Job summary
The Mental Health Services for Older Peoples Inpatient Therapies Team provides assessment and treatment programmes to patients on the three older adults inpatient wards; Cornwall Villa, Silver Birches and The Oaks. The team provides specialist therapy assessments to patients and offers a needs led, client centred individual and group based activity and therapy programme.
Patients on the inpatient wards present with acute or enduring functional and/or organic mental health symptoms, and often have other co-existing diagnoses which may include a range of physical diagnoses. Some patients have been detained under the Mental Health Act and may need skilled support in integrating back in the community following their admission to hospital.
This art therapist post has a clinical autonomy and will often work single-handed in providing individual and group art psychotherapy sessions to acute mental health patients across the three older adult wards. The post holder will work closely with the MHSOP Inpatient Therapies Lead in delivering art therapy to on the MHSOP Inpatient wards. This will involve taking a role in planning, implementing and evaluating a service according to need. The post holder will liaise and work with other members of the multi-professional team, provide treatment sessions and participate in training and development.
Main duties of the job
- To provide evidence based art therapy provision through weekly individual and group art therapy sessions for patients as inpatient ward programmes within Mental Health Service for Older People. Caseloads are referred through Multidisciplinary team including Medical and Nursing Team, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Music Therapists and Drama therapist.
- To provide evidence based art therapy provision through weekly individual and group art therapy sessions for patients as inpatient ward programmes within Mental Health Service for Older People. Caseloads are referred through Multidisciplinary team including Medical and Nursing Team, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Music Therapists and Drama therapist.
- To attend and chair team meetings, case studies and professional development meetings to share ideas, developing projects and promote good practice on the wards.
- To keep up to date with administration tasks such as clinical record keeping and mandatory trainings provided by BEH-MHT in order to keep up-to-date knowledge of mental health policies and legislations.
- To maintain therapeutic space and materials required for art therapy session as well as storage organisation of patients' artwork as confidential records.
- Undertake Arts Therapy/psychotherapy research/audit as per the Trust research strategy for the Arts Therapies/psychotherapies
About us
A non-judgemental approach with a sense of respect for others irrespective of social class, race or sexual orientation.
Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust provides local, regional, and national award-winning healthcare services. We have more than 3.300 staff working out of 20 main sites serving a population of 1.2 million people. We provide community health services and mental health services for young people, adults and older people. Our North London Forensic Service treats and cares for people in the criminal justice system who have mental health conditions. We also provide one of the largest eating disorders services in England, as well as drug and alcohol services.
We are an organisation that is passionate about equality, diversity, and inclusion; one that prides itself in developing the leadership capabilities of its employees, looking after their health and wellbeing, creating safe places for staff to speak up and providing opportunities to mentor and be mentored. Our employees are the reason for delivering Good CQC ratings, excellent outcomes, and outstanding patient experiences, so it is our aim to create a happy and healthy working environment where you can thrive and succeed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work autonomously within professional guidelines for Arts Therapists.
- To have day to day contact with clients who attend Art Therapy sessions for assessment and intervention.
- Following assessment, formulate and identify the most suitable mode of art psychotherapy.
- To conduct individual or group sessions where emotionally highly complex psychotherapeutic relationships are formed and experienced.
- To recognise that service users have a number of levels of need and to exercise professional judgement as to if and when an art psychotherapy intervention can meet some of those needs.
- To participate in staff development training programmes as and when necessary.
- To undertake mandatory in-service training as required by the Trust.
- To keep informed of the most recent developments in Art Therapy practice, as applicable to this patient group.
- To provide written evidence of continuing professional development through submission of annual CPD log sheets.
- To work safely and under guidance in relation to aggression and violence. To maintain breakaway skills for the prevention and management of aggression, as taught by the Trust. Risks of physical violence should be minimised using appropriate planning and taking precautionary measures.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work autonomously within professional guidelines for Arts Therapists.
- To have day to day contact with clients who attend Art Therapy sessions for assessment and intervention.
- Following assessment, formulate and identify the most suitable mode of art psychotherapy.
- To conduct individual or group sessions where emotionally highly complex psychotherapeutic relationships are formed and experienced.
