Counsellor

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

We are looking for a compassionate, creative and skilled individual to provide sessions around anticipatory grief and to those bereaved families following the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. The post holder will work independently but also be part of the bereavement team that provide care within a busy tertiary unit. The pregnancy loss might be unexpected or expected following confirmation of fetal anomalies. The post would suit someone who has some counselling experience following pregnancy loss. Counselling may be offered on a face-to-face/virtual meeting or over the telephone depending on the wishes of the family.

The successful applicant will become an integral member of the team. We offer flexible working arrangements, in return we ask for your flexibility in meeting service need. This is a new and unique role which will further enhance the bereavement care we provide to families. The post holder will have responsibility for managing their own caseload and for maintaining accurate and relevant client records.

  • Interview Date: 6 June 2023
  • 18 hours 45 minutes/week
  • You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide counselling for women during or following pregnancy who have self-referred as part of a bereavement pathway or have been referred by healthcare professionals. You will act as a psychological health resource to women and their families through difficult and emotional times. You will work closely with the Specialist Midwife and the lead Consultant for Bereavement services. You will be working in a supportive team environment where you can benefit from flexible working whilst supporting families by providing specialist bereavement counselling support.

To be successful in this role you will be registered with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). You will need to hold current registration to practice as a qualified counsellor. Experience of providing a counselling service within a healthcare setting and managing your own caseload is essential. The post holder requires well developed communication and relationship skills.

Appropriate IT skills to enable smooth working within modern NHS environment including the use of electronic patient records is essential to the role. Knowledge of the Clinical Governance agenda this role requires will help strengthen the bereavement care pathway the families find themselves engaged with. The bereavement counsellor will a have a unique role in providing psychological and emotional support for women and their families.

About us

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with over 18,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion.

Rated 'Outstanding' by theCQC for the second consecutive time in 2019, we have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.

We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.

Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

Date posted

18 May 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£35,392 to £42,618 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

317-2023-17-002

Job locations

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP


Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide counselling in a Maternity setting for women who have experienced a pregnancy loss, stillbirth or neonatal death, or those required to make difficult and complex decisions based on unexpected findings in pregnancy. To have responsibility for managing own caseload and for maintaining accurate and relevant client records. To work at all times in line with the policies, procedures and service standards of the Trust and within the Code of Ethics and Practice for Counsellors (BACP)

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide counselling in a Maternity setting for women who have experienced a pregnancy loss, stillbirth or neonatal death, or those required to make difficult and complex decisions based on unexpected findings in pregnancy. To have responsibility for managing own caseload and for maintaining accurate and relevant client records. To work at all times in line with the policies, procedures and service standards of the Trust and within the Code of Ethics and Practice for Counsellors (BACP)

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

  • Diploma level qualification in counselling on a BACP/BICA accredited course
  • Eligible for membership of the BACP and/or BICA
  • Current professional registration to practice as a qualified counsellor (BACP/UKCP/BICA)

Desirable

  • Post graduate qualification in Counselling.
  • BICA accreditation

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Experience of providing a counselling service within a healthcare setting.
  • Experience of dealing with clients presenting multiple and complex issues.
  • Experience of prioritising and managing own caseload.
  • Experience of maintaining clear and up to date client records.
  • Evidence of recent/relevant CPD.
  • Experience of providing in house training
  • Evidence of contribution to service development.
  • Awareness of and commitment to Clinical Governance agenda.

Desirable

  • Experience or working in a Maternity setting.
  • Audit and/or change management/service development.
  • Experience of working with groups
  • Local healthcare/ mental health system, social and community networks.
  • Acute hospital structures.
  • Supervisor/mentor training relevant to professional practice.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Well-developed communication and relationship skills
  • Appropriate IT skills to enable smooth working within modern NHS environment including email and excel and patient information system.
  • Ability to meet the travel requirements.
Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

  • Diploma level qualification in counselling on a BACP/BICA accredited course
  • Eligible for membership of the BACP and/or BICA
  • Current professional registration to practice as a qualified counsellor (BACP/UKCP/BICA)

Desirable

  • Post graduate qualification in Counselling.
  • BICA accreditation

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Experience of providing a counselling service within a healthcare setting.
  • Experience of dealing with clients presenting multiple and complex issues.
  • Experience of prioritising and managing own caseload.
  • Experience of maintaining clear and up to date client records.
  • Evidence of recent/relevant CPD.
  • Experience of providing in house training
  • Evidence of contribution to service development.
  • Awareness of and commitment to Clinical Governance agenda.

Desirable

  • Experience or working in a Maternity setting.
  • Audit and/or change management/service development.
  • Experience of working with groups
  • Local healthcare/ mental health system, social and community networks.
  • Acute hospital structures.
  • Supervisor/mentor training relevant to professional practice.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Well-developed communication and relationship skills
  • Appropriate IT skills to enable smooth working within modern NHS environment including email and excel and patient information system.
  • Ability to meet the travel requirements.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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).

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

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP


Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP


Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Quality and Clinical Effectiveness Midwife

Rhona Collis

Rhona.collis@nhs.net

01919177212

Date posted

18 May 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£35,392 to £42,618 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

317-2023-17-002

Job locations

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP


Supporting documents

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