Renal Counsellor
At a glance
- Band
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Pattern
- Part-time, Flexible working
- Hours / week
- 15
- Posted
- 24/08/2026
- Closes
- 09/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Renal Counsellor to join a multidisciplinary Renal Services team. The role involves providing specialist psychotherapeutic counselling and psychological support to renal patients, their families, and carers across the renal pathway, including dialysis and transplantation services. The successful candidate will undertake psychological assessments, deliver various counselling interventions, and work collaboratively within the wider multidisciplinary team. This position is 15 hours per week, ideally worked across Mondays and Tuesdays, with some flexibility required.
Key responsibilities
- Provide psychological assessment and counselling for patients with chronic kidney disease, dialysis patients and transplant recipients.
- Support patients, relatives and carers experiencing psychological distress, adjustment difficulties, loss, bereavement and end of life concerns.
- Undertake psychological assessments for living kidney donors and contribute reports to the multidisciplinary transplant team.
- Deliver counselling through face-to-face, telephone and video consultations.
- Work collaboratively with renal consultants, nurses, psychologists, transplant coordinators and the wider multidisciplinary team.
- Participate in patient education, staff training, service evaluation and clinical governance activities.
Essential criteria
- Recognised professional Qualification to degree level in psychological therapy as Counsellor or Psychotherapist
- Accredited practitioner status with a registered body (BACP, UKCP, HPC, BPC)
- Significant practice experience as a Counsellor or Psychotherapist. Minimum 5 years post training.
- Recent experience in working therapeutically with patients with chronic /long term condition.
- Experience of using a range of psychological interventions e.g., counselling, stress & anxiety management, trauma work, delivered according to an explicit theoretical framework.
- Experience of working with loss and bereavement, with pain and/or end of life care.
- Knowledge of organisational and group dynamics
- Knowledge of case work supervisory methods/approaches.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to patient group and mental health
- Understanding of GDPR
- Ability to undertake psychological assessments of patients, including risk. To plan and deliver appropriate therapy interventions for both short-term and longer-term work.
- Ability to assess and refer patients to appropriate services when necessary, e.g., mental health services, liaison psychiatry, safeguarding teams, social services, GP.
- Ability to work with individuals face to face; to deliver video counselling; to deliver telephone counselling.
- Computer literate and confident IT user
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Skills in presentation and providing training to professional and non- professional groups.
- Highly developed interpersonal skills including excellent communication and listening skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of multidisciplinary team.
- Strong organisational skills: ability to prioritise work and manage patient case load
- Good time management skills and the ability to work under pressure.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality appropriate to the setting.
- Be accountable for all aspects of work according to professional code of conduct.
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
- Able to share own learning and knowledge base with colleagues and other professionals.
- Willing to work flexibly to meet demands of the service.
- Ability to work effectively with colleagues from other disciplines.
- Experience of extensive personal supervision and personal counselling/psychotherapy
- Evidence of recent and on-going personal and professional development
Desirable criteria
- Post graduate qualification in counselling or psychotherapy / psychology
- Hospital / medical setting experience
- NHS Experience
- Experience of service development
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 7 at £46,148 – £52,809 a year, across England.
This advert: £49,387 – £56,515 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 14d ago · Closes in 3d
Applications close soon — apply now if this is a fit.
Full advert · preview
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Renal Counsellor
The closing date is 09 September 2026
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled and compassionateBand 7 Renal Counsellor to join our multidisciplinary Renal Services team. The post provides specialist psychotherapeutic counselling and psychological support to renal patients, their families and carers across the renal pathway, including dialysis and transplantation services.
About you
We are looking for a qualified and accredited Counsellor or Psychotherapist who has:
- A recognised degree-level qualification in psychological therapy as Counsellor or Psychotherapist
- Accreditation with a recognised professional body (BACP, UKCP, HCPC/HPC or BPC).
- Significant post-qualification counselling or psychotherapy experience.
- Experience of working therapeutically with people living with long-term or chronic health conditions.
- Experience of delivering a range of psychological interventions, including counselling, anxiety management, trauma work and bereavement support.
- Excellent communication, assessment and report-writing skills.
- The ability to work independently whilst contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team.
Working Pattern
This is a 15-hour per week position, ideally worked across Mondays and Tuesdays . Some flexibility may be required to support
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