Woodsley and Holt Park PCN Counsellor

Job responsibilities

Job summary

Woodsley & Holt Park PCN is a large Primary Care Network (PCN) with a combined patient population of approximately 100,000 across 10 GP practices. The PCN footprint is of mixed diversity, with pockets of deprivation and health inequalities. As one of the largest PCNs in Leeds we work at pace to deliver high quality services to our patients.

This post has been created to support the patients in the PCN by providing a counselling service that has a low waiting list to be accessed by people struggling with situational challenges affecting their wellbeing. The successful applicant will offer short term (6-10 sessions) person centred therapy for clients, they will receive referrals from the Accessing Rapid Mental Health Services team and manage their own clinics.

In this role, a full-time counsellor is expected to see a 20 patients per week with a treatment plan of appointments every 2 weeks for 6-10 weeks. Creating a rolling caseload of 40 clients over 2 weeks at any one time. Although this is the anticipated workload, the counsellor will need to be flexible and adaptable depending on the needs of our PCN population.

The successful applicant will be joining an established team of mental health link workers and another part time counsellor and maintaining contact within this team will also be part of the role.

This individual will Manage their own caseload and through peer and clinical supervision will communicate any challenges within their practice. They will manage each part of the counselling process, assessment, therapeutic work and discharge from service utilising any documents and information already being used in the service.

Main duties of the job

This role involves providing high quality, comprehensive and effective therapeutic input with excellent communication skills both written and verbal. The post holder will need to be capable of independent travel across the PCN to meet the needs of the patients.

Effectively managing their own caseload and clinics/appointments

Being able to receive referrals, assess potential clients and offer therapeutic input when appropriate.

Recognising the limits of the service and being able to confidently signpost if a person would be better supported by another service.

Providing a safe and confidential space for clients within the PCN

The postholder will be an accredited member of a relevant professional body and abide by their code of good practice and or ethical framework. (BACP, NCPS, BASRT, BPC, COSCA and UKCP etc)

Managing their time and caseloads effectively to ensure the waiting list is kept at a minimal estimated time.

Maintaining their professional standards with regards to their supervision (to be organised externally)

Undertake any relevant training to further any required CPD to maintain membership with your professional body.

Engage with Peer supervision with our current counsellor to further strengthen the service and its delivery.

Ability to compose Discharge letters following the templates available on the system.

About us

Woodsley & Holt Pak PCN covers the following areas: Woodhouse, Kirkstall, Burley, Hyde Park, Headingley, Cookridge and Horsforth areas of Leeds, although it is expected the post holders will develop and maintain close links across the city.

Job description

Job responsibilities

This role will complement the established PCN mental health and Counselling service and will support in meeting the goals of being a quick access counselling service.

The successful applicant will be an accredited member of a therapeutic professional body (BACP, NCPS, BASRT, BPC, COSCA and UKCP etc) they must be reasonably confident with IT systems, MS Office, Office 365 and an excellent communicator both written and verbal. They will be expected to have the ability to work both independently, managing their own caseload and their diaries and as part of a team to facilitate a well-rounded service delivery, managing their workload and sticking to the time boundaries of the service. They will also have experience of supporting clients with several challenges as this service is general counselling not specialist/specific.

Qualifications

Essential

• .

Experience

Essential

• - Experience of working in a healthcare environment
• - Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• - Experience of managing safeguarding concerns and other risks present in the mental health profession.
• - Experience of managing their own case work and clients in an effective and organised way.

Desirable

• - Experience of working within the NHS in a mental health role.
• - Experienced in working on Clinical Systems SystemOne preferable.
• - Triage and signposting experience.
• - Assessing new clients against the criteria for the service
• - Risks assessment and experience of safety planning with clients.

Personal Qualities & Attributes

Essential

• - Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing.
• - Ability to reinforce their professional and time boundaries within the service.
• - Ability to maintain effective working relationships with clients and all members of the PCN.
• - Ability to demonstrate personal accountability, professional integrity, emotional resilience and work well under pressure.
• - Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on their own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting service expectations.
• - Punctual, organised and reliable.
• - Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on their own initiative

Desirable

• - Knowledge of SystmOne and EMIS

Other

Essential

• - Meets DBS reference standards and criminal record checks
• - Accredited member of a Counselling professional body (BACP, NCPS, BASRT, BPC, COSCA and UKCP etc)
• - Access to own transport and ability to travel across the PCN patch on a regular basis.
• - Manage their own supervision requirements.
• - Qualifications
• - Good standards of general education - minimum of 4 GCSEs, at Grade 4 or above or equivalent must include English Language.
• - Counselling qualification at Diploma level or above with relevant counselling knowledge, skills and experience.
• - Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
• - Ability to manage their own case work and clients in an effective and organised way.
• - Desirable
• - Ability to use Microsoft Office applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
• - Evidence of undertaking a course for Online and Phone Therapy (OPT)

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• - Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
• - Strong organisational skills, including planning, prioritising, time management and record keeping.
• - Ability to recognise and work within limits of competence and seek advice and supervision (peer and clinical) when needed.
• - Knowledge of other mental health services in Leeds.

Desirable

• - Understanding of other approaches e.g. CBT/DBT- to enable clients to get tailored therapy that suits their needs in a client led way. (Please note this is not a CBT/DBT service but knowledge of techniques can be beneficial for clients to explore things in a different way.)
• - Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors.
• - Knowledge of how the NHS works, including primary care and PCNs.
• - Knowledge of the Woodsley and Holt Park PCN and its patient population.
• - Disclosure and Barring Service Check
• - This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act Exceptions Order1975 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.

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).