Clinical Genetics / Pathology
Job Description
Job Title: Principal Genetic Counsellor
Band: 8A
Hours of Work (p/w): 37.5 12 months fixed term
Service Centre/Directorate: Clinical Genetics / Pathology
Base: St George’s Hospital, but the post holder may be required to work at any of the Trust’s sites and in other hospitals and health centres in the catchment area of The Regional Genetics Service.
Accountable to: Lead Clinician, Clinical Genetics
Reports to: Lead Clinician, Clinical Genetics
Responsible for: Provision of a high quality genetic counselling service
Key working relationships: Care group lead, principal genetic counsellors and other genetic counsellors, service manager, medical consultants in genetics, cancer services and other specialities, registrars, administrative and clerical staff, laboratory staff, nurses and allied health professionals.
Role of the Department: The South West Thames Regional Genetics Department provides an integrated clinical genetics service for individuals or families who have, or are at risk of having a genetic disorder. We deliver this service at St George's Hospital, a leading London teaching hospital and one of the largest healthcare units in the UK, as well as in a number oflocal district hospitals and health centres across the region.
The clinical genetics service is involved in providing risk assessment, genetic testing and psychosocial support to families that are affected by, or at risk of, a genetic or inherited condition. Genetic counsellors are integral to the provision of a comprehensive service and are required to liaise closely with other clinical, non-clinical and laboratory staff, both within the Trust and externally.
Job Summary: To provide a high quality genetic counselling service at regional specialist level for a population of 3 million in the South West Thames area. This job will require the postholder to provide genetic counselling services to a mixed caseload including cancer and general genetics patients in addition to developing an area of special interest, in line with the aims of the department.
This is to be achieved by helping the clients and their families to:
· comprehend the medical facts, including the diagnosis, probable course of the disorder, and the available management
· appreciate the way in which heredity contributes to the disorder, and the risk of recurrence in specified relatives
· understand the alternatives for dealing with the risk of recurrence
· help the clients choose the course of action which seems to them most appropriate
· make the best possible adjustment to the disorder in an affected family member and/or the risk of recurrence of that disorder.
· To act as a significant educational resource, both to the wider health care system and trainees in clinical genetics and genetic counselling.
In conjunction with the Lead Clinician the postholder will be responsible for the providing clinical leadership for multidisciplinary and peripheral genetics clinics for the Southwest Thames Regional Genetics Service. The post holder will take a lead role in the provision of multidisciplinary genetics clinics and peripheral clinics and provide expert clinical opinion to managers, which assists the strategic direction of the genetics service.
The postholder will use expert clinical reasoning skills to provide support and advice to genetic counsellors and other clinical staff within and outside the organisation whilst maintaining a clinical caseload of patients as an autonomous practitioner. They will be responsible for identifying clinical research, audit and data collection priorities within area of expertise to drive departmental clinical development strategy.
In conjunction with the management team the postholder will strive to ensure excellence of training provision across the genetics service and to deputise for the lead genetic counsellor when required to ensure that an efficient and effective service is provided.
Trust Vision & Values:
The postholder is expected to have a clear understanding of how this post contributes to the achievement of the trust vision of:
St. George’s is a Foundation Trust at the heart of an integrated healthcare system. One that delivers improved patient care at a community, hospital and specialist setting, supported by a unique and nationally recognised programme of research, education and employee engagement.
We expect all our staff to share the values that are important to the Trust, being Excellent, Kind, Responsible & Respectful, and behave in a way that reflect these.
St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects that all staff will share in this commitment. The Trust is clear that all staff have a responsibility to be aware of children and adult safeguarding policies and procedures and that each member of staff, clinical and non-clinical, will attend child or adult safeguarding training that is provided at an appropriate level to suit their role. The Trust has the additional expectation that all staff will be able to identify concerns and know what action to take.
Main Duties
• Be a specialist in the field of genetic counselling and, along with the Lead Clinician, be accountable for the service, research and development within the general clinical genetics service.
