Lead Counsellor

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Lead Counsellor at Hospice in the Weald. This role is for three days a week (22.5 hours), leading a team of staff and volunteer counsellors who are responsible for providing bereavement and pre-bereavement support to individuals accessing our services.
Main duties of the jobWe require a highly organised, skilled, caring and compassionate individual to provide specialist support for our Counselling and Support Service Team.
Carrying your own caseload, you will be working as part of a dedicated, hardworking and responsive team to deliver much-needed support to patients, relatives and carers, including bereaved loved ones. You will also be part of the wider Hospice Team working collaboratively across the services to bring exceptional support to those accessing our services.
We offer excellent training and development opportunities in addition to four CPD days a year, which you will lead on, with the opportunity of bringing in external trainers in line with budget.
We are a BACP accredited service; this accreditation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the provision of an ethical and professional service. You being an accredited member of BACP is critical as part of the role is responsibility for the annual renewal for our accredited service.
Managing competing demands on our services can be challenging, but the opportunity in helping individuals at what is probably one of the most, if not the most difficult times in their lives can be validating.
Benefits include an excellent pension scheme, free parking, and a generous holiday allowance with the ability to buy and sell additional holiday.
About usHospice in the Weald is a well-established local charity serving the communities in West Kent and northern East Sussex for more than 40 years. We provide outstanding Hospice care to adults and children living with a terminal illness, and their loved ones.
In return, we will invest in your development and future career progression. We are a friendly and welcoming team and value our workforce. Our hospices are set in beautiful countryside and benefits include free parking and a generous holiday allowance with the ability to buy and sell additional holiday.
Job responsibilitiesTo coordinate, manage and lead on the provision of a safe, professional and accessible counselling service, to the highest possible standard, in line with both professional and Hospice guidelines and policies.To provide line management, mentoring and support to the team of Staff and Volunteer Counsellors.To work with the Head of Service and the Counselling and Support Service Coordinator to analyse, develop and expand the existing service reflecting the needs of service users in accordance with organisational strategy.To make sure that the needs of all of those who come into contact with the Service are addressed in line with the core values of the Hospice.Provide face-to-face specialist counselling and psychological support to Hospice patients, carers, families and friends in line with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy.Maintaining the BACP accreditation status of the service.To assist in leading the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the consideration of patients, families and carers psychosocial needs (including those with complex psychological needs).Assess the psychological needs of patients and their carers, providing specific advice, support and counselling as appropriate.To manage and allocate referrals for service users to staff and volunteer counsellors in a timely and appropriate way.To manage competing demands on the counselling service, ensuring the service maintains clear boundaries by working within the capacity as set by the service standards.To lead the recruitment, induction and ongoing support of counselling staff and volunteer counsellors (VCs), VC recruitment is normally biannually (twice a year).To liaise with local training providers regarding student counselling placements and to lead on initial screening, recruitment and induction and mentoring of student counsellors in placement.Ensure regular feedback to managers identifying any shortfalls in service provision and offer flexibility in adapting services to meet identified need.Support a culture of evidence-based practice within the service and mechanisms for auditing psychosocial interventions within the service.To provide a professional counselling service to Hospice patients and their families by carrying a personal caseload within the Counselling and Support Service.Management and Leadership Lead and inspire counsellors, and volunteers to make real the Hospice core values in all they do and to advance the mission, aims and objectives of the organisation.Provide daily operational management to the staff and volunteers.Meet regularly with the volunteer counsellors both individually and as a group and to perform annual reviews.Manage the allocating of service users to staff counsellors and volunteer counsellors, ensuring that they receive an appropriate caseload relevant to their level of experience and competence.Championing the most effective use of EMIS (Egton Medical Information Systems) for CSS.Develop and deliver provision of data, Management information and Outcome Measure data, on a regular basis, to evidence, monitor and inform performance of the team on a regular basis.To support the Head of Counselling and Support Service in providing leadership to the team and to deputise for the Head