East London NHS Foundation Trust

Team Manager/Head of Arts Therapies

The closing date is 30 July 2025

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Arts Psychotherapist to take on a shared leadership role for an established arts psychotherapy team in the forensic directorate. The arts therapies are embedded across our services in the medium secure, low secure and forensic community services. The post holder will share the role with one of the existing part-time leads for a fixed term of 12 months to cover a period of maternity leave. Applicants may come from any arts psychotherapy modality and will link into the arts therapies leadership structure for East London NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust is an inclusive organisation and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Main duties of the job

1. To be responsible for the overall provision of a specialist Arts Therapies assessment and treatment service for adults within the Forensic Directorate

2. To be responsible for all operational aspects of the Arts Therapies Service within the Forensic Directorate and ensure that clear systems are in place and working effectively for management and productivity

3. To lead in the development of the Arts Therapies service, including proposing and implementing service developments within the area served by the team and in liaison with the Directorate Management Team, Trust Strategic Lead and Professional Leadfor Arts Therapies, and other Head Arts Therapists in the Trust.

4. To manage and supervise the Arts Therapists and trainee Arts Therapists across the Forensic Directorate

5. To provide specialist Arts Therapies assessment and treatment for own clinical caseload

6. To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the Arts Therapies service and to understand and contribute research and quality improvement in relevant specialist fields

7. To establish and maintain good working relationships with all other operational and clinical managers in both inpatient and community settings in the Forensic Directorate

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Details

Date posted

11 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,927 to £68,676 a year per annum pro rata Inc HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-FOR7281734

Job locations

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy Road

London

E9 5TD


Job description

Job responsibilities

Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.

Person Specification

Education/Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • For Art, Music or Drama Therapist Registration with the HCPC For Dance Movement Psychotherapists - Full Member Registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • Membership of own Arts Therapy professional body
  • Training in risk assessment and risk management
  • Clinical Supervision Training
  • Further training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial post-qualification experience of providing highly specialist arts therapeutic assessment and treatment interventions for patients within forensic services with complex problems and reflecting a wide range of clinical severity and/or comorbid difficulties such as dual diagnosis, personality disorder or learning disabilities
Person Specification

Education/Training & Qualifications

Essential

  • For Art, Music or Drama Therapist Registration with the HCPC For Dance Movement Psychotherapists - Full Member Registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • Membership of own Arts Therapy professional body
  • Training in risk assessment and risk management
  • Clinical Supervision Training
  • Further training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial post-qualification experience of providing highly specialist arts therapeutic assessment and treatment interventions for patients within forensic services with complex problems and reflecting a wide range of clinical severity and/or comorbid difficulties such as dual diagnosis, personality disorder or learning disabilities

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).

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.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy Road

London

E9 5TD


Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy Road

London

E9 5TD


Employer's website

https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Deputy Service Directore

Sunita Arjune

S.arjune@nhs.net

07342715620

Details

Date posted

11 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,927 to £68,676 a year per annum pro rata Inc HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

363-FOR7281734

Job locations

John Howard Centre

12 Kenworthy Road

London

E9 5TD


Supporting documents

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