Katharine House Hospice

Katharine House Hospice

KATHARINE HOUSE HOSPICE

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post holder:Vacant

Area of Work:Katharine House Hospice

Accountable to:Family Support Team Leader, Katharine House Hospice

Responsible to:Director of Care Services, Katharine House Hospice

Board of Trustees

Mission

“To offer the best care so that people in our community affected by progressive diseases can live their lives to the full”

Department Objectives

To provide, in a sensitive and timely manner, appropriatepsychological, counselling and bereavement support to people with an advanced, life limiting illness, and their familiesaffected by it forpre and post bereavement as identified according to the counselling policy. To provide counselling support to staff and volunteers as identified according to the ‘Counselling support for staff policy’

Role Within the Department

To be the Clinical Lead for Psychological Support services

To oversee and co-ordinate the delivery of therapeutic counselling and bereavement support services at Katharine House Hospice

To prioritise and manage a caseload, of self and others

Function and Responsibilities

Specific Objectives

  1. To ensure people accessing the psychological support services of Katharine House and their families receive a timely and high quality service, professionally delivered within a safe environment.
  2. To work professionally, in accordance with the British Psychological Society (BPS) or British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)Codes of Conduct, and to maintain professional registration.
  3. With the Family Support Team Leader, to initiate, plan and monitor the development of Psychological Support services provided by Katharine House Hospice, within the financial constraints set by the hospice’s trustees.
  4. To develop and maintain effective working relationships with other service providers.
  5. To ensure that all service delivery enhances the reputation of, and contributes to the advancement of the stated purposes of, Katharine House Hospice.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

In order to meet the above broad objectives, the post holder will have responsibilities in four main areas of work:

  • Psychological Assessment and Therapeutic Interventions
  • Counselling and Bereavement Support Service across Katharine House
  • Psychological Support Services management
  • Learning and Development for staff and volunteers at Katharine House

Katharine House Hospice

Clinical PsychologicalSupport

  1. Provide specialist psychological assessment of patients and family members, utilising a range of psychological assessment tools.
  2. Exercise autonomous responsibility for the devising and implementing of the psychological interventions.
  3. Deliver a range of psychological interventions to patients, families and groups, adjusting and refining formulations, drawing upon different psychological models and to review progress when appropriate.
  4. Evaluate and make decisions regarding treatment options taking into account theoretical and therapeutic models, complex factors including historical and developmental processes that have shaped the patient, family or group.

  1. Act as a specialist resource and provide expert psychological advice, guidance and consultation to those professionals involved in the patient’s and family’s care.
  2. Communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner to patients and families, information relating to the assessment, management plan and review / outcome of the planned interventions.
  3. Contribute to multi professional discussions on the management of complex patient and family careto ensure safe and effective care.
  4. Promote a multi professional team working ethos and approach to the provision of care within the Family Support Team and Katharine House.

Counselling and Bereavement Support

  1. Assess referrals and allocate patients to the appropriate counsellor or to the bereavement/counselling service, or other outside agency
  2. Oversee the provision of counselling to patients and/or their family, andcounselling to Katharine House staff.
  3. Delivery of Psychological input to patients, their families, staff and volunteers
  4. Together with colleaguesprovide input to Well Being programme.
  5. Provide clinical supervision to Katharine House Hospice staff and volunteers.
  6. Attendance at regular meetings with members of the Psychological Support Service, and Family Support Team.
  7. Responsibility to overseethe monthly Bereavement Support Evenings

Service Management

  1. With the Family Support Team Leader, initiate, plan and monitor the development of Psychological Support services provided by Katharine House Hospice.
  2. Ensure accurate recording of service activity and data collection.
  3. Provide data as required to Medical Secretary and input client data to Crosscare, with administrative support.
  4. Conduct appropriate audits of the psychological support services for pre and post bereavement services, with administrative support.
  5. Provide written and verbal reports, where requested, to the Clinical Sub Committee and the Board of Trustees as required.
  6. Provide a key link between Katharine House Hospice and Stafford and District Bereavement and Loss Support Services.

Education

  1. Develop and provide learning and development on general psychological and emotional support, and bereavement, grief andloss for staff and volunteers and external organisations as required
  2. Support the professional development of staff and volunteers in counselling and support roles
  3. With the Family Support Team Leader, recruit and train volunteers for bereavement support and pastoral care roles.

