Counsellor / Psychotherapist

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Provide individual counselling to service users presenting with primary addiction issues and any other comorbid mental health issue with specific awareness of trauma.
• To facilitate psychoeducational groups daily during working hours.
• Manage a caseload across a range of programmes under supervision of the clinical lead.
• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the presenting substance or behavioural addictions and other related issues of the client and concerned persons where appropriate.
• Understand and prioritise service user needs, taking account of the influence of family, concerned persons, gender, culture, mental health, neurodiversity and sexual orientation on beliefs and behaviours.
• Engage service users, family and concerned persons where appropriate, in treatment plans and establish appropriate therapeutic contracts to facilitate the counselling process.
• Provide evidence based interventions such as Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Supportive-Expressive Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Relapse Prevention, Mindfulness Based Interventions, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), etc.
• Offer Creative therapeutic plans based on the above with special recognition of the unique presenting issues of the individual.
• Provide therapeutic group experiences based on the above.
• Identify new emerging needs in service users and offer creative responses.
• Understand and prioritise service user needs, taking account of the influence of family, mental health, social network, gender, culture, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, on their beliefs and behaviours.
• Participate in the development of a multi-disciplinary care plan in collaboration with the service user and the other professionals in the clinical team.
• Participate in the development and maintenance of clinical partnerships with professionals working in same or other treatment modalities and settings.
• Participate in multidisciplinary clinical teamwork and liaison with other primary health care staff- e.g. psychiatric services, general practitioners, social work, statutory/voluntary and other agencies as            appropriate
• Initiate referral     to appropriate treatment facilities in consultation with clinical team for stabilisation, detoxification, and rehabilitation.
• Support health promotion and disease prevention.
• Adhere to relevant mandatory training as directed by the Directorate Nurse Manager including the reporting requirements in accordance with “Childrens     First” Guidelines in        consultation with clinical team.
• Monitor and evaluate effectiveness and outcomes of treatment for individuals/groups, matching therapy to needs.
• Discharge and onward referral when appropriate.
• Inform and facilitate clients in accessing other appropriate health care and support services in consultation with clinical team and senior.
• Be flexible in practice as required.
• Liaise with other primary health care staff, e.g. psychiatric services, GP’s, social worker, statutory / community agencies workers to ensure an integrated service for service users.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of information sharing protocols, referral pathways, individual care plans and shared care arrangements
• Participate in the development of new initiatives.
• Develop and conduct relevant audit within the service and the evaluation of such audit in order to improve treatment and therapeutic standards in addiction.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Administration and AccountabilityMaintain up-to-date high quality documentation standards both on paper and electronic as per policy and observe professional standards in respect of confidentiality and data security.
• Submit clear concise reports, statistics and activity data in timely manner as requested.
• Report any issues affecting the administration of the service to your line manager
• Maintain accountability within the Medical Directorate.
• Observe professional ethical standards and behaviours as required by HSE Policies and Guidelines, Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act and requirements of relevant Professional Accrediting Bodies, ensuring confidentiality of records.
• Participate actively in regular external clinical supervision in accordance with supervision policy.
• Comply with Beaumont policies and review procedures related to risk management, audits, and clinical accountability.
• Comply with health and safety regulations and review procedures.

 COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• To maintain good communication skills with the multi-disciplinary team.
• To develop relationships with external groups and help promote holistic care for patients.
• Documents according to hospital guidelines.
• Reports verbally and in writing pertinent patient care information to appropriate nursing medical personnel.
• Communicates appropriately with patients/ relatives and colleagues and other members of health care team.

Risk Management:

• Be aware of the principles of risk management.
• Be individually responsible for risk management issues in area of work.
• Identify risk situations and take appropriate action.
• Work in a manner to minimise risk.
• Staff will work in accordance with the principles and values of recovery as described in the National Framework for Recovery for Irish Mental Health Services 2018-2020.
• Adequately identifies, assesses, manages and monitors risk within their area of responsibility.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)

PROFESSIONAL:

• Supports the philosophy, objectives, and goals of the hospital.
• Support models of best practice / evidence based practice.
• Engage in in-service and other relevant training opportunities and to keep up to date with new developments in the area of counselling/therapy.
• Training and supervision of other staff as required, sharing knowledge to maintain professional standards.
• Follows appropriate lines of authority by discussing issues firstly with the Clinical Nurse Manager 2, then with the Directorate Nurse Manager.
• Maintain, update and develop knowledge on Professional Development and on all speciality current trends by attending a number of study days each year.
• Develop and maintain personal counselling skills.
• Maintain a personal record of professional development.
• Completes all mandatory training required by Beaumont Hospital.
• Adheres to IPC guidelines and follows hospital guidelines.
• Discuss present performance and future self-development needs with the Directorate Nurse Manager, using job performance review on accordance with nursing policy.

This is intended as a general guide to the range of duties and it is neither definitive nor restrictive. It will be subject to period review with the post holder. The post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post.

Selection Criteria:
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Mandatory:

• Candidates must: Have a recognised qualification at minimum level 7 or higher qualification on the NQAI framework in Counselling or Psychotherapy.

And

• Be accredited as a counsellor with one of the following organisations: Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), the Addiction Counsellors of Ireland (IAC), Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) or a relevant body within the Irish Council for Psychotherapy.

And

• Have a minimum two years’ experience of managing a case load under supervision where addiction issues are a part of this work.

Informal Enquiries ONLY to:

Name:

Alan Healy-Cunningham

Title:

Directorate Nurse Manager

Email address:

Alanhealycunningham@beaumont.ie (Please note no applications will be accepted sent to this email address).

Telephone:

01 8528196