Would you like tomake a difference to the wellbeing of our patients and their families?
We would like tohear from you!
Wereseeking a compassionate and motivated Level 1 Counsellor to join our Patientand Family Support Service. This role is suited to someone early in theircounselling career who is committed to developing their practice. Workingclosely with experienced counsellors, youll help ensure patients, families,and carers receive timely, high-quality psychological and emotional support.
Main duties of the job
Youwill play an active role in creating a calm, welcoming environment and use yourprofessional skills to offer sensitive communication and support, including preand postbereavement care. This role provides a meaningful opportunity to makea positive difference while building your professional experience within asupportive team.
Aminimum Level 4 Diploma in Counselling is required, along with accreditationfrom the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) oranother relevant professional body. Candidates working towards accreditationwill also be considered. An Enhanced DBS Check is also required; please referto the job description for full details.
About us
AboutWeldmar Hospicecare: RatedOutstanding by the CQC, Weldmar Hospicecare providesspecialist care to adults in Dorset with a life limiting illness, and supportto their loved ones. This care is given in the comfort of patients own homes,in the community, and at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester. All care is providedfree of charge and mainly funded by the continued support of our localcommunity, via fundraising initiatives and events, our retail chain, and giftsleft in wills, enabling us to raise the £27,500 we need every day to keep ourservices going.
Job responsibilities
Job Description and Person Specification
Job Title: Weldmar Counsellor (Level 1)
Location: Based in Dorchester / HybridWorking
Hours of work: 30 hours a week
Grade: WeldmarSalary Scale
Reports to: Patient & FamilySupport Lead
Responsiblefor: n/a
Job Context
Weldmar Hospicecare is anindependent charity that provides specialist end of life care to patients andthose that are important to them throughout Dorset. This care is given in thecomfort of patients own homes by Weldmars Specialist Hospice at Home service,and via Wellbeing Services held across the county or as inpatients at ourhospice in Dorchester. Our team of dedicated employees and volunteers ensurethat we can continue to support patients through one of lifes most difficultjourneys. We work closely with other health care providers including the NHS toensure that our patients receive the highest possible care.
We do receive some fundingfrom the NHS but the majority of our income is generated by our fundraising andretail teams, which plays a vital part in securing income to fund our care,both now and in the future.
Job Purpose
This job descriptionrecognises a distinction between an entry level role (Level 1) and a moreestablished role (Level 2) in order to create a development opportunity withinthe team as well as a succession pipeline. All levels of Weldmar Counsellorwill support each other work as part of the wider team to flex and providecover where and when needed.
Level 1 -
To directly provide up to Level 3Psychological Support and counselling support to patients, families and carers.
Sharingthe responsibility with the ServiceLead, assess and contact internal referrals whilst accepting and responding toreferrals allocated from external triage process; ensuring appropriateand consistent responses are provided in line with NICE Guidance and BACPguidelines.
Assessand provide psychological support at the appropriate recommended NICE levels of Psychological Support.
Safely manage an acceptable caseload level,ensuring a consistent, professional and reliable service at all times.
Level 2 - In addition to the above;
Support the Service Lead in deliveringtraining to colleagues as/when required
Supportthe Service Lead inensuring the development and quality of the psychological support service inline with NICE Guidance on Cancer Care Services, Improving Supportive andPalliative Care for Adults.
Scope and Limits of Authority
Reporting to the Patient & Family Support Lead, thePost Holder is responsible for:
Level 1:
Planning,organising and delivering day-to-day work in meeting the demands of thecounselling service.
Making decisions in relation to day-to-daymanagement of caseload.
Presenting clinical caseload updates within1:1 Line Management meetings and in own clinical supervision sessions, ensuringall interventions are based on ethical and safe practice.
Providing time limited support to adults (andchildren/young people if appropriate) determined by their assessed level ofneed and within the parameters outlined in the Bereavement Strategy.
Working as an integral member of widerPatient and Family Support Services Team, as appropriate, liaise closely with other members of Weldmars psychosocialservices and other professionals as needed.
Level2 - In additionto the above;
Inpartnership with the servicelead, ensure regular evaluation of the service.
JobTasks
Level 1:
Undertakeassessments of all referrals (for psychological input in line with NICE levelsof psychological input).
Ensure appropriate and consistent responsesare provided in line with the most up to date models of practice for workingwith patients and relatives pre and post bereavement which fosters resiliencein living life with an end oflife diagnosis or loss.
To findways of remembering the person who has died, whilst coping with the challengeof adjusting to a changed life.
Deliveran appropriate and equitable response across the Counselling Service.
