Job summary
We are recruiting an Art Psychotherapist for the North East Wandsworth Integrated Recovery Hub (NEW IRH). This is one of four multidisciplinary Integrated Recovery Hubs in Wandsworth and provides specialist assessment, treatment and recovery work for adults with a wide variety of severe and enduring mental health difficulties.
The Wandsworth Arts Psychotherapies Service is a specialist psychotherapies service that provides nonverbal psychotherapies (Art, Music and Dance and movement) to service users under the care of the four IRHs and the Early Intervention Service (EIS) in Wandsworth.
The post is for a qualified art psychotherapist registered with the Health & Care Professions Council and who has at least three years post qualification experience. We will accept applications from applicants who may not have the required length of experience but may have significant relevant experience for a band 7 role.
Main duties of the job
Although the post is hosted by the NEW IRH, you will be responsible for the provision of a systematic art psychotherapy service for service users under the IRHs and EIS in Wandsworth focussing on:
o Specialist psychological assessments
o Evidence based art psychotherapy interventions
o Group work
o Teaching, training and consultation to MDT
o Service evaluation, audit and development
o Provide a training placement to a trainee art psychotherapist.
The Trust has a strong commitment to the development of psychological work, and you will be part of a team of arts psychotherapists and the multidisciplinary team. You will receive regular supervision from a senior art psychotherapist and the borough psychology and psychotherapies professional lead. There are good CPD opportunities within the Trust.
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
About our locations:
Springfield University Hospital, Tooting
Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To take responsibility for managing own personal caseload (and that of art psychotherapy trainees), with a high level of experience and clinical expertise. Processing referrals, conducting assessments and providing time-limited group/individual art psychotherapy treatment. To recommend alternative therapies where deemed necessary.
2. To exercise full responsibility and autonomy for clinical decisions regarding appropriate assessment, diagnosis, treatment, discharge and follow-up of patients with a range of complex mental illness, communicating effectively and sensitively with the referral agent and others involved in the case on a regular basis.
3. To provide contemporary evidence-based treatment with advanced theoretical and practical knowledge.
4. To understand and implement different models of art psychotherapy practice to suit a range of patient need including those with histories of trauma (adult and childhood), personality disorders, psychosis and complex mental illness
5. Ability to understand complex range of feelings and motivations that service users may present and to judge the most therapeutic level of intervention e.g. judging from verbal and non-verbal cues where probing or challenging may lead to positive development and where they would lead client to withdraw from the therapeutic work.
6. Judging from verbal and non-verbal cues what degree of support or direction it would be therapeutic to offer the service user with regard to their artwork
7. Ability to judge the best form of intervention for a specific service user e.g. group or individual, interactive/analytic or studio model, taking into account the service users attachment, relationship and interpersonal issues.
8. Risk assessment, including on the spot assessment of risk in inpatients who may be previously unknown, taking into account patient, therapist, family, child and public safety and formulate plans to minimise risk, distinguishing between the expression of distress and genuine risk of self-injury, suicide or harm to others.
9. To exercise sensitivity in the application of Art Psychotherapy in different cultural and ethnic contexts (e.g. with refugees and asylum seekers).
10. To actively participate in clinical meetings and case conferences in line with multi-disciplinary team approach
11. Input will focus on patients needs and may involve working with relatives and carers and other professionals.
12. To maintain accurate clinical records, paper and electronic, in line with multi-disciplinary teams, Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and BAAT professional standards
13. To take responsibility for risk assessment and management (e.g. patients with suicidal and self-harming behaviours, including those with aggressive behaviours; and in relation to child protection and vulnerable adults issues) as specified by Safeguarding policy and guidelines. Know when to consult and take action alongside other professionals if there is an immediate risk.
14. To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary teams and other statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate, playing an active role in encouraging good relations and joint working.
15. To periodically review the evidence base for art psychotherapy practice, to provide the most effective treatment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To take responsibility for managing own personal caseload (and that of art psychotherapy trainees), with a high level of experience and clinical expertise. Processing referrals, conducting assessments and providing time-limited group/individual art psychotherapy treatment. To recommend alternative therapies where deemed necessary.
2. To exercise full responsibility and autonomy for clinical decisions regarding appropriate assessment, diagnosis, treatment, discharge and follow-up of patients with a range of complex mental illness, communicating effectively and sensitively with the referral agent and others involved in the case on a regular basis.
3. To provide contemporary evidence-based treatment with advanced theoretical and practical knowledge.
4. To understand and implement different models of art psychotherapy practice to suit a range of patient need including those with histories of trauma (adult and childhood), personality disorders, psychosis and complex mental illness
5. Ability to understand complex range of feelings and motivations that service users may present and to judge the most therapeutic level of intervention e.g. judging from verbal and non-verbal cues where probing or challenging may lead to positive development and where they would lead client to withdraw from the therapeutic work.
