Women's Health Counsellor

The Women's Health Counsellor will play a pivotal role in the provision of time-limited counselling support and intervention to clients accessing care following a pregnancy loss at any stage, issues relating to body image following gynaecological/obstetric surgery, and issues regarding fertility. The post holder will offer assessment and time-limited counselling support as part of an integrated pathway for clients accessing care. The post holder will work closely with the three current Counsellors, the Matron for Gynaecology Safeguarding Team, Bereavement Midwives, and Maternity Services in ensuring high-quality care and support for women and their families. The post holder will act as a key service resource, providing care for women and birthing people.

Main duties of the job

1. To provide initial assessment and intervention to clients with related social, emotional, and psychological problems.
2. To work with the multidisciplinary team to ensure all young people and vulnerable adults accessing services are assessed for any safeguarding issues.
3. To ensure that any safeguarding issues that arise are documented and managed in line with Trust safeguarding protocols.
4. To ensure all disclosures of domestic/sexual violence and exploitation are managed appropriately, ensuring individuals are assessed and supported, with referral to local statutory agencies, as per local and national guidance.
5. To develop and deliver specialist therapeutic treatment plans to meet the needs of individuals or couples with treatment of depression, anxiety, post-trauma, and bereavement counselling.

About us

We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected, and confident that we are making a difference'. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families, and carers we care for every day.

Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. We are only able to sponsor candidates on a Skilled Worker Visa applying for roles Band 5 and above.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in Documents to download.

If you have further queries please don't hesitate to contact the line manager using the contact details below.

Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential

• Mentor Qualification or ENB 998 Min 2 years post registration of a recognisable Counselling qualification.
• Registered BACP/NCPS.
• Working towards Accreditation/Accredited.
• Recent experience in working therapeutically with specific relative training to add to the existing skill mix of the counselling team, e.g., CBT.

Desirable

• Evidence of facilitating learning in practice.
• Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development.
• Bereavement training/Trauma training.
• Registered Nurse/Midwife on the Practising Register.

Clinical skills and experience
Essential

• Experience and expertise in working with Traumatic stress/Complex trauma and Complex bereavement.
• Able to recognise the need for and apply a wide range of counselling therapeutic interventions relevant to this area of practice.
• Ability to work on own initiative using sound decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Able to communicate complex information in a sensitive, tactful, and empathetic way, verbally and in writing.

Desirable

• Experience in a variety of clinical settings including gynaecology/Maternity.
• Advanced knowledge of local and national guidance and service delivery.
• Experience working with couples and individuals.
• IT skills.
• Negotiation of issues of boundaries and confidentiality with other professionals.

Governance
Essential

• Understanding of the elements relating to clinical governance and risk management, ensuring appropriate monitoring systems are in place.
• Evidence of Continuous quality improvement.

Desirable

• Datix training.

Personal/professional attributes
Essential

• Autonomous and can work under own initiative.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to have a collaborative working relationship with the Counselling Team.

Other Requirements
Essential

• Position may involve occasional inter-site travel. Has access to transport.
• To work face to face with clients at BHD and WHH (on occasional Saturdays) and work from home.

Employer details
Employer name
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Buckland
Coombe Valley Road
Dover
CT17 0HD
Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
344-7898WCY