Genetic Counsellor

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Main duties of the job

Wessex Clinical Genetics Service is delighted to be recruiting two Band 7 permanent Genetic Counsellors. NHS genetic services are undergoing radical changes as we move to a national genomic medicine service and transform care for people with rare diseases and cancer. This is an exciting opportunity to join an established and dynamic genetic counselling team as it enters this new era of genomic medicine.

About The Team

Wessex Clinical Genetics Service is a regional specialist service providing a high-quality genetic counselling service (Rare Disease, Cardiac, Cancer and Prenatal) and consultancy for a population of three million in the Wessex Region (Hampshire, Dorset, South Wiltshire and Isle of Wight). We are part of the Central and South NHS Genomic Medicine Service Alliance.

We are an innovative centre and were appointed as a Genomic Medicine Centre as part of the 100,000 Genome Project. We are a host centre for the Scientific Training Programme (STP) in Genomic counselling and are delivering the MSc in Genomic Medicine. We regularly host MSc students and STP trainees as part of an ongoing commitment to teaching and supporting the growth of the profession.

Attached you will find the person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.

For an overview of the main duties of the role please see the ‘Job Description and Main Responsibilities’ section below. To understand the day-to-day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached.

Working for our organisation

University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.

Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalizing your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

At UHS we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.

At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Your Responsibilities

What you’ll do

With Guidance From The Principal Genetic Counsellors And Medical Team, You Will Help Individuals And Families Deal With a Genetic Disorder. This Is To Be Achieved By Supporting The Clients And Their Families To

• Comprehend the medical facts, including the diagnosis, probable course of the disorder, and the available management
• Appreciate the way in which heredity contributes to the disorder, and the risk of recurrence in relatives
• Understand the alternatives for dealing with the risk of recurrence
• Help the clients choose the course of action which seems to them most appropriate
• Make the best possible adjustment to the disorder in an affected family member and/or the risk of recurrence of that disorder.
• Have timely access to medical and genetics expertise and screening
  
  

This is a challenging, autonomous role and you will be responsible for your own caseload providing patient focused genetic counselling to families for a broad range of cancer predisposition conditions and predictive testing. You will also be expected to participate in research, audit, teaching and education. As a team we are committed to continued professional development and education and will support opportunities to do this.

What we’re looking for

Applicants With One Of The Following Qualifications

Completed an STP in Genomic counselling (either with HCPC registration or pending)

OR MSc Genetic Counselling (following BSc/BA in a relevant subject) and registered with AHCS (Genetic Counsellor)

OR RGN, RMN or similar with a BSc/BA or MSc in a relevant subject and registered with AHCS (Genetic counsellor)

Person specification

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patient First
• Always Improving
• Working Together
  
  

Qualifications / Training Required

Essential criteria

• MSc Genetic Counselling (following BSc/BA in a relevant subject) and registered with AHCS (Genetic Counsellor) OR RGN, RMN or similar with a BSc/BA or MSc in a relevant subject and registered with AHCS (Genetic counsellor) OR Completed an STP in Genomic counselling and registered with HCPC
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Certificate level counselling qualification
• Teaching Qualification
  
  

Previous or relevant experience necessary

Essential criteria

• Experience in Genetic Counselling
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience within the NHS
• Experience with both Cancer and General genetics
  
  

Aptitudes And Skills Required

Essential criteria

• Ability to work autonomously
• Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to analyse research findings to inform practice development
• Familiarity with databases and word processing
• Advanced communication skills
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Proficient in Phlebotomy