Deliverhigh quality counselling and time limited therapeutic interventions to adults(and/or children if appropriate) who have been assessed as requiring this levelof support.
Identify,assess and respond to any element of risk and ensure all actions are taken tominimise/manage those risks,e.g. referring to Safeguarding etc.
To maintain appropriate records according toWeldmar Polices and Data Protection legislation ensuring efficient recordingand administration system to support bereavement care.
Understand the emotional and psychologicalneeds of people in relation to pre and post bereavement.
Work as a member of a multi-disciplinary teamand attend multi-disciplinary meetings as appropriate.
To attend psychological support servicemeetings, ensuring shared understanding, learning, and best approaches arethought about to effectively manage caseloads.
Liaise with and make referrals to otheragencies, including those offering more specialist interventions, e.g. CMH, Social Services, G.Ps, to ensure the mostappropriate service response and help to specific individual needs.
Maintainadequate records of all interventions and services within established recordkeeping and confidentiality policies.
Attendappropriate meetings and contribute effectively and positively to staffsupervision and Patient andFamily Support Services meetings.
Work effectively as a team player andconstructively with colleagues, maintaining a high level of professionalapproach.
Level2 - Inaddition to the above;
Be creative in using both individual and groupwork approaches.
Toassist the Service Lead in thestrategic and operational development of the service in response to identifiedneed.
Dependent on the capacity within thecounselling service, having firstly prioritised direct support to patients andrelatives, deliver Clinical Supervision to a number of staff members inaccordance with Weldmars Clinical Supervision Policy.
Support all members of the Multi-DisciplinaryTeam by contributing to education and training opportunities for staffspecifically in relation to loss and grief.
Assist with the recruitment, training,supervision and utilisation of Bereavement Support Volunteers.
Contribute to the design and implementationof referral and allocation systems within Weldmar.
Personal and Professional Development
Level 1
Maintainthe standards of professional accountability in practice as determined by BACPand any other the relevant professional body, including taking responsibilityfor meeting BACP requirements of a minimum of 1 hours a month clinicalsupervision.
Level2 - Inaddition to the above;
Tobecome a member of relevant Professional / Hospice Association (e.g. ABSCO)
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Level 1:
* Level 4 Diploma in counselling as a minimum. Accredited, or working towards accreditation. Registered as a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or other relevant body.
* In depth knowledge of attachment and loss theory and current bereavement thinking and research.
* A clear understanding of assessment work including risk.
* Good understanding of Safeguarding policies and procedures.
* Good understanding of complex family dynamics.
* Understanding of palliative care and the NICE recommended levels of psychological support in palliative and end of life care
* Level 2 In addition to the above:
* Level 4 Diploma or a First Degree and a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling as a minimum, and an in‑depth knowledge of counselling theory and research. Accredited, or working towards accreditation.
* Accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or UKCP or other relevant body.
* Accreditation or certification in Clinical Supervision (Desirable)
Experience
* Level 1:
* Experience of supporting people through loss and bereavement
* Experience of delivering psychological support at level 2 and 3 of the NICE guidelines of psychological support.
* Experience of providing direct time limited and empowering therapeutic interventions to patients and relatives pre and post bereavement.
* Experience of working with Volunteers
* Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
* Level 2 In addition to the above:
* Experience of assessing level of psychological need and when appropriate referring or signposting to other appropriate agencies.
* Experience of facilitating / leading groups
* Experience of facilitating/leading groups
Skills and Abilities
* Skills and Abilities
* Level 1:
* Highly developed interpersonal skills, including listening, empathy, and motivational skills.
* The ability to work with issues of loss and grief and to provide pre and post bereavement
* The ability to provide appropriate therapeutic and practical interventions to adults (and if
* Appropriate, children) using a person centered approach.
* Confidence and ability to use initiative and creative problem solving.
* Good written communication skills particularly with regard to record keeping.
* Good team working skills and commitment to working effectively within a multi-disciplinary
* Ability to work independently and be able to evidence self-motivation.
* Good planning and organisational skills
* IT and computer literate including use of electronic patient records systems
* Ability to work flexibly, proactively and collaboratively.
* Ability to recognise personal limitations and identify appropriate support mechanisms
* Level 2 In addition to the above:
* Ability to plan and facilitate activities and events.
* Ability to contribute to the development and delivery of training and educational sessions in relation to own areas of expertise.
* Other Requirements
* An Enhanced plus barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: which will disclose any spent and unspent convictions and cautions (subject to filtering), as well as any relevant police information plus a check of the relevant Barred List/s. It may disclose other information that the police consider is relevant to the role and level of check applied for.
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.
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