Counsellor Required: Bournemouth NHS Trust, Dorset

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) at the Dorset Prosthetics Centre as the counsellor for patients who have experienced limb loss.

Patients will be of all ages, may have had limb absence at birth or acquired for a variety of medical conditions including trauma, vascular conditions, and bone cancer. Informal counselling, solution focused sessions, crisis intervention and on-going support to patients and their carer/family is a key part of this role in addition to formal counselling.

Treatment will be mainly individual but the post holder will be expected to facilitate support groups for specific cohorts of patients within the centre.

There is a requirement to undertake interventions in patient’s homes, schools, nursing homes and on the hospital wards.

To apply for this post you should have a degree in Counselling, or a Diploma and experience of working with patients with disability and/or mental health problems.

You should have already undertaken 450 hours of supervised practice or be near to completing this.

You should ideally have undertaken post qualification short courses for example in specific therapies e.g. CBT, Traumatic stress counselling, although support will be given to the right candidate to acquire these skills once in post.

Experience of working in the Health Service is an advantage but not essential.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an individual who works well in a multi-disciplinary team and who can contribute to the holistic rehabilitation of patients by recommending strategies for staff to use when interacting with specific patients, without compromising patient/counsellor confidentiality.

The MDT will assist in the referral of patients for counselling but you should be motivated and proactive in identifying clients where counselling will be beneficial and facilitating participation with patients who are reluctant to initially engage in the formal counselling process.

Identification of risk is a key part of the role as is the identification of patients who need psychological treatment that is beyond the scope of this service and where onward referral is required.

It is strongly recommended that candidates interested in this post contact the centre for an informal visit prior to interview to find out more about this unique opportunity.

Base Location: Royal Bournemouth Hospital 

Interview Date: TBC