JOB TITLE: Counselling & Bereavement Psychological Support Services Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION

LOCATION: LOROS Hospice, Groby Road, Leicester

RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of In Patient Services

JOB PURPOSE: To proactively lead and manage the LOROS Counselling and Bereavement Services in accordance with LOROS’ vision and mission statement and support the delivery of psychological support across all care services.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

CLINICAL

The post-holder will:

Overview the review and triage of all referrals ensuring appropriate caseload allocation and management.

Ensure a wide range of appropriate therapeutic interventions, support advice and guidance are offered as per service guidelines.

Maintain an agreed client caseload, providing short-term counselling to patients with cancer and other life limiting diseases or facing impending death.

Ensure that families and carers where possible are able to access short term counselling services at the time of impending death and in bereavement including bereavement support services

Participate in regular personal casework supervision.

Work in collaboration with healthcare professionals and services across the wider healthcare community to develop psychological support services in line with a four-level model of assessment and intervention.

Support the hospice care services with developing staff to deliver level one and two psychological support.

Develop and maintain key links with the sessional psychologist.

Promote collaborative working across the hospice care services to

support the immediate needs of the patient, family and carers.

10. Oversee the continuing development, working holistically with couples and carers ensuring individual needs are met.

Ensure that ward patients / families and / or carers are able to access a single assessment of counselling at short notice.

In line with LOROS’ laid down policies, ensure the counselling team are utilising both Systmone and written documentation to record accurate, timely and complete client records.

13. Ensure the maintenance of confidential patient and client electronic and paper records, exchanging information with other LOROS professional staff on a “need-to-know” basis only.

14.

Support the on-going development and delivery of bereavement support groups both at the hospice and across the local community.

MANAGEMENT

The post-holder will be responsible for:

1. Day-to-day leadership and management of the counselling and bereavement team, organisation of the counselling and bereavement services and its resources within LOROS’ laid down policies.

2. Developing and delivering a vision for the Counselling and Bereavement Service to reflect the needs of patients/ families and carers in line with local and national strategies.

3. Managing resources within an allocated budget, reviewing regularly and on an annual basis.

4. Participating in, as appropriate, joint research, project and service developments both internally and externally and lead audit with other clinical staff in order to evaluate the services provided.

5. Effectively representing the service at Head of Department meetings ensuring prompt cascade of information to the wider team.

6. Ensuring that comprehensive procedures are in place and are followed for dealing with referrals, assessments and the allocation of patients and clients for counselling.

7. Ensure that comprehensive processes are in place and are followed for dealing with the issuing of medical certificates and supporting telephone follow up post bereavement.

8. Providing verified activity records as required (for example details of patients, families & clients seen, counsellor bereavement facilitator activity) plus clinical and service development information as required i.e. for the annual clinical report.

9. Developing robust methods for recording activity associated with client and bereavement services workload.

10. Liaising as appropriate with other persons and organisations, both voluntary and statutory, providing psychological support services at level three and four in Leicester Leicestershire and Rutland, in order to develop LOROS’ services.

11. Liaising with external stakeholders in the development of new initiatives and services both for counselling and bereavement support.

12. Promoting good working relationships by developing national and regional links, and maintains professional standards.

COUNSELLORS AND BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT FACILITATORS

The post-holder will:

1. Monitor that each counsellor is receiving appropriate clinical supervision in line with the British Association of Counselling Psychotherapy (BACP) Code of Ethics.

1. Organise, coordinate and participate in the following, ensuring all actions are addressed in a timely manner;

· monthly peer supervision groups for counsellors

· team meetings

· one to one business meetings

· team development days

· peer supervision / support for Bereavement Support Facilitators

· supervision and support of volunteers

MULTI-DISIPLINARY TEAM (MDT)

LOROS provides a comprehensive range of high quality care on an integrated multi-disciplinary basis which reflects the ethos of the hospice in providing holistic care.

The post-holder will:

1. Ensure that the Counselling Service is integrated with the other disciplines within the hospice cooperating fully with the other professional staff.

2. Recognise that for the following groups, overall clinical responsibility is held by other professionals whose clinical decisions may, take precedence over counselling needs:

- for Hospice in-patients - LOROS Consultants in Palliative Medicine

- for patients at home or ) The General Practitioner

at the Day Therapy Unit ) (or in some cases a hospital

) consultant)

or )

- for other terminally-ill )

patients within the )

community )

3. Ensure attendance of a member of the Counselling Service at ward and other clinical meetings, the post-holder participating as appropriate.

4. Liaise with and, as appropriate, work with other staff caring for the psychological needs of patients and relatives, exchanging information on a need-to-know basis.

5. Facilitate the provision of supervision for medical staff in accordance with LOROS policies.

6. Facilitate situational psychological intervention to the members of the MDT

wWhere/if / if appropriate

TRAINING & EDUCATION

1. Ensure that training programmes/events in counselling and bereavement services take place:

· for LOROS’ own team.

· for other professionals and counsellors as part of LOROS’ educational role

· for volunteers who will be involved in the delivery of bereavement support groups

· to meet any future developments in the service

· specific .developments such as the introduction of Bereavement Support Groups and Therapy Groups

2. Initiate/participate in other educational programmes both regionally and nationally as appropriate.

GENERAL:

All staff are subject to Equal Opportunities Legislation, the Data Protection Act and LOROS Confidentiality Policy.

