Sheffield Talking Therapies Counsellor

To provide evidence-based counselling modalities in line with NICE guidance and the Talking Therapies manual to adults experiencing depression that meet suitability criteria to benefit from Talking Therapies. To work collaboratively with Talking Therapies colleagues who ‘Step’ people assessed as requiring Counselling for depression.
You will be Accredited with a professional body or working towards professional accreditation (to be achieved in the first year of employment). Whilst not accredited you will be on a temporary band 5 contract moving to permanent band 6 contract on gaining accreditation.
Sheffield Talking Therapies works closely with GP Practice teams across Sheffield providing a wide range of psychological interventions to people experiencing Depression and Anxiety - operating within a Stepped Care Model. This is a hybrid working position, working both remotely and on site.
To meet the National Talking Therapies standards which include an individual minimum 52% recovery rate and to meet 20 Clinical Contact hours (pro-rata) per week. To ensure productivity expectations are met in line with the National Talking Therapies manual.
To meet patient needs by working across Sheffield according to demand. To offer one early appointment and one late appointment per week and Saturday working on occasion if required.
Provide an initial Counselling assessment once ‘stepped’ by an Talking Therapies colleague (as there are no direct referrals to Counselling) including a risk assessment and offer an appropriate Counselling contract; or signpost or refer on to a more appropriate service or intervention.
Offer professional advice and support to the referrers and Talking Therapies colleagues in Primary Care on all aspects of Counselling.
Work autonomously within professional guidelines and best practice Talking Therapies guidelines.
Liaise as appropriate with Talking Therapies colleagues, GPs regarding concerns and the treatment outcome.
Use data to reflect, guide and improve your own practice and performance in conjunction with supervision. Contribute to counselling forums and CPD events.
Thursday's are service wide non clinical time which involves, meetings, forums and CPD opportunities
We are a Health & Social Care NHS Foundation Trust providing a range of diverse services including generic & specialist mental health care; services for people with learning disability; drug & alcohol services; Talking Therapies; GP Primary Care services; dementia care services; and community based services for those with long term neurological conditions. We promote emotional health and wellbeing through the provision of accessible high quality modern services designed around the needs of our local population. Our culture is founded upon effective partnership working and close working relationships with staff, service users and their families/carers. We strive to deliver consistently high-quality care through our high performing, dedicated & skillful workforce which you could now become a part of. Our values are fundamental to ensuring people are at the heart of everything we do, our values are Respect, Compassion, Partnership. Accountability, Fairness and Ambition.
Sheffield Talking Therapies service is part of Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust. We are an NHS adult service offering a range of free psychological therapies to over 12,000 people each year who live in Sheffield.
Giving people the right information and help to develop skills to overcome stress, anxiety and and depression is at the heart of what we do.
To assess and treat people stepped to Counselling as appropriate.
To complete all mandated session by session outcome measures.
To have autonomous professional responsibility for clients referred.
To formulate and implement a counselling contract based on an appropriate conceptual framework of the persons presenting issues within the protocols and procedures established by Talking Therapies (in line with NICE guidance, the Talking Therapies manual and suitability for an Talking Therapies service).
To recognise and assess risk (including child and vulnerable adult protection) and raise matters in line with Talking Therapies/SHSC policy.
To manage all aspects of arranging and working with interpreters when assessed as necessary for the Counselling contract.
To sensitively communicate complex information to clients to encourage therapeutic engagement.
To ensure record keeping in line with Sheffield Talking Therapies Standard Operating Procedures. This includes contemporaneous notes completed within 24 hours on the agreed patient record system, checking SHSC patient administration system prior to taking on new patients to check any risk or suitability issues and to send a discharge summary to GP practices once completed treatment.
To maintain a high level of clinical practice by attending Individual and Group Supervision; as well as being an active member of the Counsellor specific forum (pro rata if pa