Primary Care Counsellor Required: Worthing/Horsham West Sussex
Band: Band 6
Salary: Depending on experience Dependant on Experience
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 150-GM8588-CHI
Join us in the beautiful county of West Sussex as an accredited Counsellor with our award-winning specialist NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies. NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression in long-term health conditions provides a range of NICE compliant psychological therapies for people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties associated with their long-term conditions. Working in our service is really rewarding and our patients see fantastic improvements to their daily lives. Our clinical focus is always on improving mental health while understanding how physical health impacts on patients’ recovery.
Main duties of the job
Applicants will need to have a recognised professional qualification to diploma level in counselling or psychotherapy, alongside membership of, and accreditation with, BACP or UKCP. If you’re without an additional IAPT qualification, then we’ll support you to achieving this within 12 months of starting. You will also need to have a sound background of treating patients within a time limited counselling model, as well as experience of conducting assessments. Familiarity with telephone or online interventions would be helpful.
Please Note: If not yet accredited in an IAPT-approved therapy model staff will be employed into a training post at a Band 6 and will be expected to undertake and successfully complete NHS funded training in an IAPT-approved therapy model within one year of their employment start date.
About us
In our varied team of Step 2 and Step 3 clinicians, we’ll support you from day one with a comprehensive induction programme, as well as ongoing regular clinical supervision, skills sessions, and continued professional development. The post is offered on either a full or part-time basis. Based in Horsham or Worthing, with some travel required across West Sussex, our flexible working includes a later evening once a week and some hybrid working with opportunities to work from home.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled, LGBT+ and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, as we would like our TTTH team to reflect the diverse communities we serve. As a Trust, we recognise the positive value of diversity in providing high quality and culturally competent care; we are a Disability Confident Employer, and benefit from thriving and supportive BAME, Disability, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief Staff Networks.
We may also be able to help you with a relocation package if you are considering moving to West Sussex.
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached containing more information on the job description and main responsibilities
Person Specification
Qualifications and/or professional registration
Essential
- Recognised professional qualification to Diploma level or equivalent in Counselling or Psychotherapy.
- Registration/ Accreditation with relevant professional body: UKCP Registration or BACP.
- Annual CPD attended as in accordance with professional body of applicant.
Desirable
- Accreditation in an IAPT-approved therapy model.
- Training in delivering counselling online or via the telephone.
Experience
Essential
- Worked with a wide range of clients presenting with multiple and complex issues.
- Experience of and able to manage own caseload and time.
- Received regular supervised practice according to service provision / professional body requirements and uses clinical supervision positively and effectively.
- Experience of conducting assessments for suitability for treatment, or received training in conducting assessments according to service criteria.
- Have provided time limited counselling interventions, or received training in time limited interventions.
Desirable
- Experience of team working within the NHS or Primary Care.
- Experience of and ability to meet agreed/specified service KPIs for clinical work.
- Experience of working therapeutically with patients who have Long Term Conditions and/or medically unexplained symptoms.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- A range of counselling interventions in order to respond flexibly to different client needs
- Additional specialist therapeutic interventions such as group work etc.
- Ability to demonstrate use of robust risk assessment and risk management skills.
- Able to facilitate mental health awareness to other members of staff in primary care setting; 3rd Sector, other health care professionals.
- Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health / benefits & employment systems
- Ability to establish good working relationships with local stakeholders [GPs, Practice Managers, physical health care teams, 3rd sector organisations within area.
- Computer skills including patient database, MS Outlook, MS Teams, MS Word and Excel packages.
- Demonstrates high standard of record keeping, with due regard for NHS Confidentiality, Data Protection and Information governance, abiding by codes of ethics and guidance for good practice of professional body.
- Demonstrates high standards in written and verbal communications.
Desirable
- Ability to deliver CFD, IPT, DIT or CCFD interventions in order to respond flexibly to different client needs.
- Demonstrates knowledge and practical application of stepped care approach and Improving Access to Psychological Therapies.
- Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
- Extensive knowledge of specialist services available nationally and locally.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
- An understanding of the principles of equal opportunities in relation to staff and patients.
- Able to travel across West Sussex as required.
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.
