DIMENSIONS & LIMITS OF AUTHORITY: Autonomously manage a clinical caseload, ensuring timely and appropriate care in both individual and group settings. The Counsellor has no direct line management responsibility but acts as a mentor for less experienced staff and volunteers within the counselling team. Ensure all practices comply with relevant safeguarding legislation, the Mental Health Act, and hospice policies on data protection and confidentiality. This position has no direct budget management but is responsible for ensuring the efficient use of resources within the counselling service. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Clinical Responsibilities Manage a clinical caseload of palliative patients across all Hospice services, ensuring the delivery of timely, responsive, and appropriate care. Provide individual counselling and lead therapeutic groups that focus on supporting patients and families through loss, bereavement, and emotional challenges. Develop and implement therapeutic interventions aimed at optimising clients functional levels and independence, adapting to their cognitive and emotional needs. Coordinate the admission, review, and discharge of patients within your caseload, ensuring smooth transitions and appropriate referrals to other services as needed. Act as an advocate for patients during multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, representing their emotional and psychological needs to ensure holistic care is provided. Identify and assess clinical risks in patient care, working collaboratively with the MDT to implement appropriate risk management strategies. Provide individual or group clinical supervision for the Clinical staff. Education & Development Support the education of colleagues by providing specialist training on communication and counselling skills, enhancing the capability of the wider clinical team. Deliver and contribute to staff development programmes, including the mentoring of volunteers and participation in ongoing professional learning opportunities. Participate in personal professional development, attending mandatory and specialist training sessions to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills in bereavement counselling. Engage in reflective practice and clinical supervision to continuously improve service delivery, collaborating with peers to review and refine counselling methods.Communication & Collaboration Communicate complex, sensitive information effectively to patients, families, and professionals, ensuring that emotional and clinical needs are addressed with empathy and clarity. Resolve conflicts and manage difficult conversations using negotiation and motivational skills, particularly in situations involving unmet expectations or emotional distress. Collaborate with Allied Health professionals and other members of the MDT to deliver integrated and patient-centred care, ensuring smooth coordination across different services.Documentation & Administration Maintain accurate and up-to-date clinical records in compliance with hospice standards and legal requirements, ensuring data protection and confidentiality are upheld. Prepare reports and contribute to MDT meetings, ensuring all documentation is timely, relevant, and reflective of the patient's emotional and psychological care needs. Use hospice IT systems to record data consistently and efficiently, ensuring all activity and outcomes are properly documented. Quality & Service Improvement Evaluate counselling practices regularly, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes that enhance service delivery and patient outcomes. Contribute to service audits, quality assurance processes, and research projects to ensure the continuous improvement of counselling services. Promote patient feedback as a tool for service development, using insights to drive innovation and adapt services to meet the changing needs of the hospice community. Professional Standards & Safeguarding Adhere to professional codes of conduct and hospice policies, including confidentiality, safeguarding, and health and safety regulations. Ensure safeguarding principles are applied in practice, following relevant legislation such as the Mental Health Act and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults. Maintain professional registration and take responsibility for ongoing personal and professional development, ensuring compliance with the hospices standards.