Job summary
The Principal Genetic Counsellor is a senior autonomous practitioner responsible for delivering, developing and leading specialist genetic counselling services within Prenatal and Rare Disease Genomics. The post holder will provide expert genetic counselling, risk assessment, genomic test coordination and clinical management of a highly specialised caseload, supporting individuals, couples and families with, or at risk of, genetic conditions.

Working as an integral member of the multidisciplinary Clinical Genetics Service, the post holder will provide leadership for prenatal and rare disease pathways, contributing to strategic service development, workforce development, education, audit, research and quality improvement. The role will involve close collaboration with fetal medicine, obstetric, maternity, neonatal, paediatric, laboratory and other specialist services across the region to ensure timely access to genomic testing and genetic counselling.

high-quality, equitable and patient-centred genomic services across the regional network.

Main duties of the job
1. Clinical Expertise

• Independently manage a specialist caseload in prenatal and rare disease genetics.
• Undertake genetic counselling consultations, risk assessment and psychosocial evaluation.
• Provide counselling on inheritance, reproductive options, genomic testing and genetic diagnoses.

2. Prenatal and Rare Disease Genomics

• Deliver specialist counselling for individuals and families affected by rare genetic conditions.
• Support implementation of genomic testing pathways and family testing strategies in line with national guidance.

3. Clinical Leadership and Service Development

• Provide professional leadership within prenatal and rare disease genetic counselling services.
• Lead development, implementation and evaluation of clinical pathways

4. Triage and Clinical Governance

• Lead referral triage and case review processes.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards, national guidance and organisational policies.

5. Education and Workforce Development

• Supervise, mentor and support Genetic Counsellors, trainees and genomic staff.
• Contribute to professional registration and assessment pathways.

6. Management Responsibilities

• Support the Consultant Lead Genetic Counsellor in workforce leadership and service development.
• Provide advice and reports on service performance, capacity and workforce needs.

7. Research, Audit and Professional Responsibility

• Support evidence-based practice, audit and service improvement.
• Present service developments and research outcomes.

About us
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

We run major acute services at:

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country's top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark's Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.

Details
Date posted: 12 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £63,665 to £70,887 a year
Inclusive of HCAS pro rata - per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 337-NP-9867DG
Job locations: St Marks Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, HA1 3UJ, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
To view the main responsibility, please see the attached the Job Description and Person Specification.

Person Specification
Education/ qualifications
Essential

• Master's degree in Genetic Counselling or equivalent with advanced knowledge and clinical expertise in prenatal and/or rare disease genomic
• GCRB/AHCS/HCPC registration
• Demonstrates has met the criteria for Band 8A AGNC Genetic Counsellor - see www.agnc.org.uk (Agenda for Change endorsed career structure

Desirable

• Leadership qualification

Knowledge and experience
Essential

• Utilises advanced counselling skills in working with people who are distressed
• Experience of multidisciplinary working with fetal medicine, obstetric, neonatal, paediatric and laboratory teams
• Proven ability to educate both genetic professionals and other healthcare professionals
• Experience managing complex counselling situations involving uncertainty, reproductive decision-making and psychosocial complexity
• Experience of pathway development, service improvement and clinical leadership
• Experience supervising, mentoring or training genetics professionals, trainees or students.

Desirable

• Previous line management experience
• GCRAB Sign off Mentor and / or experience as a training officer for Genomic counsellor STP programme
• Experience implementing prenatal genomics service developments at regional level.

Skills, abilities and attributes
Essential

• Works within AGNC code of ethics and the GCRAB Code of Conduct and Scope of Practice
• Ability to work effectively as a Team leader
• Excellent communication skills and sensitivity to needs of others
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong sense of responsibility, integrity, and commitment to service delivery.
• Able to work cooperatively with others, sharing knowledge and supporting colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• Ability to recognise personal and professional boundaries.
• Effective and flexible time management skills
• Ability to review current literature and develop and implement clinical policies.
• Good IT skills

Desirable

• Previous line management experience

HEART values
Essential

• Demonstrate commitment to Trust HEART values - Honesty, Equity, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Address: St Marks Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, HA1 3UJ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.lnwh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Consultant Lead Genetic Counsellor, Cheryl Berlin, cheryl.berlin@nhs.net, 02088692795