- To recognise that service users have a number of levels of need and to exercise professional judgement as to if and when an art psychotherapy intervention can meet some of those needs.
- To participate in staff development training programmes as and when necessary.
- To undertake mandatory in-service training as required by the Trust.
- To keep informed of the most recent developments in Art Therapy practice, as applicable to this patient group.
- To provide written evidence of continuing professional development through submission of annual CPD log sheets.
- To work safely and under guidance in relation to aggression and violence. To maintain breakaway skills for the prevention and management of aggression, as taught by the Trust. Risks of physical violence should be minimised using appropriate planning and taking precautionary measures.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- oBSc, MA, MSc or equivalent Art Therapy qualification recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- oRegistration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- oEvidence of CPD/Reflective practice in application to clinical setting E.g. identification of learning and skills developed from clinical practice
Desirable
- oProvisional/Full membership of the BAAT
Experience & knowledge
Essential
- oRelevant clinical experience (including during placement) in Art Therapy, including experience of working with older people (age 65+) with mental health issues
- oPre-training experience of working in health/social care
- oExperieoExperience in leading the planning and facilitating of group and individual sessions which includes working with less experienced staff to support their development of group work skillsnce of working in emotionally challenging and distressing situations under pressure
- oExperience of working with senior psychologists and other arts therapists in the provision of clinical interventions
Desirable
- oExperience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- oExperience of contributing to multidisciplinary teams risk assessment, care plan and discharge planning processes
Skills & abilities
Essential
- oAbility to work independently whilst receiving regular clinical supervision
- oHighly effective verbal communication skills to include - presentation of Art Therapy information to MD team, interviewing and counseling skills and chairing meetings
- oHighly effective written communication skills to include assessment and treatment documentation and formal art therapy reports for MD team and outside agencies
- oEffective caseload and time management skills, including the ability to prioritise, delegate and problem solve
Desirable
- oAbility to work autonomously as sole art psychotherapy practitioner across multiple clinical teams
- oHighly skilled in establishing therapeutic relationships with the varied and challenging client group
Personal qualities
Essential
- oAbility to be flexible and adaptable to manage fluctuating work demands.
- oCooperative and considerate team player.
- oAble to sustain demands of fulfilling role working with a challenging client group in a pressurised environment
Desirable
- oCommitment to work as a proactive team member and contribute to overall service development in addition to designated team responsibilities
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- oBSc, MA, MSc or equivalent Art Therapy qualification recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- oRegistration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- oEvidence of CPD/Reflective practice in application to clinical setting E.g. identification of learning and skills developed from clinical practice
Desirable
- oProvisional/Full membership of the BAAT
Experience & knowledge
Essential
- oRelevant clinical experience (including during placement) in Art Therapy, including experience of working with older people (age 65+) with mental health issues
- oPre-training experience of working in health/social care
- oExperieoExperience in leading the planning and facilitating of group and individual sessions which includes working with less experienced staff to support their development of group work skillsnce of working in emotionally challenging and distressing situations under pressure
- oExperience of working with senior psychologists and other arts therapists in the provision of clinical interventions
Desirable
- oExperience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- oExperience of contributing to multidisciplinary teams risk assessment, care plan and discharge planning processes
Skills & abilities
Essential
- oAbility to work independently whilst receiving regular clinical supervision
- oHighly effective verbal communication skills to include - presentation of Art Therapy information to MD team, interviewing and counseling skills and chairing meetings
- oHighly effective written communication skills to include assessment and treatment documentation and formal art therapy reports for MD team and outside agencies
- oEffective caseload and time management skills, including the ability to prioritise, delegate and problem solve
Desirable
- oAbility to work autonomously as sole art psychotherapy practitioner across multiple clinical teams
- oHighly skilled in establishing therapeutic relationships with the varied and challenging client group
Personal qualities
Essential
- oAbility to be flexible and adaptable to manage fluctuating work demands.
- oCooperative and considerate team player.
- oAble to sustain demands of fulfilling role working with a challenging client group in a pressurised environment
Desirable
- oCommitment to work as a proactive team member and contribute to overall service development in addition to designated team responsibilities
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).
