JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:Counsellor

RESPONSIBLE TO:Counselling & Psychological Support Services Manager

HOURS OF WORK:Casual Work

LOCATION:LOROS Hospice, Groby Road, Leicester

JOB PURPOSE:

To provide short-term counselling to patients with cancer and other life limiting illnesses or facing impending death and in bereavement to relatives and carers.

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Provide a service in line with BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) guidelines.
  2. Provide a timely, responsive and appropriate service to users.
  3. Provide interventions in order to enable and explore feelings and facilitate understanding within the family unit for those near the end of life and those with life-threatening illnesses to facilitate coping strategies around loss and bereavement.
  4. Provide input to the ongoing LOROS education programme with emphasis on communication and counselling skills.

SUPERVISION

  1. Carry a caseload of clients as allocated by the Counselling & Psychological Support Services Manageror other.
  2. Have access to external, regular and individual supervision in addition to ongoing in-service support, in line with BACP guidelines.
  3. Attend and contribute to regular discussion for supervision and team days.
  4. Attend monthly business meetings with the CounsellingPsychological Support Services Manager.
  5. Liaise with the Hospice Consultants and other members of the Multi-disciplinary team.
  6. Work in accordance with the LOROS service specification and operational policies.

RECORD KEEPING

  1. Maintain clients’ records ensuring accordance with hospice policies particularly as they relate to confidentiality and data protection.
  2. Provide data as required in order to demonstrate activity.
  3. Contribute and participate in the collection of data to evaluate the effectiveness of counselling interventions.

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

VISION

(Ourlongtermaspirationforoursociety)

Everyonewithanincurableillnesshastherighttoexcellentcare.Thisshouldvalueandrespecttheiruniquenessandtheirownchoices.Peopleshouldbeenabledtoliveanddiewithdignityandwithappropriateandcompassionatesupportforthemandtheirlovedones.

MISSION

(OurgoalsandactivitiesinworkingtowardsourVision)

LOROSisacharitywhoseaimistoenhancethequalityoflifeofadultpatientswithcancer,progressiveneurologicalconditionsandend-stageorganfailureforwhomcurativetreatmentisnolongerpossible.Patientsaretreatedatthehospiceandinthecommunitybaseduponclinicalneed,regardlessofbackgroundandtheabilitytopay.

LOROSspecialisesinholistic,multidisciplinarycare,focusedonthewholepersonandincludingfamilyandcarers.Thecaregiventakesintoaccountthepatients’physical,psychological,socialandspiritualneedsaswellas their ownchoices.Familymembersaresupportedinadjusting tolossandbereavement.

LOROScontributestotheeducationandtrainingofitsownandotherhealthandsocialcareprofessionalsandofvolunteers.Thecharityisalsocommittedtoresearchinordertoimprovetheunderstandingandpracticeofpalliativecare.

VALUESBEHAVIOURS

(Howwewillstrivetobe)

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PROFESSIONAL

FOCUSED
COLLABORATIVE

COMPASSIONATE
TRUSTED


in ourattitudeand everything wedo

onpatients,familiesandcarers whilst listening,learningandadaptingtotheirdiverseneeds

inworkingtogetherandwithothers

inprovidingcareandrespondingsensitivelytorequestsforsupport

withinourorganisation andbyour community

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KEY FACTS – SEPT 2014

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

Of whom admitted to Inpatient Ward550

(approx. ½ subsequently discharged)

No. of beds in Inpatient Ward31

Average length of stay (days)12

No. of participants in LOROS educational activities pa2,000

No. of employees320

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 NHS1/3rd

Proportion of charity costs directed to care services90%

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 shops25

No. of LOROS lottery members22,000

Year LOROS registered as a charity1977

First patient at Groby Road HospiceSept 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.