Counsellor
Counsellor - £29,970 - £44,962 (NHS Band 5/6)
Avon and Somerset Police is seeking a dedicated and experienced Counsellor to join our professional Occupational Health Team. You will play a crucial role in providing proactive, comprehensive, and confidential counselling services to our officers and staff.
As an organisation, we have introduced a new counselling service as an extension to our established Therapy Team, to assist employees coping with work-related incidents affecting their mental health.
This position is an opportunity to make a significant impact on the mental well-being of those who serve and protect our community.
The role:
You will be responsible for providing a proactive, comprehensive, and confidential counselling service to our police officers, police staff and members of the Special Constabulary.
Providing confidential one-on-one counselling sessions, dealing with a variety of work-related challenges
You will need a thoughtful and strategic approach to address the diverse needs of individuals seeking support.
Main responsibilities:
- Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing short term focused therapy for psychological ill health and providing assessment, advice and referral on to appropriate specialists.
- Conduct thorough assessments and initiate appropriate treatment for mild to moderate mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders
- Create personalised counselling plans tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of each person. Cultivate cultural competence to understand and respect diverse cultural backgrounds
- To actively explore advancements and industry best practices, incorporating pertinent research, to foster continuous personal and professional development.
- Maintain written records of session content and ongoing treatment plans throughout the therapy period using the medical records digital program. Additionally, record clinical outcome data for each client's treatment.
- To attend group supervision with your Senior Psychological Health Advisor in line with BACP requirements.
- Supervise and assess treatment outcomes, and generate correspondences/reports, ensuring effective communication of complex, technical, and clinically sensitive information both verbally and in written form for all parties involved.
- Supervise return to work programmes in terms of offering practical solutions, advice and support on wellbeing matters to clients and their line managers.
Essential skills, experience and qualifications:
- Advanced Course, Degree or Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling
- BACP/or alternative appropriate accreditation
- Demonstrated success in providing effective support to clients dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, as evidenced by a consistent and proven track record.
- Active listening skills and ability to understand and empathise with clients' concerns.
- Demonstrated experience in formulating best practice guidelines, with a keen awareness of national directives and industry standards.
Desirable experience:
- Working with varied mental health conditions
- Experience of using Cority
- Experience of working in an occupational health setting
Benefits:
- Competitive salary of £29,970 - £44,962 depending on experience
- The opportunity for a hybrid working arrangement
- Free on-site parking
- Discounts on financial services such as car insurance and savings schemes
- Blue light card – wide range of discounts from hundred of retailers and venues
If you flourish in a dynamic environment and find yourself intrigued by this opportunity, we invite you to explore it further with us.
To apply please send a copy of your CV to talentpolicestaff@avonandsomerset.police.uk quoting vacancy ID: 6157
Additional information:
This is a fixed term contract for approximately 10 months.
This role may require travel across our force area therefore, a full current UK driving licence or the willingness to travel using alternative transport will be necessary.
To be eligible to apply for this role you must have a 3 year ‘checkable history’ in the UK – ideally this means that you would have been resident in the UK for the last 3 years.
The application window may close early if we feel we have enough successful applications submitted. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. We look forward to receiving your application.
For more information or for an informal discussion please contact Caroline Adams, Senior Psychological Therapist via email Caroline.Adams@avonandsomerset.police.uk