy and sell annual leave
Pension scheme
- NHS employees eligible to continue with their NHS pension scheme*
- Non-NHS employees will receive 6% employer and 5% employee contribution.
Award-winning Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family offering:
- Vitality & wellbeing health portal for non-emergency care
- Unlimited access to 24/7 online GP Consultations as well as Expert Case Management
- Confidential and free 24-hour Employee Assistance
- Counselling and support
- Legal, financial, and medical information and advice
And more
- Life assurance cover
- Health Cash Plans
- Blue Light Discount Card
- Enhanced maternityleave*
- Excellent learning and development opportunities
- Free on-site parking in Yeovil and Taunton
- Volunteering and fundraising opportunities
*Eligibility criteria applies
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsibilities
Clinical Practice
- To provide a high standard of holistic, individualised psychological care to patients and families / carers using hospice services by:
- Work within therapeutic boundaries, as a psychotherapeutic practitioner managing a complex caseload of patients and clients with specialist psychological needs in relation to a life limiting illness
- Monitor and triage requests for psychological therapies, assessing and identifying best therapeutic response
- Support the practitioners within the team and deliver clinical supervision
- Recognise at risk or vulnerable clients and signpost appropriately to other agencies in accordance with safeguarding policy
- Support the development and delivery of therapeutic practices within the supportive care team
- Collaborate with external agencies to access specialist advice with complex cases
- Collaborative working with other healthcare professions and the multi-disciplinary team
- Provide a timely and responsive pre and post bereavement service for families, children and young adults
- Support families, children and young people to communicate relating to their loss and bereavement
- Liaise with relevant external agencies regarding potential family support needs of clients.
- Make appropriate referrals to other professionals and work collaboratively with a wide range of local, regional and national services including Cruse Bereavement Care, CAMHS and social care services
- With line manager, actively identify and support residential and non-residential group work for children and young persons in collaboration with other voluntary sector groups, if appropriate.
- Maintain own professional standards and attend regular clinical supervision and professional CPD.
Management and Leadership
- Support supervisees to be able to meet the requirements of their job description and role, through role-modeling, best practice, teaching and supervision.
- Support the team to provide a service that meets the psychotherapeutic needs of patients and families.
- Contribute to the recruitment, induction and appraisal of staff and provide support for personal and professional development.
- Ensure appropriate selection of psychotherapeutic practitioners/trainees/volunteers.
- Provide day to day management, support and supervision of service practitioners/trainees/volunteers
- Monitor the quality of data input by the service practitioners/trainees/volunteers ensuring standards of documentation are met.
- Provide clinical supervision for team members and volunteers.
- Attend regular, planned clinical supervision of own practice.
- Demonstrate effective time management and prioritise case load in response to meet ever-changing service demands.
- Maintain accurate statistical information and complete required recording on clients notes
- Actively contribute to the promotion and development of the Hospice psychotherapeutic services
- In collaboration with line manager, develop and review appropriate policies, operational guidelines and referral criteria for the service.
- Manage resources to ensure the most effective delivery of the service within agreed organisational parameters and outcomes.
- Demonstrate a flexible approach to working hours to accommodate the needs of the service.
- Undertake risk assessments for lone and group working
- Maintain vigilance regarding safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, aware of legislation and implications, across the service.
- To work within professional boundaries agreed with line manager.
Communication and people skills
- The post holder will have the necessary skills required to:
- Record contemporaneous and accurate data on the electronic record system in accordance with St Margarets guidance and within data protection policies.
- Responsible for ensuring high quality data collection and record keeping for psychological therapies.
- Promote and practice excellent and effective communication skills with patients, families and members of the MDT.
- Adapt communication style to meet the clients individual needs.
- Maintain confidentiality according to GDPR policy and protocol.
- Work with members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure effective communication channels and build relationships with team and external agencies.
- Demonstrate appropriate conflict management skills which are effective and highly sensitive in managing individuals and situations.
- Establish and maintain effective collaboration with other providers and relevant external organisations.
- Deliver training/presentations internally and to external organisations
- Represent St. Margaret's Psychotherapeutic Services in local networks and at regional and national meetings if required.
Quality, Research, Audit and Development
- Provide ongoing evaluation of the service; review of outcomes and effectiveness - both qualitative and quantitative.
- Participate and contribute to audit and research as agreed.
