Bank Infertility Counsellor inLiverpool inLiverpool PUBLISHED 15 DEC 2023

Band 6: £37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum pro rata  BANK 
The candidate must possess a recognised qualification in counselling and have completed the BICA foundation course.

Main duties and responsibilities

  • To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the

individual client, couple and family including donors and surrogates before, during and after treatment, taking into account forms 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 - implications counselling, support counselling and therapeutic counselling

To provide support to donor conceived people and donors wishing to register with the Donor Conceived Register.

Implications counselling for:

Patients and their partners taking part in gametes donation treatments (receiving or donating ovum, sperm or embryo) and surrogacy (surrogate and commissioning couples).

Support and Therapeutic Counselling for:

Patients suffering emotional and psychological distress and referring to relevant professional bodies when appropriate.

Patients who store sperm, eggs or embryos for fertility preservation such as prior to chemo- or radiotherapy.

Patients of deceased partners who have previously stored gametes.

Patients whose treatment has failed or who have experienced a pregnancy loss.

Prospective donors or surrogates who are found to be unsuitable for treatment.

Patients diagnosed with genetic problems, after having relevant genetic counselling, and to explore how this affects them psychologically.

Donor conceived people who wish to obtain information about their donor and/or half siblings on the register

Donors who wish to remove their anonymity

Welfare of the child assessment responsibilities:

Assesses the welfare of the unborn child and any other child who may be affected by treatment.

Contributes to the requirements of the HFEA act for assessment under the welfare of the child provisions, consistent with their role as counsellor.

To receive highly complex, sensitive, distressing or contentious information, taking into account confidentiality whilst maintaining client and /or public safety.

Liaises with health care professionals and other tertiary agencies.

Prepares welfare of the child and/or safeguarding cases to be presented to Management meetings and Hewitt Centre Ethics Committee providing pre-conception assessment reports.

Other general responsibilities:

Keep appropriate records of patient contact.

Provides counselling skills training as appropriate for the staff of the Hewitt Centre.

Provides presentations for Patients Support Group and for Staff training

Works within ethical guidelines as set out by the British Infertility Counselling Association, and within the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Code of Practice.

Assists in induction and training of Counsellors and multi disciplinary staff in absence of Senior Counsellor.

To maintain and develop specialist knowledge and skills through (i) a programme of continuous professional development [CPD] and training

(ii) engage with continuing professional supervision separate form management

(iii) regular review of current research, legislation, policy-making and other activity relevant to the specific patient/client group.

  • To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for assessment of and provision for the counselling needs of patients / clients referred to the service.
  • Preferably to be able to work from both Liverpool Womens Hospital and Knutsford Hewitt Fertility Centres.
  • To be able to provide counselling online or via telephone as well as face to face.

This job description describes the main responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be exhaustive. It may be subject to change as the service develops and to meet the needs of the Trust.

An opportunity has arisen for a qualified and accredited counsellor to provide therapeutic, implications and support counselling to patients seeking fertility treatment and to donor conceived people and/or donors wishing to obtain information from the register.

The candidate must possess a recognised qualification in counselling and have completed the BICA foundation course. The candidate must be BACP accredited, and be willing to work towards BICA accreditation. The candidate should demonstrate a knowledge, experience and/or particular interest 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.

To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the individual client and couples, including donors and surrogates 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.

Main duties and responsibilities

  • To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the

individual client, couple and family including donors and surrogates before, during and after treatment, taking into account forms 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 - implications counselling, support counselling and therapeutic counselling

To provide support to donor conceived people and donors wishing to register with the Donor Conceived Register.

Implications counselling for:

Patients and their partners taking part in gametes donation treatments (receiving or donating ovum, sperm or embryo) and surrogacy (surrogate and commissioning couples).

Support and Therapeutic Counselling for:

Patients suffering emotional and psychological distress and referring to relevant professional bodies when appropriate.

Patients who store sperm, eggs or embryos for fertility preservation such as prior to chemo- or radiotherapy.

Patients of deceased partners who have previously stored gametes.

Patients whose treatment has failed or who have experienced a pregnancy loss.

Prospective donors or surrogates who are found to be unsuitable for treatment.

Patients diagnosed with genetic problems, after having relevant genetic counselling, and to explore how this affects them psychologically.

Donor conceived people who wish to obtain information about their donor and/or half siblings on the register

Donors who wish to remove their anonymity

Welfare of the child assessment responsibilities:

Assesses the welfare of the unborn child and any other child who may be affected by treatment.

Contributes to the requirements of the HFEA act for assessment under the welfare of the child provisions, consistent with their role as counsellor.

To receive highly complex, sensitive, distressing or contentious information, taking into account confidentiality whilst maintaining client and /or public safety.

Liaises with health care professionals and other tertiary agencies.

Prepares welfare of the child and/or safeguarding cases to be presented to Management meetings and Hewitt Centre Ethics Committee providing pre-conception assessment reports.

Other general responsibilities:

Keep appropriate records of patient contact.

Provides counselling skills training as appropriate for the staff of the Hewitt Centre.

Provides presentations for Patients Support Group and for Staff training

Works within ethical guidelines as set out by the British Infertility Counselling Association, and within the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Code of Practice.

Assists in induction and training of Counsellors and multi disciplinary staff in absence of Senior Counsellor.

To maintain and develop specialist knowledge and skills through (i) a programme of continuous professional development [CPD] and training

(ii) engage with continuing professional supervision separate form management

(iii) regular review of current research, legislation, policy-making and other activity relevant to the specific patient/client group.

  • To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for assessment of and provision for the counselling needs of patients / clients referred to the service.
  • Preferably to be able to work from both Liverpool Womens Hospital and Knutsford Hewitt Fertility Centres.
  • To be able to provide counselling online or via telephone as well as face to face.

This job description describes the main responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be exhaustive. It may be subject to change as the service develops and to meet the needs of the Trust.

An opportunity has arisen for a qualified and accredited counsellor to provide therapeutic, implications and support counselling to patients seeking fertility treatment and to donor conceived people and/or donors wishing to obtain information from the register.

The candidate must possess a recognised qualification in counselling and have completed the BICA foundation course. The candidate must be BACP accredited, and be willing to work towards BICA accreditation. The candidate should demonstrate a knowledge, experience and/or particular interest 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.

To provide a service that is sensitive and adaptable to the needs of the individual client and couples, including donors and surrogates 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.



Locations are approximate. Learn more