Counsellor - Nhs Talking Therapies

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

**TITLE**:High Intensity Therapist - Counsellor

**ORGANISATION**:University Medical Centre Talking Therapies

**ACCOUNTABLE TO**: Operations Manager, Clinical Lead

**Job Purpose**

To provide evidence-based counselling modalities in line with NICE guidance and the IAPT manual to those experiencing depression that meet suitability criteria to benefit from NHS Talking Therapies.

To work collaboratively with service colleagues and in line with the stepped care model to ensure individuals are assessed and treatment offered inline with service and national guidance.

Identify, explore and appropriately manage and record risk, including safeguarding concerns and follow service policies and procedures to record and respond appropriately.

The post-holder will maintain a clinical caseload. Working clinically within the service, providing time limited, solution focussed counselling via telephone, video calls and in person, to patients with a main presentation of depression. This will require professional registration and hold accreditation with

BACP, NCS or ACC, registration with UKCP or BPC to be maintained at all times.

The post-holder will work with people from a range of cultural backgrounds and ages, and will be committed to equal opportunities as well as working within their professional ethical guidelines and service protocols at all times.

The post-holder will be aware of agreed targets and contractual KPIs and help develop and support the delivery of the service against these targets.

Helping clients achieve their goals using a range of evidence based tools and techniques for assessments, goals and motivating clients to engage in a goal focused recovery based treatment model. To undertake & manage administration tasks related to your caseload in line with the service policies and procedures.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**

1. **Clinical**
- Engage clients who refer into the service in an initial assessment to identify the main presenting problem and treatment focus and agree upon an appropriate treatment plan for their needs. Make appropriate decisions on suitability for IAPT, adhering to referral criteria and ensuring protocol is followed to place those suitable for IAPT intervention on the most appropriate waiting list, and refer clients who may not be suitable for intervention within the service back to the referrer or alternative services
- Identify areas with individual clients in which they wish to see change or recovery.
- Sensitively communicate complex information to clients to encourage therapeutic engagement.
- Carry out on-going client risk assessments and safeguarding management in line with Service policies and procedures.
- Make decisions regarding suitability of referrals (with reference to service protocols) and refer up or down appropriately in keeping with a ‘stepped care’ approach.
- Provide information and support for clients wishing to use self-help, computerised or group-based interventions.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract in terms of the overall number of client contacts offered and clinical sessions per week.
- Keep clear, up to date records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols and use these records and clinical outcome data in clinical decision making.
- Communicate effectively with other members of the clinical team.
- Present clinical information on individual cases to your clinical supervisor on an agreed and scheduled basis in line with BACP/UKCP guidelines
- Respond to and implement agreed clinical supervision decisions.
- Engage in and respond to own personal development needs and utilising your clinical supervision as appropriate to maintain good clinical delivery.

**2. Management**
- Coordinate and plan individual patient appointments to include interventions delivered in person, via telephone and online as required.
- Attend and engage in meetings with the management team to review performance, actively engage in regularly reviewing and participating in service development opportunities.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external services, to promote and develop the service.
- Ensure you comply with Information governance policies and procedures and attend relevant training.

3. **Professional**
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of and adhere to nationally and regionally agreed standards of practice (e.g. NICE guidelines, NSFs).
- Maintain professional accreditation with BACP, NCS or ACC, registration with

UKCP or BPC
- Be qualified in, or a commitment to undertake study within 6 months of an IAPT

approved evidence based modality training:
Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD),

Couple Therapy for Depression (CTfD),

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
- Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.
- Keep up to date with evidence-based mental health practice (by attending conferences, workshops etc. and through online learning) and maintain evidence that you ha