Counsellor in Oncology

Job overview

Are you looking for a fantastic opportunity as an experienced Counsellor to work in a busy regional Oncology Centre?

An opportunity has arisen for an accredited counsellor to join the Oncology Team at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire.  We are seeking an enthusiastic and innovative individual who would like to work alongside MDT colleagues in supporting patients with a cancer diagnosis and their families and carers.

The team serves a busy acute hospital  working within the Arden Cancer Centre and a wider range of nurses, medics and allied professional supporting cancer patients.

There's opportunity to gain experience in a wide range of cancer conditions and cutting edge treatments, working with inpatients and outpatients.  You will be working alongside the service lead and part of a wider psychology team across the trust with excellent support provided for your development. We also have excellent administrative support for the team.

This position is for a band 6 counsellor. 0.6wte

Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.

Successful applicants will be required to provide an immunisation and vaccination report, from either their current UK occupational health provider or their UK GP.

Main duties of the job

To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality counselling service to patients diagnosed with and treated for cancer, and their families under the care of the Arden Centre at UHCW. To manage own caseload and work autonomously within professional guidelines, exercising clinical responsibility, and implementing changes where necessary. To participate as a member of the Oncology (and where appropriate Haematology) Psychological Service team and to work co-operatively with multidisciplinary colleagues to achieve service goals.

To ensure the systematic provision of the psychological service, including the responsibility to prioritise work appropriately.

To use self-report measures, rating scales, direct and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the client’s care.

To formulate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors that have shaped the individual or family

Interviews will take place in person at UHCW on 15th and 16th January 2026

Please note this post will require onsite working with little or no opportunity for remote working

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication:

• To communicate with patients in a skilled and sensitive manner, information about the psychological aspects of their care and therapy, and to monitor therapy progress. To communicate sensitive information where the recipient may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotional
• To elicit highly sensitive information, sometimes through interpreters or advocates, where there is need for reassurance, empathy and to work collaboratively and respectfully with the patient
• To communicate effectively with service users, carers, groups, colleagues, managers and workers from other agencies using a variety of means such as verbal, written and electronic communication (e.g. email, databases).

Analytical and Judgemental Skills/ Freedom  to Act

• To conduct initial assessments of people presenting with multiple and complex issues related to their cancer and to consider the most appropriate therapy  intervention, including, where appropriate,  referring on to other services. To be able to clinically explain these decisions in team meetings or supervision
• To work independently with patients within policies and codes of conduct
• To participate in regular clinical and managerial supervision, working at all times within professional guidelines and adhering to standards set out by their professional regulatory body e.g. BACP, UKCP.

Please see the full job description and person specification document for further details.