of CSS during periods of absence.To attend meetings to represent CSS.Encourage and support all counsellors, staff and volunteers, in the accreditation process.Recruit, interview and co-ordinate the training of new staff and volunteer counsellors.Communications and Teamwork Collaborate with other health and social care professionals and relevant agencies locally and local system partners, in order to provide planned co-ordinated care which is both safe and effective and responds to the needs of each individual and the communities we serve.Work as an integral part of the MDT, ensuring that the needs of the patients, carers and family members are identified within a holistic framework, attending MDT meetings and undertaking joint work with other staff where appropriate.Act as the point of liaison for mental health services for patients where necessary, building on external relationships to enable this.In conjunction with colleagues, participate in the development of multidisciplinary audit and outcome measurements and participate in the implementation of changing practice as a result.Act as a role model and mentor to staff and partnership agencies, providing informal education and support in their provision of psychosocial services.Working with due diligence To work in line with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy.Maintain full, accurate and contemporaneous records of all service user contacts in accordance with GDPR, confidentiality policy and procedures, and ensure that the team comply with best practice.Attend team meetings, multidisciplinary meetings, sharing and disseminating information as required within the boundaries of confidentiality.Regularly review accuracy and effectiveness of CSS and Hospice documentation as required.Undertake and develop evidence gathering practices and audits as appropriate.Training and Development Assist in the development and delivery of training programmes to meet assessed service and Hospice needs including training volunteers and staff in psychological and bereavement support.Maintain personal development through the Hospice Annual Review process, continuously updating and improving knowledge and skills and applying that knowledge.Undertake Mandatory Training as required by Hospice in the Weald and participate in additional required training and development activities.Facilitate the provision of a range of study opportunities at the Hospice on counselling skills and psychological theory in a palliative care setting.Take responsibility for own learning and continuous personal development (CPD), participating in training and development activities including attending relevant courses, reading journals and maintaining professional memberships.Support the development of therapeutic intervention needs awareness across the whole Hospice team.Participate in regular one-to-one supervision.Take responsibility for setting own goals and achieving them.General Maintain professionalism through adherence to recognised professional codes and guidelines and work within the boundaries of Hospice in the Weald policies.Engage in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and achieve the required level of competence.Recognise the growing need for 24/7 working patterns and flexibility.Demonstrate our values through day-to-day interactions between colleagues as well as patients and those important to them.Strive for excellence at all times.Any other duties that may be reasonably requested.Person SpecificationPersonal AttributesMaintains a calm disposition and positive outlook;Trustworthy in all aspects;Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy;A full appreciation of the value of co-operation within a team environment;Ability to work well within and adapt to a changing environment;You will have genuine empathy with the work of Hospices and be committed to providing compassionate, personalised and holistic care to those under the support of the Hospice;We expect all members of staff to support the fundraising activities of the Hospice. We encourage every staff member to help with at least two fundraising activities every year. Opportunities to support fundraising activities are varied, and could include helping at fundraising or shop events, attending a cheque presentation, or giving a short talk about the work of the Hospice to an interested group in the community.ExperienceMinimum of 5 years post qualification experience;Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups including palliative and bereavement;Proven track record of line management;Ability to communicate effectively with staff and management at all levels both within the Hospice and externally;Able to apply personal organisation strategies and processes to priorities and effectively manage workload;Working to deadlines in a busy environment;High level of ICT literacy.Working in a team and under pressure;Ability to motivate and engage others in achieving objectives;Works well as part of a team and independently;Diploma in Supervision or working towards;Diploma in Group Supervision or working towards;QualificationsIdeally educated to degree level;Diploma in Counselling or Psychotherapy;An Accredited Member of BACP (please include your membership number in your application. Those who are a Member of the BACP and not an accredited Member will not be considered for this post).Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.
£52,809 a year up to a maximum of £52,809 (FTE)

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