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Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust

About

Liverpool Women’s NHS FT became part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHLG) in November 2024, following the coming together with Liverpool University Hospitals NHS FT. UHLG was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide to our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues who are dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond. For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, UHLG is also their local NHS, providing general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

At Liverpool Women’s Hospital, each year we deliver approximately 7,500 babies, carry out around 50,000 gynaecological inpatient and outpatient procedures, care for over 1,000 poorly and premature newborns, perform around 1,000 IVF cycles, and conduct over 4,000 genetic appointments.

We believe that this, along with a strong dedication to research and innovation, makes us the specialist health provider of choice in Europe for women, babies and families.

We will consider requests for flexible working on hiring.

For roles at Liverpool University Hospitals, visit their careers page.

Contact

Address: Liverpool Womens Hospital; Crown Street; Liverpool; Merseyside; L8 7SS
Contact Number: 0151 708 9988

Find out more

Jobs Website

Closed

Ref: 159-LWH-352-24 Vacancy ID: 6707845

Bank Infertility Counsellor

Closed for applications on: 30-Oct-2024 00:06

Vacancy status: Closed

Closed for applications on: 30-Oct-2024 00:06

Location

Site: Liverpool Women's Hospital - Occasionally Knutsford clinic
Address: Crown Street
Town: Liverpool
Postcode: L8 7SS
Major / Minor Region: Merseyside

Contract type & working pattern

Contract

Bank

Hours

Part time
Flexible working

27 hours per week (Weekdays, some evenings and occasional Saturdays)

Salary

Salary: £37,338 - £44,962 per annum pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Grade: (Band 6)

Specialty

Main area: Counselling

We believe that this, along with a strong dedication to research and innovation, makes us the specialist health provider of choice in Europe for women, babies and families.

Liverpool Women’s has an excellent reputation and is a centre of excellence. It is an exciting environment to work in and a great place to develop your career for many years to come.

We invite you to review why Liverpool Women's Hospital is a great place to work: https://vimeo.com/556197652

We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received sufficient applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities

To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the

individual client, couple and family – including donors and surrogates before, during and after treatment, taking into account forms of involvement in assisted conception, stages of investigation and treatment and other sources of support

· To provide the three distinct types of counselling as outlined in the HFEA code of practice - implications counselling, support counselling and therapeutic counselling

· To provide support to donor conceived people and donors wishing to register with the Donor Conceived Register.

Implications counselling for:

· Patients and their partners taking part in gametes donation treatments (receiving or donating ovum, sperm or embryo) and surrogacy (surrogate and commissioning couples).

Support and Therapeutic Counselling for:

· Patients suffering emotional and psychological distress and referring to relevant professional bodies when appropriate.

· Patients who store sperm, eggs or embryos for fertility preservation such as prior to chemo- or radiotherapy.

· Patients of deceased partners who have previously stored gametes.

· Patients whose treatment has failed or who have experienced a pregnancy loss.

· Prospective donors or surrogates who are found to be unsuitable for treatment.

· Patients diagnosed with genetic problems, after having relevant genetic counselling, and to explore how this affects them psychologically.

· Donor conceived people who wish to obtain information about their donor and/or half siblings on the register

· Donors who wish to remove their anonymity

Welfare of the child assessment responsibilities:

· Assesses the welfare of the unborn child and any other child who may be affected by treatment.

· Contributes to the requirements of the HFEA act for assessment under the welfare of the child provisions, consistent with their role as counsellor.

· To receive highly complex, sensitive, distressing or contentious information, taking into account confidentiality whilst maintaining client and /or public safety.

· Liaises with health care professionals and other tertiary agencies.

· Prepares welfare of the child and/or safeguarding cases to be presented to Management meetings and Hewitt Centre Ethics Committee providing pre-conception assessment reports.

Other general responsibilities:

· Keep appropriate records of patient contact.

· Provides counselling skills training as appropriate for the staff of the Hewitt Centre.

· Provides presentations for Patients Support Group and for Staff training

· Works within ethical guidelines as set out by the British Infertility Counselling Association, and within the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Code of Practice.

