East London NHS Foundation Trust

Arts Therapist

The closing date is 22 August 2025

Job summary

This is an exciting arts therapies opportunity with Newham Arts Therapies, working with adult service users with complex mental health needs, in hospital and the community. The clinical provision is to cover for maternity leave, and may include individual and group work. You will be well supported with supervision from very experienced arts therapies clinicians. You will be part of a well-established arts therapies, and specialist psychotherapy service. We are looking for interested applicants who can work autonomously and be part of a very committed team. Team meetings take place on Wednesdays, 9.30-11am online. This full-time fixed-term role may be split across more than one modality, days to be negotiated accordingly.

Main duties of the job

You will work as part of Newham Arts Therapies, offering clinical provision, including assessment, individual and group work, to in-patient and community service users with complex mental health needs. This work takes place in different locations, including Newham Centre for Mental Health, 409 High Street and other community locations, and will include picking up ongoing referrals, and setting up of some new work in the community. You will be qualified and registered as an Arts Therapist (art psychotherapy, dramatherapy, music therapy and dance movement psychotherapy), with work experience relevant to the role. We are looking for committed and enthusiastic applicants who want to work as part of a team and contribute meaningfully to service user experience and recovery.

About us

Newham Arts Therapies is a well-established very committed team of therapists. The work is complex and challenging, but we are a close-knit team working together to create best outcomes. We meet regularly for business and clinical meetings, with regular team supervision and reflective practice. Supervision will also be provided on a regular individual basis.

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

08 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£44,485 to £52,521 a year per annum pro rata Inc HCA

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

363-NEW7379034

Job locations

409 High Street

409 High Street

Stratford

E15 4QZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the job and responsibilities please see Job Description and Person Specification attached.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the job and responsibilities please see Job Description and Person Specification attached.

Person Specification

Education

Essential

  • Degree in relevant area
  • MA or equivalent qualification in Arts Therapy Modality
  • For Art therapist/Art Psychotherapist, Music Therapist & Dramatherapist: Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
  • For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Membership of ADMP UK Professional Register
  • o For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Evidence of working towards: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist
  • Membership of Professional Body

Desirable

  • For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist

Experience

Essential

  • Pre-arts therapy qualification experience of working in adult mental health
  • Experience of providing individual and group arts therapy in an adult mental health setting

Desirable

  • Experience of working as part of a Multi-disciplinary team
  • Experience of working as an Arts Therapist in an NHS mental health setting

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic relationships to be developed and maintained with clients who have complex needs
  • Ability to apply specialist skills in individual and group based assessments and interventions.

Other

Essential

  • Physical skills including specialist use of the body as required to facilitate a wide range of activities both on a one-to-one and group basis, including using equipment as required.
  • Mental and emotional effort required to undertake intense concentration for clinical interventions on both a one-to-one and group basis.
  • Active involvement in ongoing professional and team development.
  • Ability to travel independently across all sites

Desirable

  • Ability to speak a local community language
Person Specification

Education

Essential

  • Degree in relevant area
  • MA or equivalent qualification in Arts Therapy Modality
  • For Art therapist/Art Psychotherapist, Music Therapist & Dramatherapist: Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
  • For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Membership of ADMP UK Professional Register
  • o For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Evidence of working towards: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist
  • Membership of Professional Body

Desirable

  • For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist

Experience

Essential

  • Pre-arts therapy qualification experience of working in adult mental health
  • Experience of providing individual and group arts therapy in an adult mental health setting

Desirable

  • Experience of working as part of a Multi-disciplinary team
  • Experience of working as an Arts Therapist in an NHS mental health setting

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Developed interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic relationships to be developed and maintained with clients who have complex needs
  • Ability to apply specialist skills in individual and group based assessments and interventions.

Other

Essential

  • Physical skills including specialist use of the body as required to facilitate a wide range of activities both on a one-to-one and group basis, including using equipment as required.
  • Mental and emotional effort required to undertake intense concentration for clinical interventions on both a one-to-one and group basis.
  • Active involvement in ongoing professional and team development.
  • Ability to travel independently across all sites

Desirable

  • Ability to speak a local community language

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

409 High Street

409 High Street

Stratford

E15 4QZ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

409 High Street

409 High Street

Stratford

E15 4QZ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Joint Lead for Arts Therapies, Newham

Paula Hedderly or Kris Hutchison

paula.hedderly1@nhs.net

07880076481

Details

Date posted

08 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£44,485 to £52,521 a year per annum pro rata Inc HCA

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

363-NEW7379034

Job locations

409 High Street

409 High Street

Stratford

E15 4QZ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

East London NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)