- Participate in the planning and undertaking of patient and carer feedback.
- Foster an environment where research and audit is welcomed.
- Contribute to the service delivery plan for Therapies and Supportive Care Services.
- Keep updated with national and local changes to practice and legislation to ensure the service reflects best practice.
Education and Training
- Initiate, plan and provide education and training to staff in the hospice in relation to psychological care, and signpost staff to appropriate agencies.
- As part of the supportive care team, provide the MDT with an understanding of the psychological and spiritual impact of terminal illness, loss and bereavement on people, including those from diverse and disadvantaged communities.
- Identify own and others learning needs, liaising with line manager and Education Department, attend and delivering training courses and study days as appropriate.
- Participate in the development and delivery of internal and external educational programmes.
- Help to create a positive learning environment and in partnership with the team to provide and deliver learning opportunities for other health and social care workers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsibilities
Clinical Practice
- To provide a high standard of holistic, individualised psychological care to patients and families / carers using hospice services by:
- Work within therapeutic boundaries, as a psychotherapeutic practitioner managing a complex caseload of patients and clients with specialist psychological needs in relation to a life limiting illness
- Monitor and triage requests for psychological therapies, assessing and identifying best therapeutic response
- Support the practitioners within the team and deliver clinical supervision
- Recognise at risk or vulnerable clients and signpost appropriately to other agencies in accordance with safeguarding policy
- Support the development and delivery of therapeutic practices within the supportive care team
- Collaborate with external agencies to access specialist advice with complex cases
- Collaborative working with other healthcare professions and the multi-disciplinary team
- Provide a timely and responsive pre and post bereavement service for families, children and young adults
- Support families, children and young people to communicate relating to their loss and bereavement
- Liaise with relevant external agencies regarding potential family support needs of clients.
- Make appropriate referrals to other professionals and work collaboratively with a wide range of local, regional and national services including Cruse Bereavement Care, CAMHS and social care services
- With line manager, actively identify and support residential and non-residential group work for children and young persons in collaboration with other voluntary sector groups, if appropriate.
- Maintain own professional standards and attend regular clinical supervision and professional CPD.
Management and Leadership
- Support supervisees to be able to meet the requirements of their job description and role, through role-modeling, best practice, teaching and supervision.
- Support the team to provide a service that meets the psychotherapeutic needs of patients and families.
- Contribute to the recruitment, induction and appraisal of staff and provide support for personal and professional development.
- Ensure appropriate selection of psychotherapeutic practitioners/trainees/volunteers.
- Provide day to day management, support and supervision of service practitioners/trainees/volunteers
- Monitor the quality of data input by the service practitioners/trainees/volunteers ensuring standards of documentation are met.
- Provide clinical supervision for team members and volunteers.
- Attend regular, planned clinical supervision of own practice.
- Demonstrate effective time management and prioritise case load in response to meet ever-changing service demands.
- Maintain accurate statistical information and complete required recording on clients notes
- Actively contribute to the promotion and development of the Hospice psychotherapeutic services
- In collaboration with line manager, develop and review appropriate policies, operational guidelines and referral criteria for the service.
- Manage resources to ensure the most effective delivery of the service within agreed organisational parameters and outcomes.
- Demonstrate a flexible approach to working hours to accommodate the needs of the service.
- Undertake risk assessments for lone and group working
- Maintain vigilance regarding safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, aware of legislation and implications, across the service.
- To work within professional boundaries agreed with line manager.
Communication and people skills
- The post holder will have the necessary skills required to:
- Record contemporaneous and accurate data on the electronic record system in accordance with St Margarets guidance and within data protection policies.
- Responsible for ensuring high quality data collection and record keeping for psychological therapies.
- Promote and practice excellent and effective communication skills with patients, families and members of the MDT.
- Adapt communication style to meet the clients individual needs.
- Maintain confidentiality according to GDPR policy and protocol.
- Work with members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure effective communication channels and build relationships with team and external agencies.
- Demonstrate appropriate conflict management skills which are effective and highly sensitive in managing individuals and situations.
- Establish and maintain effective collaboration with other providers and relevant external organisations.
- Deliver training/presentations internally and to external organisations
- Represent St. Margaret's Psychotherapeutic Services in local networks and at regional and national meetings if required.
