Counsellor

As a vital member of St Davids Hospice, the Counsellor will play a key role in providing specialist bereavement and emotional support to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

Working within our multidisciplinary team, the post holder will contribute significantly to patient well-being through both one-to-one counselling and therapeutic group sessions.

The Counsellor will provide Clinical Supervision for the Clinical staff.

This position will be instrumental in ensuring that our hospice continues to meet the needs of the local community, delivering compassionate care that has a profound impact on the lives of our patients and their loved ones.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for someone who will:

• Provide specialist bereavement and emotional support to patients and families
• Deliver one-to-one counselling and therapeutic group sessions.
• Manage a clinical caseload, providing timely and responsive care.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team to ensure holistic, patient-centred care.
• Be a great listener and have effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Be committed to professional development and maintaining high standards of care.

To do the role you'll need:

• Qualifications: Level 4 CPCAB Counselling Qualification (or equivalent), professional registration.
• Experience: Therapeutic group leadership, palliative care exposure, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Skills: Exceptional communication, time management, and problem-solving abilities.
• Attributes: Compassionate, motivated, and eager to innovate and enhance our services.
• A valid driving license and access to a vehicle are required.
• Empathy for the Hospice, and alignment with the charity's values.

About us

Who we are:

St Davids Hospice is a local charity providing specialist care for adults with life-limiting illnesses or in need of end-of-life care, as well as support for their families. Each year, we impact the lives of over 1,000 people across Conwy, Gwynedd, and Anglesey.

Our services include 24/7 care, Day Therapy Centres offering patient care and bereavement support, and Inpatient Units in Llandudno and Holyhead providing symptom control, respite, and end-of-life care.

People are at the heart of everything we do, with integrity and care shaping our culture.

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

• Manage a clinical caseload of palliative patients across all Hospice services, ensuring the delivery of timely, responsive, and appropriate care.
• Provide individual counselling and lead therapeutic groups that focus on supporting patients and families through loss, bereavement, and emotional challenges.
• Develop and implement therapeutic interventions aimed at optimising clients' functional levels and independence, adapting to their cognitive and emotional needs.
• Coordinate the admission, review, and discharge of patients within your caseload, ensuring smooth transitions and appropriate referrals to other services as needed.
• Act as an advocate for patients during multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, representing their emotional and psychological needs to ensure holistic care is provided.
• Identify and assess clinical risks in patient care, working collaboratively with the MDT to implement appropriate risk management strategies.
• Provide individual or group clinical supervision for the Clinical staff.

Education & Development

• Support the education of colleagues by providing specialist training on communication and counselling skills, enhancing the capability of the wider clinical team.
• Deliver and contribute to staff development programmes, including the mentoring of volunteers and participation in ongoing professional learning opportunities.
• Participate in personal professional development, attending mandatory and specialist training sessions to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills in bereavement counselling.
• Engage in reflective practice and clinical supervision to continuously improve service delivery, collaborating with peers to review and refine counselling methods.

Communication & Collaboration

• Communicate complex, sensitive information effectively to patients, families, and professionals, ensuring that emotional and clinical needs are addressed with empathy and clarity.
• Resolve conflicts and manage difficult conversations using negotiation and motivational skills, particularly in situations involving unmet expectations or emotional distress.
• Collaborate with Allied Health professionals and other members of the MDT to deliver integrated and patient-centred care, ensuring smooth coordination across different services.

Documentation & Administration

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date clinical records in compliance with hospice standards and legal requirements, ensuring data protection and confidentiality are upheld.
• Prepare reports and contribute to MDT meetings, ensuring all documentation is timely, relevant, and reflective of the patient's emotional and psychological care needs.
• Use hospice IT systems to record data consistently and efficiently, ensuring all activity and outcomes are properly documented.

Quality & Service Improvement

• Evaluate counselling practices regularly, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes that enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.
• Contribute to service audits, quality assurance processes, and research projects to ensure the continuous improvement of counselling services.
• Promote patient feedback as a tool for service development, using insights to drive innovation and adapt services to meet the changing needs of the hospice community.

Professional Standards & Safeguarding

• Adhere to professional codes of conduct and hospice policies, including confidentiality, safeguarding, and health and safety regulations.
• Ensure safeguarding principles are applied in practice, following relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults.
• Maintain professional registration and take responsibility for ongoing personal and professional development, ensuring compliance with the hospice's standards.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Proven experience of developing and delivering therapeutic groups.
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working.

Desirable

• Experience of advance care planning.

Other

Essential

• Full current driving licence with ability and willingness to use own vehicle.

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Qualification, Counselling Qualification Level 4 CPCAB.
• State registration with Professional Body.

Desirable

• Post graduate experience as a qualified Counsellor, experience in palliative care and end of life care needs for people with life-limiting illnesses.

Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to teach and coach patients, carers and colleagues.

Desirable

• Clinical governance and service improvement expertise.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent assessment and treatment skills.
• Ability to teach and coach patients, carers and colleagues.
• Enabling and empowering approach.
• Effective time management skills.
• Caseload management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to expert patient/family care.
• Motivated and enthusiastic, compassionate approach and commitment to provide expert patient care.

Desirable

• Willingness to develop collaborative working with other provider groups.
• Innovator.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

St David’s Hospice

Address

Gwynedd Community Health Trust

Penrhos Beach Road

Holyhead

Gwynedd

LL65 2QA

Employer's website

https://stdavidshospice.org.uk/