Job Description

Experienced counsellor with extensive IAPT/Talking Therapies experience interested in taking on a management role?



Lewisham Talking Therapies are looking to recruit a half-time 8a lead for our counselling team. The role would involve line management and clinical supervision. You would be designing and implementing a care pathway for counselling that makes best use of our skilled and experienced team within the network of counselling services in Lewisham. You would be part of the management team, making sure that the counselling perspective influences the direction of the service.



We are looking for an experienced counsellor, accredited and able to supervise in Counselling for Depression and/or IPT, with a passion for making counselling work within the Talking Therapies focus on meeting activity requirements and improving clinical outcomes. Alongside your clinical skills and experience, you will have skills in using clinical data to improve services.



This role is within the Step 3 management team, and the postholder will have the lead for managing and developing counselling services.



The team leads are also be expected to work autonomously as a Senior Psychotherapist within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.



They provide high quality specialist supervision. and support supervisees in meeting performance targets as defined by the service, as well as meeting personal performance targets set in agreement with service lead.



The service links with the IAPT training courses at King's College/ Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN); University College London and The University of Exeter. We also work with centres of clinical excellence and research innovation such as the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT).



Our motivated staff have engaged with specialised training thus allowing us to offer CBT, CfD, EMDR, DIT, IPT and BCT. Considerable partnership work already exists with our community and we are pleased to hear from applicants who have areas of special interests or skills in leading on this work



We are a diverse, friendly service that aims to listen to and value our staff and aims to promote opportunities to progress people in terms of their continued professional development.

Key Responsibilities:

PLANNING, MANAGING AND EVALUATING THE DELIVERY OF COUNSELLING SERVICES WITHIN LEWISHAM TALKING THERAPIES



Assessing the service need and current and future capacity requirements

Leading the development of a triage assessment and signposting process that creates a good match between internal counselling referrals and our treatment capacity

Developing good links with third sector counselling providers in Lewisham to support signposting and onward referral

Monitoring and evaluating service activity and outcomes

Managing the induction, training and development of staff

Developing and updating policies and procedures for the delivery of high-quality clinical services

Commissioning and monitoring external provision of services as agreed



TEAM MANAGEMENT



To contribute to the development of a culture within the team that values the use of goal-oriented, time-limited and focused interventions and the use of outcome measures and patient feedback as a way of evaluating progress. Supporting clinicians within the service to meet activity requirements as set by commissioners, whilst retaining a focus on patient centred care. To participate in recruitment for Band 7 Counsellors and other team members as required. Support clinicians within the service to meet activity requirements as set by commissioners, whilst retaining a focus on patient centred care. To agree job plans, performance targets and development goals with your team through the appraisal process, and monitor and support staff in their achievement

To foster a supportive and performance focussed team ethos through your interaction and communication with the team, your own behaviour, team meetings and supervision

To provide day to day line management for your team (annual leave, sickness etc)

Ensuring good two-way communication between your staff and the service management, through monthly team meetings and informal links



SERVICE LEADERSHIP



To share responsibility for the direction and development of the service, taking an active role in the monthly service management meeting, leading team and whole team meetings

To ensure that the counselling perspective is considered in service management discussions and plans

To provide regular reports on the activity and performance of the team, and any issues that need attention

To identify aspects of the service, which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects

To take the lead in agreed areas of development and service delivery

To participate in the recruitment process of staff

To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services

To listen and respond to, and appropriately manage patient complaints

To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the directorate clinical governance committee.

Contribute to the development of a culture within the team that values the use of outcome measures and service user involvement as ways of improving clinical practice



IMPROVING OUTCOMES for GLOBAL MAJORITY CLIENTS



Leading the implementation of the service diversity strategy within the counselling team Identifying and taking forward opportunities to improve outcomes for global majority clients from service outcome analysis Identifying therapist and supervisor development needs in working with global majority clients and organising an ongoing programme of induction and CPD to meet these needs. Ensuring that the needs of global majority clients have a strong focus within the counselling team.

CLINICAL



To maintain professional accreditation with relevant professional body eg the BABCP, UKCP; keep an updated CPD and reflective practice log and attend training to maintain skills and competencies as appropriate To exercise professional responsibility for the assessment, intervention and discharge of clients, using highest level of interpersonal and communication skills when presenting and receiving complex, sensitive and contentious information to clients, family, support workers and other professionals

To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the treatment of clients presenting with anxiety disorders or depression within a Talking Therapies framework

To deliver NICE recommended, formulation driven psychological interventions for depression, adapting interventions for the specific needs and clinical setting.

Assess and integrate issues surrounding social support, voluntary work and employment into therapy

To provide highly specialist assessment and clinical formulation to clients with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders, addiction and trauma

To provide psychological reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users

To select and deliver highly specialist evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical models

To collect and enter clinical outcome data on a sessional basis; select and interpret outcome measures to inform treatment planning

To work as an autonomous professional within BPS/HCPC guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions

To travel to community settings as appropriate and across the Trust when required

To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area, taking on specific roles or duties as agreed

To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, colleagues and other professionals taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication

To keep clear, accurate and up to date records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols

To confidently assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans

To confidently advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients

To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations such as distressed clients or abusive behaviour and to support others involved in such situations

To provide services at various locations in the borough of Lewisham

To provide information and signposting for patients who do not meet the service's eligibility criteria, including referral to secondary care psychological therapies service

Work closely with other members of the Talking Therapies team to ensure that patients referred on to the Talking Therapies service have a clear referral pathway

Maintain a clinical caseload in line with activity targets agreed with line manager



TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION



To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist/psychotherapist according to BABCP/BPS/HCPC and Trust guidelines

To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within Lewisham Talking Therapies by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in counselling and Talking Therapies and by implementing knowledge gained in practice

To provide professional managerial, and clinical supervision to counsellors for all aspects of their work.

To provide post-qualification training (CPD) and clinical professional supervision to Band 6 trainee and band 7 Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

To deliver and promote outcome-focussed supervision

To provide service level risk management, taking part in the on-call risk rota, and developing and recording risk management plans

To provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate

To plan and undertake teaching and training of pre- and post- qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate

To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate



RESEARCH AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT



Assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture that values the use of outcome measures as a way of improving clinical practice

Encourage the critical evaluation of practice, and undertake research

Use theory and literature to support evidence-based practice in clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations

Communicate and disseminate research and service evaluation information so that clinical practice is appropriately informed

To contribute to the development of services through initiating, undertaking and supervising service evaluation and audit

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles



PROFESSIONAL



Work as an autonomous professional and maintain standards of practice adhering to HPC or BABCP guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions

To ensure Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS/BABCP/UKCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements

Be aware of advances in counselling other psychological therapies and the Talking Therapies programme

Work in accordance with the principles of counselling and within the parameters of good practice, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Clinical Governance Framework



GENERAL



To participate in business and professional meetings within the Talking Therapies service and Lewisham Directorate

To travel to the GP practices, service meetings and other meetings as appropriate



To regularly work one evening as required