Senior Genetics Counsellor

Overview

Post Title:

Senior Genetics Counsellor

Post Status:

Permanent

Department

Department of Medicine and Nephrology reporting to TUN Business Manager.

Location:

Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland

Reports to:

Prof Conlon Department of Nephrology/ Business Manager TUN Directorate

Salary:Appointment will be made in line with government pay policy on the following scale: Social Worker, Senior €70,980 - €81,874Hours of Work:35 hours per week.Closing date:

12 Noon on the 29/01/2026 

 

Please note the hospital reserves the right to close the competition early should a substantial number of applications be received.

 

Job Purpose:

To contribute to the provision of a comprehensive, high quality, specialist genetic counselling service for inherited diseases clinics at Beaumont hospital in particular inherited kidney disease, inherited Neurological disease and Family Breast cancer clinics

To carry out the duties and responsibilities of a Genetic Counsellor with the aim of helping patients and families:

• Comprehend the medical facts, including the diagnosis, probable course of the disorder and the available management
• Appreciate the way heredity contributes to the disorder, and the risk of recurrence in specified relatives
• Understand the options (including genetic testing) for dealing with the risk;
• Choose the course of action most appropriate for them
• Make the best possible adjustment to the disorder / risk of the disorder
• To contribute to professional education and training.

Responsibilities

Clinical-Direct Patient Care:

• See patients and their families in inherited disease clinics at Beaumont Hospital incorporating inherited renal disease, Neurological disease and Breast cancer family clinics at Beaumont Hospital.
• Manage an individual caseload, consulting with the Specialist Consultant as appropriate, and in line with the Genetic Counsellor scope of practice appropriate to the grade
• Work within Genetic Counsellor competency frameworks and recognise when to refer to appropriate healthcare specialists
• Contribute to joint consultant and Genetic Counselling clinics, and co-counselling genetic counsellor clinics to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency as well as continuity of care for families referred.
• Participate in multidisciplinary clinics
• Endeavour to achieve for all families seen in clinic, a good understanding of the genetics information and the best possible adjustment to the presence of a genetic condition in their family.
• Ensure the best possible standard of work by applying scientific and clinical understanding and counselling expertise to unique clinical situations
• Maintain confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service users.
• Liaise with laboratory colleagues to communicate clinical information necessary to ensure appropriate genetic testing is carried out and to discuss complex test results that are difficult to interpret.
• Prioritise work, particularly assessing the urgency of clinical work.
• Maintain a full and accurate record of clinical workload undertaken in both manual and computerised records and preserve their confidentiality, which may include a genetic patient management system
• Order genetic tests as clinically appropriate and according to agreed clinical departmental guidelines, with assigned consultant approval
• Arrange relevant referrals, consulting with the assigned consultant as appropriate
• Assess patients to determine where there is need for specialist therapeutic counselling, psychiatric assessment or screening, and make appropriate referrals
• Provide information on the care of other family members, identify at-risk relatives and advise on how they could obtain genetic counselling or screening via agreed protocols
• Discuss cases with colleagues at clinical meetings
• Prepare letters to patients summarising clinic discussions and giving test results
• Undertake any other duties within the context of this job description and appropriate grade of the post, necessary for the changing needs of an effective and efficient patient service.

 

Communication with patient and families:

• Elicit and accurately document patient’s detailed family history
• Elicit patient’s concerns and expectations
• Interpret medical, family and psychological history
• Confirm medical and diagnostic information
• Communicate genetic information to patients and their relatives
• Communicate highly complex and possibly conflicting information
• Identify and respond to emer