North East Counselling Services was founded in July 2006 by carers as a result of personal experience. Incorporated as a Community Interest Company (CIC), we work for the benefit of the community and not for private advantage. We have a built in asset lock which ensures that any profits are passed back into the community and not taken as dividends.
Contract Type: Initially funded until 31st March 2024
Posts: We have a number of 28 and 14 hour posts available (the 28 hour posts will include 20 hours of clinical work and the 14 hour posts will include 10 hours of clinical work)
Based: Gateshead Central South Primary Care Network, GP surgeries
Fixed Salary: £21,840 Per Annum for 28 Hour posts (pro rata for 14 hours posts)In this new role, you will work alongside Edbert’s House Community Link Workers within the Gateshead Central South Primary Care Network (PCN) by providing counselling support to patients who have visited the GP . Over the past five years Edberts House has been running the Community Linking Project it has contributed to the health and wellbeing of patients in Gateshead by linking them to a range of community services.
Gateshead Central South Primary Care Network is the largest in Gateshead with 10 GP practices and approximately 66,000 patients. PCN’s were developed for GP practices to work collaboratively in reducing health inequalities and offer new services to patients. This is a very exciting role in our PCN as we begin to build a solid mental health MDT for our patients. The role will be pivotal in shaping the PCN mental health model.
You will provide 1 : 1 counselling to patients in a professional and competent manner and in line with NECS policies and procedures and the BACP framework for ethical practice. You will work with people from different cultural backgrounds and ages.
Candidates will be qualified counsellors and must be excellent communicators and able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Ideally they will have experience of working with children, young people and adults.
An enhanced DBS is required for this post.
Job Purpose:
You will support patients referred to the Community Linking Project by providing triage, counselling support and signposting. Working primarily out of the GP surgeries you will provide 1:1 counselling support for patients either face to face or via telephone/zoom. You will proactively build relationships with patients, offer support and develop collaborative solutions to address their issues. You will develop relationships with community organisations and statutory services to maintain up to date knowledge and expertise on local services.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Working with NECS and GP practices within Gateshead Central South Primary Care Network you will:
- Deliver counselling to adult clients and/or young persons aged 4-18 who have mild to moderate mental health difficulties
- To assess clients who present with multiple and complex issues and make recommendations for referral where specialist psychological services are required
- To make professional judgements to ensure the delivery of appropriate counselling interventions to meet the clients needs
- Fully understand and follow all NECS policies and procedures with particular emphasis on vulnerable adults and child safeguarding policies and equal opportunities.
- Attend clinical supervision in line with NECS policies and BACP clinical requirements. NECS will provide a suitable clinical supervisor.
- Engage, listen and build relationships with patients of all ages, genders and backgrounds
- Support and motivate individuals to develop solutions to the issues they care about to improve their mental health.
- Receive referrals from practice staff
- Maintain accurate records of all work undertaken, providing regular reports for management.
- Pro-actively monitor and evaluate work
- Establish and develop appropriate links with Gateshead Council services, community groups, service providers, advice agencies and other organisations working in the area.
- Report to the Operations Director and the GP Practice Managers on a regular basis
- Maintain records in accordance with data protection guidelines and maintain patient confidentiality.
- Any other reasonable duties as required by NECS and the GP Practice Managers.
Personal Specification/Key Competencies:
| Education | Essential/Desirable |
| Qualified Counsellor educated to Diploma or Degree level in Counselling | Essential |
| Willingness to undertake training and continuing professional development | Essential |
| Experience | |
| Experience of counselling individuals face to face and via telephone/zoom | Essential |
| Experience of person centred planning | Essential |
| Experience of working with vulnerable adults | Essential |
| Experience and understanding of the importance of maintaining confidentiality and data protection procedures. | Essential |
| Evidence of maintaining accurate records. | Essential |
| Abilities and Competencies | |
| Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to quickly relate to people from a variety of backgrounds | Essential |
| Empathy and understanding of the needs of patients | Essential |
| Emotional resilience | Essential |
| Ability to work creatively, independently and autonomously in a complex community environment | Essential |
| Ability to proficiently use computer software packages e.g. Microsoft Office | Essential |
| Excellent communication, negotiating and advocacy skills | Essential |
| Ability to work in a non-judgmental way | Essential |
| Ability to work in a challenging environment and manage a full client caseload | Essential |
| Ability to form and maintain relationships with professionals and external agencies | Essential |
| Ability to maintain professional boundaries in relationships | Essential |
| Ability to collect data efficiently for analysis | Essential |
| Knowledge of adult and children’s safeguarding, domestic abuse, mental health and substance misuse issues | Desirable |
| Motivation | |
| Flexible, adaptable and a willingness to work between surgeries and in the community | Essential |
| Flexible, adaptable and a willingness to work between surgeries and in the community | Essential |
| Understanding of the wider determinants of health and motivation to find community solutions to improving health and social care | Desirable |
| Other | |
| Ability to demonstrate an understanding and commitment to the values of NECS and the NHS | Essential |
| To undertake a DBS check prior to starting your employment | Essential |
| Able to work flexible hours as necessary | Essential |
| Full driving licence and access to vehicle or be able to demonstrate how you will fulfil the role without the use of own vehicle. | Essential |
To apply for this role please click here
Closing date is 4pm on 4th October
Interviews for successful applicants will take place on 12th and 13th October.