To carry out and comply with the prevention and control of infection as per LOROS policies and procedures.

All staff are subject to LOROS policies, procedures and conditions of service, with reference to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

Co-operate with their employer as far as is necessary to meet the requirements of the legislation.

All staff should be aware of and aim to contribute to LOROS’ Vision and Mission and also strive to exhibit the Values & Behaviours at all times (see attached document).

The contents of this job description are not exhaustive and may be amended in accordance with the needs of the service after discussion with the post holder whose agreement will not be unreasonably withheld.

Signed………………………………………………………… Date…………………………………………

Postholder

Signed……………………………………………………….. Date ………………………………………..

Line Manager

GENERAL:

· All staff are subject to Equal Opportunities Legislation, the Data Protection Act and LOROS Confidentiality Policy.

· To carry out and comply with the prevention and control of infection as per LOROS policies and procedures.

· All staff are subject to LOROS policies, procedures and conditions of service, with reference to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

· Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

· Co-operate with their employer as far as is necessary to meet the requirements of the legislation.

· All staff should be aware of and aim to contribute to LOROS’ Vision and Mission and also strive to exhibit the Values & Behaviours at all times (see attached document).

Signed……………………………………………………………….Date…………………………………………

Postholder

Signed……………………………………………………………… Date ………………………………………..

Line Manager

VISION

(Our long term aspiration for our society)

Everyone with an incurable illness has the right to excellent care. This should value and respect their uniqueness and their own choices. People should be enabled to live and die with dignity and with appropriate and compassionate support for them and their loved ones.

MISSION

(Our goals and activities in working towards our Vision)

LOROS is a charity whose aim is to enhance the quality of life of adult patients with cancer, progressive neurological conditions and end-stage organ failure for whom curative treatment is no longer possible. Patients are treated at the hospice and in the community based upon clinical need, regardless of background and the ability to pay.

LOROS specialises in holistic, multidisciplinary care, focused on the whole person and including family and carers. The care given takes into account the patients’ physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs as well as their own choices. Family members are supported in adjusting to loss and bereavement.

LOROS contributes to the education and training of its own and other health and social care professionals and of volunteers. The charity is also committed to research in order to improve the understanding and practice of palliative care.

VALUES BEHAVIOURS

(How we will strive to be)

P:\PERSONNEL\Job Descriptions\Counselling\Job Description Counsellor May 2015.doc

PROFESSIONAL

FOCUSED
COLLABORATIVE

COMPASSIONATE
TRUSTED

in our attitude and everything we do

on patients, families and carers whilst listening, learning and adapting to their diverse needs

in working together and with others

in providing care and responding sensitively to requests for support

within our organisation and by our community

P:\PERSONNEL\Job Descriptions\Counselling\Job Description Counsellor May 2015.doc

KEY FACTS – SEPT 2014

No. of individuals receiving patient care from LOROS pa >2,500

Of whom admitted to Inpatient Ward 550

(approx. ½ subsequently discharged)

No. of beds in Inpatient Ward 31

Average length of stay (days) 12

No. of participants in LOROS educational activities pa 2,000

No. of employees 320

No. of regular volunteers >1,000

Expenditure on patient care pa £7.5 million

Minimum amount of income to be raised pa £4.5 million

Portion of expenditure covered by NHS 1/3rd

Proportion of charity costs directed to care services 90%

Cost per hour of running the charity £850

Cost per Bed/Day including “overheads” (85% occupancy) £500

Cost per attendance for Day Therapy £150

Cost of a Community Nurse Specialist visit £100

No. of LOROS shops 25

No. of LOROS lottery members 22,000

Year LOROS registered as a charity 1977

First patient at Groby Road Hospice Sept 1985

LOROS is a registered charity and also a company limited by guarantee which is governed by a Board of up to 15 unpaid voluntary Trustees. It is regulated by the Charity Commission, Companies House and the Care Quality Commission.

All money raised is spent locally in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland.

VISION

(Our long term aspiration)

MISSION

(Our goals and activities in working towards our Vision)

VALUES & BEHAVIOURS

(How we will strive to be)

KEY FACTS – APRIL 2013

No. of individuals receiving patient care from LOROS pa >2,500

Of whom admitted to Inpatient Ward 550

(approx ½ subsequently discharged)

No. of beds in Inpatient Ward 31

Average length of stay (days) 14

No. of participants in LOROS educational activities pa 3,000

No. of employees 300

No. of regular volunteers >1,000

Expenditure on patient care pa £7.5 million

Minimum amount of income to be raised pa £4.5 million

Portion of expenditure covered by NHS 1/3rd

Proportion of charity costs directed to care services 90%

Cost per hour of running the charity £850

Cost per Bed/Day including “overheads” (80% occupancy) £600

Cost per attendance for Day Therapy £140

Cost of a Community Nurse Specialist visit £100

No. of LOROS shops 25

No. of LOROS lottery members 22,000

Year LOROS registered as a charity 1977

First patient at Groby Road Hospice Sept 1985

All money raised is spent locally in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland.

P:\PERSONNEL\Job Descriptions\Counselling\Counselling & BereavementPsychological Support Service Manager May 2015April 2014.doc Revised April 2014