6. Judging from verbal and non-verbal cues what degree of support or direction it would be therapeutic to offer the service user with regard to their artwork
7. Ability to judge the best form of intervention for a specific service user e.g. group or individual, interactive/analytic or studio model, taking into account the service users attachment, relationship and interpersonal issues.
8. Risk assessment, including on the spot assessment of risk in inpatients who may be previously unknown, taking into account patient, therapist, family, child and public safety and formulate plans to minimise risk, distinguishing between the expression of distress and genuine risk of self-injury, suicide or harm to others.
9. To exercise sensitivity in the application of Art Psychotherapy in different cultural and ethnic contexts (e.g. with refugees and asylum seekers).
10. To actively participate in clinical meetings and case conferences in line with multi-disciplinary team approach
11. Input will focus on patients needs and may involve working with relatives and carers and other professionals.
12. To maintain accurate clinical records, paper and electronic, in line with multi-disciplinary teams, Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and BAAT professional standards
13. To take responsibility for risk assessment and management (e.g. patients with suicidal and self-harming behaviours, including those with aggressive behaviours; and in relation to child protection and vulnerable adults issues) as specified by Safeguarding policy and guidelines. Know when to consult and take action alongside other professionals if there is an immediate risk.
14. To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary teams and other statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate, playing an active role in encouraging good relations and joint working.
15. To periodically review the evidence base for art psychotherapy practice, to provide the most effective treatment.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of three years supervised post-qualification practice with a range of adult mental health.
- Experience of working with multi-disciplinary teams across adult mental health community and acute care service lines
- Experience of working with people with highly complex behaviour
- Experience of individual and group work with a variety of client groups (including psychosis).
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to trainees and qualified art psychotherapies.
Desirable
- Experience of working in N.H.S. / large institution
- Experience of contributing towards/leadership in service development
Qualifications
Essential
- MA/Postgraduate or equivalent training in Art Psychotherapy
- HCPC Registered
Desirable
- Further professional development within the Art Psychotherapy field e.g. mentalizing skills, trauma-informed practice
- Training in working with patients with psychosis and personality disorder
- Clinical supervision training
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in applying psychodynamic formulations and theory to work with individuals, groups and organisations and to adapt Art Psychotherapy practice according to the needs of the client group.
- Knowledge of and skills in assessing a variety of clients for Art Psychotherapy and/or other treatment interventions.
- Knowledge, understanding and skills in risk assessment and safeguarding.
- Sound communication skills; both verbal and written.
- Ability to explain art psychotherapy practice to a wide range of professionals, service users and other partner organisations
- Knowledge of Evidenced Based Practice, NICE guidance, Clinical Governance, Quality Improvement and related knowledge for research and audit.
- Knowledge of and skills in considering differences and equalities both in therapy and professional relationships, including age, disability, neurodiversity, culture and race, sexual orientation, gender, religion/belief system.
Desirable
- Ability to contribute to or plan arts psychotherapies education / case presentations.
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to Art Psychotherapy and the full range of client groups
- Knowledge of other clinical models of practice (i.e. talking therapies, medical, systemic, Recovery Model etc) sufficient to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of three years supervised post-qualification practice with a range of adult mental health.
- Experience of working with multi-disciplinary teams across adult mental health community and acute care service lines
- Experience of working with people with highly complex behaviour
- Experience of individual and group work with a variety of client groups (including psychosis).
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to trainees and qualified art psychotherapies.
Desirable
- Experience of working in N.H.S. / large institution
- Experience of contributing towards/leadership in service development
Qualifications
Essential
- MA/Postgraduate or equivalent training in Art Psychotherapy
- HCPC Registered
Desirable
- Further professional development within the Art Psychotherapy field e.g. mentalizing skills, trauma-informed practice
- Training in working with patients with psychosis and personality disorder
- Clinical supervision training
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in applying psychodynamic formulations and theory to work with individuals, groups and organisations and to adapt Art Psychotherapy practice according to the needs of the client group.
- Knowledge of and skills in assessing a variety of clients for Art Psychotherapy and/or other treatment interventions.
- Knowledge, understanding and skills in risk assessment and safeguarding.
- Sound communication skills; both verbal and written.
- Ability to explain art psychotherapy practice to a wide range of professionals, service users and other partner organisations
- Knowledge of Evidenced Based Practice, NICE guidance, Clinical Governance, Quality Improvement and related knowledge for research and audit.
- Knowledge of and skills in considering differences and equalities both in therapy and professional relationships, including age, disability, neurodiversity, culture and race, sexual orientation, gender, religion/belief system.
Desirable
- Ability to contribute to or plan arts psychotherapies education / case presentations.
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to Art Psychotherapy and the full range of client groups
- Knowledge of other clinical models of practice (i.e. talking therapies, medical, systemic, Recovery Model etc) sufficient to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients
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.
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).
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.
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).