· Assists in induction and training of Counsellors and multi disciplinary staff in absence of Senior Counsellor.

· To maintain and develop specialist knowledge and skills through
(i) a programme of continuous professional development [CPD] and training

(ii) engage with continuing professional supervision separate form management

(iii) regular review of current research, legislation, policy-making and other activity relevant to the specific patient/client group.

To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for assessment of and provision for the counselling needs of patients / clients referred to the service.
Preferably to be able to work from both Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Knutsford Hewitt Fertility Centres.
To be able to provide counselling online or via telephone as well as face to face.

This job description describes the main responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be exhaustive. It may be subject to change as the service develops and to meet the needs of the Trust.

Posts advertised to ‘internal staff’ are open to employees of hospitals within University Hospitals of Liverpool Group and you should confirm your employment within your application form.

Note: Under current Home Office Immigration Rules we are currently unable to offer right to work visa sponsorship for Band 2 and 3 roles with a salary of less than £25,000 pa as they do not meet the UK Visas & Immigration criteria.

Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust has a responsibility and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and for ensuring that they are protected from harm. Every employee of the Trust has a responsibility and is duty bound always to act in the best interest of a child or adult about whom we may have concerns.

Trust policy requires the cost of DBS applications be recovered via salary. The amount of £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 0(enhanced) will be deducted from salary, in manageable monthly instalments for up to 3 months following commencement in post.

The Trust is committed to creating a well-managed,flexible working environment that supports staff & promotes welfare & development. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity;we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community.We operate Zero Tolerance to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment.We will make reasonable adjustments to ensure our recruitment & selection process is accessible to all.Flexible Working applications will be considered.

If you are disabled and have special support needs in applying for a job, attending for an interview or in undertaking any tests as part of a selection process, please contact the Trust’s recruitment team on 0151 7064666 and someone from that team will ensure that the recruiting manager is aware of your particular needs.

Please Note: new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first paypoint of the relevant band.

LWH has a responsibility & is committed to safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children, young people & vulnerable adults & for ensuring that they are protected from harm. Every employee of the Trust has a responsibility & is duty bound always to act in the best interest of a child or adult about whom we may have concerns.

Liverpool Women’s Hospital is committed to having a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. To this end, we particularly welcome applicants from racially minoritised backgrounds, who have a disability, or are members of the Armed Forces, Reservists or Veterans.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Person specification

Skills, Knowledge & Aptitudes

Essential criteria

To prioritise work in conjunction with manager and colleagues
To manage ongoing caseload of patients
To follow policies applicable to role
To work effectively as part of a team and proactively contribute to the team
To work in participation with tertiary agencies.
To contribute to and support and train a multi-disciplinary team
To provide written reports
To work unsupervised and under own initiative
To demonstrate a clear commitment to equal opportunities.
To have competent IT skills and ability to work with different systems

Qualifications & Learning

Essential criteria

An accredited qualification in Counselling
Certificate in online counselling as per BACP guidelines or evidence of working towards

Desirable criteria

A Professional Qualification in Social Work.
Qualification in mindfulness

Professional requirements

Essential criteria

Accreditation with BACP
To have attended BICA ‘Introduction to Infertility Counselling’ Course
To have supervision on a regular basis
Membership with BICA

Desirable criteria

Accreditation with BICA

Flexibility & Adaptability

Essential criteria

To adapt to the changing needs of the unit
To work independently
To attend team meetings and mandatory training at Liverpool Women’s Hospital

Previous experience

Essential criteria

To be able to relate to the emotional and psychological needs of involuntarily childless patients.
Experience of setting and delivering therapeutic packages to meet the needs of patients.
Understanding of the experiences and needs of donor conceived people
Have a sound knowledge of fertility treatments
Knowledge of the DCR and OTR services
Knowledge of welfare of the child issues
Experience with / Understanding of the implications of gametes donation

Desirable criteria

Experience with / Understanding of the implications of surrogacy
Knowledge/experience of LGBT experiences
Knowledge/experience of group work
Experience in psychosexual counselling

Special Conditions

Essential criteria

To be sensitive to important and relevant social, medical, legal, political, professional and cultural issues to fertility treatments
To understand ethical principles