Quality, Research, Audit and Development
- Provide ongoing evaluation of the service; review of outcomes and effectiveness - both qualitative and quantitative.
- Participate and contribute to audit and research as agreed.
- Participate in the planning and undertaking of patient and carer feedback.
- Foster an environment where research and audit is welcomed.
- Contribute to the service delivery plan for Therapies and Supportive Care Services.
- Keep updated with national and local changes to practice and legislation to ensure the service reflects best practice.
Education and Training
- Initiate, plan and provide education and training to staff in the hospice in relation to psychological care, and signpost staff to appropriate agencies.
- As part of the supportive care team, provide the MDT with an understanding of the psychological and spiritual impact of terminal illness, loss and bereavement on people, including those from diverse and disadvantaged communities.
- Identify own and others learning needs, liaising with line manager and Education Department, attend and delivering training courses and study days as appropriate.
- Participate in the development and delivery of internal and external educational programmes.
- Help to create a positive learning environment and in partnership with the team to provide and deliver learning opportunities for other health and social care workers.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified to practice as a specialist counsellor, psychotherapist, systemic practitioner or equivalent.
- Current relevant professional registration / accreditation.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
- Computer literacy with knowledge of Windows based applications
Desirable
- Master's level training in relevant field
- Qualification in counselling children and young people.
- Evidence of study in Palliative Care
- Clinical Supervision Qualification
Self Awareness
Essential
- Excellent organisational skills to effectively manage workload
- Ability to make decisions, organise, prioritise and meet deadlines
Working with others
Essential
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Understanding of loss and grief and its impact on individuals and families and their social networks
Desirable
- Experience of working with volunteers
- Experience of delivering clinical and counselling supervision
- Experience of teaching / training
Outcome and Results
Essential
- Experience working with people with chronic disease or life limiting illnesses
- Experience of having worked in a healthcare or multi-disciplinary setting.
- Experience of practicing according to NICE supportive and palliative care guidelines at Level 3/Level 4
Desirable
- Maintenance of statistical data
- Experience of participation in audit or research
- Experience of having worked in a Specialist Palliative Care setting
- Experience of working therapeutically with families and children in complex situations and the delivery of evidenced based interventions
Leading in your area
Essential
- Working knowledge of relevant statutory and voluntary agencies
- A knowledge of current legislation and policy relevant to palliative care and psychotherapeutic practice, including working with vulnerable individuals, adult, and child safeguarding issues
- Demonstrable commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities
Desirable
- Evidence of service development
- Evidence of contributing to policy making and standard setting
Other Requirements
Essential
- Must have ability to travel by car across the whole County including rural communities.
- Ability to work varied hours including weekends, bank holidays and some evenings
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified to practice as a specialist counsellor, psychotherapist, systemic practitioner or equivalent.
- Current relevant professional registration / accreditation.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
- Computer literacy with knowledge of Windows based applications
Desirable
- Master's level training in relevant field
- Qualification in counselling children and young people.
- Evidence of study in Palliative Care
- Clinical Supervision Qualification
Self Awareness
Essential
- Excellent organisational skills to effectively manage workload
- Ability to make decisions, organise, prioritise and meet deadlines
Working with others
Essential
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Understanding of loss and grief and its impact on individuals and families and their social networks
Desirable
- Experience of working with volunteers
- Experience of delivering clinical and counselling supervision
- Experience of teaching / training
Outcome and Results
Essential
- Experience working with people with chronic disease or life limiting illnesses
- Experience of having worked in a healthcare or multi-disciplinary setting.
- Experience of practicing according to NICE supportive and palliative care guidelines at Level 3/Level 4
Desirable
- Maintenance of statistical data
- Experience of participation in audit or research
- Experience of having worked in a Specialist Palliative Care setting
- Experience of working therapeutically with families and children in complex situations and the delivery of evidenced based interventions
Leading in your area
Essential
- Working knowledge of relevant statutory and voluntary agencies
- A knowledge of current legislation and policy relevant to palliative care and psychotherapeutic practice, including working with vulnerable individuals, adult, and child safeguarding issues
- Demonstrable commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities
Desirable
- Evidence of service development
- Evidence of contributing to policy making and standard setting
Other Requirements
Essential
- Must have ability to travel by car across the whole County including rural communities.
- Ability to work varied hours including weekends, bank holidays and some evenings
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).