• In association with the lead clinician, to provide genetic counselling consultations for patients with, or at risk of, general genetic conditions.
• To be the lead genetic counsellor in a specialist area of genetics for the Trust and the Southwest Thames regional Genetics Service.
• In association with the Lead Clinician, lead the development and delivery of training and development programmes within genetic counselling service.
• In association with the Lead Clinician, lead on research and practice development within the genetic counselling service.
• To develop an area of special interest within the general genetic counselling service to increase service provision and quality of care
• Provide specialist advice to colleagues and other health professionals.
• Work in partnership with other areas in the Trust and other support services in order to develop a strategic approach for the provision of specialist genetic counselling services.
• Deliver professional leadership and consultancy, setting standards and promoting best practice.
• Develop, and implement standards for clinical audit and evaluate clinical effectiveness.
• Work autonomously and be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own professional activities.
• Utilise advanced clinical reasoning skills and evidence based knowledge in the management of patients with highly complex presentations and be clinically competent to utilise expert skills and knowledge in a variety of clinical settings.
• Develop, establish and implement evidence-based guidelines, policies and genetic counsellor led initiatives in the management of cancer family history.
• Provide expert genetic counselling and management of complex cases, demonstrating advanced knowledge and skills, including the integration of research evidence into practice by expert clinical reasoning and decision-making.
• Develop specialised programmes of care and provide highly specialist clinical services. This includes arranging appropriate specialist screening and testing programmes, interpreting diagnostic test results and advising accordingly.
• Develop and design care pathways for referral of genetics patients in conjunction with other multi-professional team members.
• Make independent clinical decisions and initiate investigations and screening.
• Direct and use the results of specialist investigations (e.g. non invasive prenatal testing, array CGH and next generation sequencing)to assist formulation of diagnoses and plan patient management.
• Utilise highly developed physical skills requiring accuracy (e.g. venepuncture).
• Interpret and analyse highly complex facts or situations comparing a range of options and drawing on evidence, knowledge and experience to make judgements in unique situations where opinion differs.
• Provide expert advice and second opinion to health care professionals, including when views may differ or conflict. This includes the formulation of accurate assessment and recommendation of best practice.
• Use expert theoretical and practical knowledge to refer to other departments/ colleagues within or outside the Trust as necessary relying on own interpretation of investigation results and expert clinical decision-making.
• Demonstrate expert ability to elicit and communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information to patients, carers and other staff.
• Ensure confidentiality at all times and ensure sensitivity to the patient/client/audience’s level of understanding and prior knowledge.
• Present complex, sensitive or contentious information to large groups.
• Motivate and encourage others through advanced communications skills, using written and electronic information where needed.
• Effectively articulate expert perspective on a patient’s condition with colleagues, when various management options are available.
• Make reasonable efforts to resolve verbal complaints and to be well versed with the Trust’s formal complaints procedure.
• Lead the development and delivery of training and development programmes within genetic counselling for genetic counsellors and health professionals in primary, secondary and tertiary care
• Take responsibility for devising and delivering training and development programmes in genetics across the Trust and outside the organisation.
• Contribute to the development of the undergraduate and postgraduate training programmes.
• Take part in research and development programmes in genetic counselling.
• To promote a research environment within the department and offer support and guidance to research teams as required.
• Ongoing involvement in research projects.
• Supervise data collection and management of research projects
• To develop appropriate clinical audit tools to evaluate clinical effectiveness within area.
• Facilitate the integration of research into best practice.
• Propose and implement policy changes for the genetic counselling service.
• Be responsible for the strategic and operational planning of the genetics service.
• Develop innovative models of service.
.
• Incorporate national and international standards into local practice.
• Inform and influence local management teams to ensure that the service responds to relevant national initiatives (e.g. NICE).
• Plan and organise a broad range of complex activities.
• Flexibly manage responsibility for own complex clinical caseload, teaching, service development and quality assurance.
