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Home · Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Counsellor

Job summary

Do you want to be part of an innovative and dynamic NHS Talking Therapies service? Are you an experienced counsellor who is passionate about providing high quality psychological therapy to people with common mental health problems? The successful candidate will have completed a diploma level qualification in counselling from a BACP accredited course, hold BACP or equivalent accreditation, and training in a Talking Therapies Modality (If you do not hold a Talking Therapies Modality Qualification a Band 6 position may be offered until the relevant training is completed).

The service is focused on delivering high quality therapy and our patient feedback is excellent.Investing in our team is important to us and we pride ourselves on the support we offer to staff. You'll have the opportunity to be part of a fantastic team of staff who are genuinely committed to improving the lives of our service users. The team includes CBT therapists, Counsellors and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, providing psychological assessment and brief therapies to people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression. The service also offers EMDR, "Mastering Stress" courses, MCBT courses as well as a range of webinars to support health and wellbeing.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be a flexible and highly motivated qualified Counsellor. They will be part of the NHS Blackpool Talking Therapies service and will provide high intensity Counselling to clients who have a range of complex anxiety and depression related problems. The successful candidate will be experienced in delivering counselling interventions face to face, online and over the telephone. The post holder will also work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

The successful candidate will also be required to work a proportion of their working hours after before 9am and/or after 5pm in order to improve access to the service.

Details

  • Date posted: 04 November 2026
  • Closing date: 16 November 2026
  • Pay scheme: Agenda for change
  • Band: Band 7
  • Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum/pro-rata
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Working pattern: Full-time
  • Reference number: 382-NBC181-26
  • Job locations: South Shore Primary Care Centre, Lytham Road, Blackpool, FY4 1TJ, United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

NHS Blackpool Talking Therapies operates from a number of community bases within the Blackpool area. We offer Talking Therapies interventions and psychological therapies across Step 2 and 3, and over the past 3 years have developed pathways with physical health services in line with the National Talking Therapies Long Term Conditions programme, in order to expand and increase the offer of psychological therapies to the Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde population.

The role will involve:Assessing clients for suitability for NHS Talking Therapies and providing evidence based counselling interventions.To undertake risk assessments with clients and respond to these in line with service policies and procedures.Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.Engage in regular case management and clinical supervision.Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.Keep coherent detailed records of all clinical activity in line with serviceprotocols.Assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into theoverall therapy process.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

Essential
  • Master's level qualification or equivalent, to include a minimum two-year post-graduate (or equivalent) qualification in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Psychotherapy, Counselling, or Counselling Psychology, comprising no less than 450 hours programme contact and no less than 450 hours supervised counselling or psychotherapy practice (including hours gained after core training)
  • One or more NHS Talking Therapies specified counselling or psychotherapy accreditations (as detailed in the NHS Talking Therapies Manual): British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Accredited; United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) Registered as a Psychotherapist or Psychotherapeutic Counsellor; Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC) Accreditation; National Counselling Society (NCS) Accredited Professional registrants, British Psychoanalytic Council Registered.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development.
  • Have received training in delivering counselling face to face, via video call or via the telephone.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential
  • Worked with a wide range of clients presenting with multiple and complex issues
  • Experience and ability to manage own caseload and time
  • Received regular supervised practice according to service provision and professional body requirements
Desirable
  • Experience in primary care or Talking Therapies
  • Experience of and ability to meet agreed/specified service targets for clinical work with agreed targets to demonstrate clinical outcomes
  • Have conducted assessments for suitability for treatment or received training in conducting assessments according to service criteria and providing triage assessment with recommendations for onward referral
  • Have provided time limited counselling interventions or received training in time limited interventions
  • Experience of working therapeutically with patients who have Long Term Conditions and/or medically unexplained symptoms

Skills and Ability

Essential
  • Ability to utilise a range of counselling interventions to respond flexibly to different client needs
  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
  • Ability to develop appropriate therapeutic relationships with clients
  • Ability to demonstrate use of robust risk assessment and risk management skills
  • Demonstrates high standard of record keeping, with due regard for NHS Confidentiality, Data Protection and Information governance, abiding by codes of ethics and guidance for good practice of professional body
  • Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, and where relevant their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
  • Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
  • Has full understanding and practical application of the Ethical Principals and Codes of Practice for own professional body
  • High level of enthusiasm and motivation
  • Ability to work with a team and foster good working relationships
  • Is computer literate and experienced at using Email, Outlook, Word, Internet
  • Self-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence
  • Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
  • Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with patients, & in own personal and professional development and in supervision
  • The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system
  • Car driver and/or ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation (public transport is not available to all destinations)
Desirable
  • Ability to deliver PCE-CfD, IPT, DIT or CTfD interventions in order to respond flexibly to different client needs
  • Has used IAPTus or equivalent computerised health record system for keeping patient records
  • Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
  • Ability to work from home where home working is required

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).

About us

As one of the United Kingdom's largest coastal resort, Blackpool has plenty to offer its residents - it's not just a good place to work; it's a great place to live. In addition to its bustling centre and historic seafront, the town is world famous for its many attractions, including the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool also offers a number of scenic cycling routes round our local parks and across the surrounding countryside, as well as boasting panoramic views of the coast on its picturesque Promenade. Further afield, Blackpool also benefits from less than three-hour connections via rail to Edinburgh in the north and London in the south.

Employer details

  • Employer name: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Address: South Shore Primary Care Centre, Lytham Road, Blackpool, FY4 1TJ, United Kingdom
  • Employer's website: https://www.blackpoolteachinghospitals.nhs.uk/