Job summary
We are looking for an experienced art therapist who is looking to be a clinical leader and shape the art therapy provision in line with the SomersetFT vision for mental health.
Somerset Foundation Trust is an early implementer of the Community Mental Health Framework, and has an innovative stance in relation to meeting the needs of people with mental health difficulties within a trauma informed approach.
The post holder will work within a Community Mental Health Service that has challenged the traditional boundaries between primary and secondary care, working in partnership with Service Users and the Voluntary Sector and Community Enterprises. As a service we strive to work with the principals of co-production, inclusion, equality and accessibility at the heart of the programme and leadership. The post holder will provide strategic, professional and clinical leadership to ensure art therapy provision is effective, well led, responsive and compassionate.
Main duties of the job
Through dynamic leadership offer support, encouragement and development opportunities to specialist therapists to deliver art therapy, through training, clinical supervision, and contributing to the Personal Development Plans alongside the line manager at the individual's career conversation.
To provide highly specialist advice, consultation and guidance to a wide range of staff and services to better enable them to work psychologically with service users presenting in challenging and/or risky ways.
The post holder with have a clinical caseload in Art Therapy, working directly with people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, and/or struggling with the effects of trauma, including those who pose multiple challenges to themselves and mental health services, with complex needs and posing high risk, and who may be involved with multiple agencies and services.
About us
As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression, and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.
The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.
There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone!
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will contribute to service development through developing, delivering and where appropriate facilitating groups and other psychologically informed interventions based on art therapy skills to facilitate appropriate therapeutic input for a wide range of people who use services. To lead on educating staff and service users in art therapy across mental health services helping to integrate this provision within mental health services in Somerset.
To provide specialist training to wider teams to enable staff to work with the concepts of art therapy to enable service users to make the best possible use of their therapy.
The post holder will provide professional leadership for Art Therapy, predominantly within community adult health, but also more broadly for the therapists in the Trust.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will contribute to service development through developing, delivering and where appropriate facilitating groups and other psychologically informed interventions based on art therapy skills to facilitate appropriate therapeutic input for a wide range of people who use services. To lead on educating staff and service users in art therapy across mental health services helping to integrate this provision within mental health services in Somerset.
To provide specialist training to wider teams to enable staff to work with the concepts of art therapy to enable service users to make the best possible use of their therapy.
The post holder will provide professional leadership for Art Therapy, predominantly within community adult health, but also more broadly for the therapists in the Trust.
Person Specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential
- MA/ MSC Art Therapy / Art Psychotherapy.
- Accredited membership of the relevant body: HCPC
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of art therapy, gained through qualification, experience, expert clinical supervision and additional courses where needed, and the proven ability to lead, teach and clinically supervise others in the relevant modality
- Demonstrable experience of working with highly complex clinical situations requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options, enabling skilled clinical judgement to be combined with service user wishes, and leading on this across multi-disciplinary teams and in multi-agency settings in terms of the relevant psychology therapy and clinical decision making
- Experience of providing clinical and professional leadership, and supporting staff with change management and service development within a complex systems environment
Desirable
- Membership of relevant body oBAAT
- Training or qualification in a recognised model of supervision, or eligibility and willingness to train as a clinical supervisor in Art Therapy
- Evidence of further relevant training and CPD, including leadership.
Person Specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential
- MA/ MSC Art Therapy / Art Psychotherapy.
- Accredited membership of the relevant body: HCPC
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of art therapy, gained through qualification, experience, expert clinical supervision and additional courses where needed, and the proven ability to lead, teach and clinically supervise others in the relevant modality
- Demonstrable experience of working with highly complex clinical situations requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options, enabling skilled clinical judgement to be combined with service user wishes, and leading on this across multi-disciplinary teams and in multi-agency settings in terms of the relevant psychology therapy and clinical decision making
- Experience of providing clinical and professional leadership, and supporting staff with change management and service development within a complex systems environment
Desirable
- Membership of relevant body oBAAT
- Training or qualification in a recognised model of supervision, or eligibility and willingness to train as a clinical supervisor in Art Therapy
- Evidence of further relevant training and CPD, including leadership.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
