Counsellor: Sponsorship Available

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

We are seeking a compassionate, skilled, and motivated Counsellor/Psychological Practitioner to join our specialist Renal Psychology Service, which sits within the wider Clinical Health Psychology Service at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of an integrated multidisciplinary team supporting adults living with chronic kidney disease, dialysis treatment, kidney transplantation, and associated adjustment and coping difficulties. The post has been developed in recognition of the increasing psychological needs of renal patients and our commitment to delivering person-centred care in line with national commissioning standards.

The successful candidate will contribute to the assessment and delivery of evidence-based psychological interventions for patients experiencing emotional distress related to their renal condition, treatment burden, adjustment to illness, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and end-of-life concerns.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will join a supportive and compassionate multi-professional renal service and work closely with the Band 8b Lead and Assistant Psychologist, todelivera high-quality specialist psychological service to renal patients and their family, carers, andthewiderrenalMDT.

The post holder will work acrossa number ofinpatient and outpatientclinical areasin the acute hospital settingat RoyalPrestonHospital, as well as other sites across the LTHTs footprint.This will include working directly on hospital wards and outpatient treatment units (e.g. dialysis units).

Key responsibilities include:

  • Providing psychological assessment and counselling interventions to renal patients.
  • Delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions within agreed competencies.
  • Supporting patients to adjust to the impact of chronic illness and treatment.
  • Working collaboratively within multidisciplinary team meetings and care planning processes.
  • Contributing to psychologically informed care across renal services.
  • Providing consultation and advice to healthcare professionals regarding psychological aspects of patient care.
  • Maintaining accurate clinical records and outcome measures.
  • Participating in service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree / Diploma in Counselling or equivalent as recognised by the BACP, UKCP, or similar professional body
  • Accreditation with a recognised professional body (e.g. BACP, UKCP, BCP), regulated by the professional standards authority

Desirable

  • Degree in psychology
  • Further knowledge/ experience with relevant certificates in other therapy modalities (e.g. Acceptance & commitment therapy, Compassion focused therapy)
  • Supervision qualification or certificate
  • Couple counselling training or qualification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Post qualification clinical practice experience in counselling.
  • Experience of working psychologically in physical health settings and long-term conditions
  • Training in NICE approved counselling modalities (e.g. Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression; Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy; Interpersonal Therapy; Couples Therapy for Depression)
  • Working with a variety of different client groups.
  • Confidence in clinical risk assessment and safety management planning (NG 225),
  • Ability to assess and escalate mental health risk and safeguarding concerns where these routinely unfold

Desirable

  • Post qualification clinical practice experience working psychologically in physical health settings and/or with people living with long-term conditions or in palliative care.
  • Post qualification clinical experience using NICE approved counselling modality (e.g. PersonCentred Experiential Counselling for Depression; Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy; Interpersonal Therapy; Couples Therapy for Depression
  • Knowledge of/training in the principles of Trauma Informed Care
  • Knowledge of/training in Psychosocial factors in healthcare
  • Experience of multidisciplinary working
  • Experience of inpatient ward working from a psychological perspective
  • Experience of offering reflective practice or supervision to other colleagues
  • Experience Implementing general infection control requirements related with ward-based working and IPC protocols.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 31 October 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.