• Use excellent prioritising and time management skills to meet the unpredictable and conflicting needs of the service.
• Develop own managerial and administrative functions in conjunction with the Lead Clinician
• Contribute to business planning process in service, initiating bids for resources where appropriate.
• Input into performance management/appraisal review of genetic counselling team.
• Assist in the local recruitment of staff
.
• Provide clinical leadership and career development opportunities for senior genetic counselling staff working within the service.
• Ensure that quality standards and effectiveness of patient care are continually monitored and improved in conjunction with local managers.
• Provide clinical supervision to other staff and actively engage in own supervision.
• Provide learning opportunities for genetic counsellors and other health care professionals via mentorship and supervision.
• Be responsible for the maintenance of accurate written records.
• Identify appropriate outcome measures and service impact measures, which evaluate accurately patient response and service development needs.
• Maintain accurate statistical information on genetic counselling using databases as necessary to inform management team and drive audit programme.
• Maintain a national profile in the genetic counselling profession.
.
• Act in a consultancy role promoting development of advanced genetic counselling practice.
• Take an active role nationally in genetic counselling, participating in national meetings and holding membership of organising bodies or professional committees.
• Maintain GCRB registration
• Support staff when indicated in the management of challenging situations.
• Manage patients where their clinical condition may lead to anxiety and aggressive behaviour.
• Sensitively explain the results of genetic tests and relevant investigations.
• Manage frequent distressing or emotional circumstances. These may at times be highly distressing, such as counselling the terminally ill or bereaved when there is a need for genetic testing, counselling patients/ clients considering prophylactic surgery.
• Apply in depth proactive mental attention during patient/client risk assessment and counselling.
Other Responsibilities
.
§ To have responsibility for the Health, Safety and Welfare of self and others and to comply at all times with the requirement of the Health and Safety Regulations.
§ To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act and its amendments.
§ To work in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities policy to eliminate unlawful discrimination in relation to employment and service delivery.
· To promote at all times equal opportunities for staff and patients in accordance with St George’s Healthcare policies to ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of: age; disability; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race (ethnicity); religion or belief; sex (gender); gender reassignment or sexual orientation.
§ To ensure skills are up-to-date and relevant to the role, to follow relevant Trust policies and professional codes and to maintain registration where this is a requirement of the role.
§ To comply with St. George’s Healthcare No Smoking Policies.
§ To undertake such duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and the needs of the service.
This job description is not an exhaustive document but is a reflection of the current position. Details and emphasis may change in line with service needs after consultation with the postholder.
St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer and operates a No Smoking Policy.
Person Specification
Job Title: Principal Genetic Counsellor
Band: 8A
Factor / Essential / Desirable / Method of AssessmentQualifications and Training / Educated to MSc level
GCRB Registered Genetic Counsellor
Robust understanding of all aspects of clinical governance including previous experience of quality issues, audit and risk management
Management training / Additional training in specialist area.
Mphil/PhD/equivalent or willingness to undertake.
Post-graduate teaching qualification.
Clinical assessment skills. / A
Experience / Minimum of 5 years clinical experience as a Band 7 (or above) genetic counsellor within specific specialist area.
Previous experience of student supervision and clinical education at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Evidence of continued professional development-reviewing current practice and research developments within specialist area and application to clinical practice.
Working with people who are distressed.
Experience of developing patient information literature.
Previous experience of initiating patient engagement. / Significant experience at band 8 in specialist area.
Previous experience of line management of genetic counsellors
Experience of independent and collaborative research
Mixed caseload including prenatal and neurogenetics / A
Skills / Advanced counselling skills.
Previous telephone counselling experience.
Phlebotomy skills.
Ability to identify and lead on service developments within the genetic counselling service. / A, I
Knowledge / In-depth knowledge of genetic counselling
Knowledge of NHS structure and finances. / A, I
Other / To have proven experience of service development.
Partakes in regular clinical supervision. / Project management skills
Leadership training / A, I
Key: