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Job summary

Main area
Counselling
Grade
Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Some evenings and occasional Saturdays)
Job ref
159-LWH-81-25
Employer
Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Liverpool Women's Hospital - Occasionally Knutsford clinic
Town
Liverpool
Salary
£37,338 - £44,962 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
24/04/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust logo

Infertility Counsellor

Band 6

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.

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.

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for a qualified and accredited infertility counsellor to provide therapeutic, implications and support counselling to patients seeking fertility treatment and to donor conceived people and/or donors wishing to register with the Donor Conceived (DCR) register.  

The candidate must possess a recognised qualification in counselling, be BACP accredited and be willing to work towards BICA accreditation.  The candidate should demonstrate a knowledge, experience of working with emotional and psychological needs of individuals and couples suffering from fertility difficulties and the experiences of donor conceived people and donors who wish to obtain information from the Donor Conceived Register  (DCR). Applicants will also need to show the skills and knowledge to be able to contribute to assessments of the Welfare on the Unborn Child in accordance with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.

This post is a unique specialist role which requires the counsellor to be confident and able to work autonomously and in an independent capacity as well as working closely with the multi-disciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the individual client - including donors, couple and family before, during and after treatment, taking into account stages of investigation and treatment and other sources of support.

To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of donor conceived people.  

Working for our organisation

Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust delivers the highest standards of care for women, babies and families. Each year we deliver over 7,500 babies, carry out over 49,000 gynaecological inpatient and outpatient procedures, care for over 1,000 poorly & preterm new-borns, perform around 1,000 IVF cycles and have over 4,000 genetic appointments taking place. We believe that this along with a strong dedication to research & innovation makes us the specialist health provider of choice in Europe for women, babies and families.

We have some of the leading experts in their field, which has been showcased on national TV and news, making our teams famous across the world for professionalism, skill & compassion.

The Trust is constantly innovating and evolving its services to provide the most cutting edge and modern care possible. As well as developing services on our current site we have long-term aspirations for the future. We have recently launched a number of new strategies which provide a detailed long-term plan for our services.

Check out why Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust is a great place to work using the links below:

Video: https://vimeo.com/556197652

Online brochure: https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk/media/4121/recruitment-pack-great-place-to-work-16pp-v4-final.pdf

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the individual client, couple and family before, during and after treatment, taking into account physical health and abilities, form 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  as follows:

Support counselling and therapeutic counselling as well as implications counselling for patients taking part in gametes donation treatments (receiving or donating ovum, sperm or embryo) and surrogacy (surrogate and commissioning couples).

To provide face to face, online and telephone counselling.

To perform Welfare of the Unborn Child assessments

To provide support to donor conceived people and donors wishing to register with the DCR

To attend regular team meetings

To adhere the HFEA, The Hewitt fertility Centre and Trust policies and be up to date with mandatory training and role related competencies.

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 communicate relevant information to colleagues.
  • 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
  • A recognised Diploma 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 couples therapy

Professional requirements

Essential criteria
  • Accreditation with BACP
  • To attend BICA ‘Introduction to Infertility Counselling’ and advanced Courses
  • To have supervision on a regular basis
Desirable criteria
  • Membership of BICA
  • Accreditation with BICA

Flexibility & Adaptability

Essential criteria
  • To work independently
  • To attend team meetings and mandatory training at Liverpool Women’s Hospital
  • To work effectively as part of a team and to proactively contribute to the team

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 having fertility treatment.
  • Understanding of the experiences and needs of donor conceived people and donors
  • Have a sound knowledge of and experience of working with the implications of fertility treatments
  • Knowledge of the DCR service
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge/experience of Welfare of the Child Issues.
  • 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 related to fertility treatment
  • To understand ethical principles

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoInvestors in People: GoldCare quality commission - GoodMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerArmed Forces Covenant Bronze Award

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Patricia Lambert
Job title
Senior Counsellor
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01517024075
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