Renal Counsellor

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 service delivery, patient need and occasional educational activities. Travel between sites will be required on occasion.

Main duties of the job

About the role

As an expert psychotherapeutic practitioner, you will:

• 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.
• Provide outreach support across our satellite dialysis units in Hinchingbrooke, West Suffolk and King's Lynn.

About us

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

This vacancy will close at midnight on the 20th October 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on the 27th October 2026.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised professional Qualification to degree level in psychological therapy as Counsellor or Psychotherapist
• Accredited practitioner status with a registered body (BACP, UKCP, HPC, BPC)

Desirable

• Post graduate qualification in counselling or psychotherapy / psychology

Experience

Essential

• 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.

Desirable

• Hospital / medical setting experience
• NHS Experience

Knowledge

Essential

• 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

Desirable

• Experience of service development

Skills

Essential

• 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.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• 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