Service Development

Liaise with other service providers and professionals to develop a cohesive approach to the provision of pre and post bereavement counselling to individuals with or affected by an advanced life limiting illness within Stafford and the surrounds.

Other Tasks and Responsibilities

  1. Access monthly supervision.
  1. Play an active part in own appraisal
  1. Identify own learning and development needs.
  1. Keep accurate records.
  1. Participate in meetings of the Family Support Team.
  1. Adhere to all hospice policies and procedures.

Key working relationships

  • Counsellors
  • Family Support Team Leader
  • Voluntary Services Co-Ordinator
  • Stafford and District Bereavement and Loss Support Service
  • Volunteers
  • Members of the Family Support Team
  • Director of Care
  • Medical Director
  • Matron
  • Advanced Nurse Practitioner
  • In Patient Unit Sister/Charge Nurse
  • At Home Team
  • Administrative support

Key Competencies and Skills Requirements

See person specification

Other

There will be a requirement to work flexibly to accommodate some evening work

Specific Induction Requirements

  1. Attend Katharine House Hospice Induction Course
  1. Introduction to all relevant trustees, staff and volunteers of Katharine House

Hospice

  1. Introduction to all Stafford and District Bereavement and Loss Support Service’s trustees, staff and volunteers

Induction Requirements

  • “This is Katharine House Hospice” induction course
  • Introduction to Katharine House Hospice team
  • Visit to other local hospice psychological and counselling support services

Confidentiality

To ensure confidentiality is maintained on all matters pertaining to patients, staff and organisation in accordance with the Hospice’s Confidentiality Policy

Job Revision

This job description is subject to periodic revision following discussions with the post holder

Infection Prevention and Control

In accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the post holder will actively participate in the prevention and control of infection within the capacity of their role. The Act requires the post holder to attend infection prevention and control training on induction and at regular updates and to take responsibility for the practical application of the training in the course of their work.

Smoking

The hospice has a no smoking policy. All hospice premises are considered No Smoking Zones

This post requires the individual to consent to an enhanced disclosure by the Criminal Records Bureau

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Person Specification

Psychological Services Clinical Lead

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications
Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, or its equivalent, including two or more distinct psychological therapies, and lifespan developmental psychology
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Masters level training in Counselling, or its equivalent, including a good working knowledge and experience of two or more psychological models and therapies, with young to older adults.
Beaccredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) or British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy(BACP)
Qualified to provide Supervision / √
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Experience
Minimum of 2-3 years’ clinical experience after qualifying
Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of patients across the full range of care settings, including in-patient, community, andoutpatient.
Experience of working in Physical Health psychology, in particular in specialised areas of psychological practice especially relevant to life limiting illnesses, palliative care and end of life care.
Experience of working with a variety of clients, from young to older adults, who present with problems that reflect a wide range of clinical needs.
The ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems.
Ability to teach and train others especially staff and volunteers in developing and enhancing psychological and listening skills and abilities.
Significant experience of working with bereavement and loss
Experience of deliveringsupervision to individuals and groups.
An interest in working in Life-Limited, Palliative Care and End of Life settings.
Experience of working within a hospice
Experience of partnership working with outside agencies
Experience of service development
Experience of working with volunteers / √
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Skills
Skilled in psychological assessment and interventions.
Good oral and written communication skills
The ability to handle and communicate effectivelyclinically sensitive information.
Skills in consultation with professional and non-professional groups.
Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. dementia, people with additional disabilities etc).
Knowledge and practice of at least two psychological therapies.
Demonstrable skills in people management
Expanding skills and knowledge in other people
Team player
Confident skills in using IT
Proven ability in co-ordinating, managing and organising workload
Good collaborative working skills
Interest in research.
Working knowledge of Crosscare software / √
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Personal Qualities
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Flexible approach
Confident
Non-judgemental
Calm approach to difficult situations
Self-awareness and ability to identify stress in self
‘Can do’ attitude
Organiser / √
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Other
Enhanced CRB clearance required
Full valid UK Driving Licence
Regular use of car with appropriate level of insurance for business use / √
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