Job summary
This is an exciting time to join our Arts Therapies team in Tower Hamlets, we are looking ahead and developing our work, and we welcome someone who wants to contribute and be part of our ongoing growth.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Arts Psychotherapist (Art, Music or Drama) to join our inpatient mental health services in Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health, Mile End Hospital. The role involves supporting adults with complex mental health needs and helping to provide safe, accessible and responsive care across a diverse local population.
We are seeking someone who can work independently, use sound clinical judgement, and collaborate effectively with colleagues across services. This role is part of the wider Arts Therapies provision in Tower Hamlets and across the Trust and contributes to developing and maintaining practice within our services.
Main duties of the job
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The postholder will provide assessment and delivery of individual and group Arts Therapies for adults within our inpatient services This includes planning interventions, reviewing progress and supporting transitions between services when required.
The role requires close working with a range of professionals contributing to discussions related to care planning, risk and service coordination. Accurate record-keeping, clear communication and awareness of cultural factors that may influence engagement are essential to the role.
As the service continues to develop in line with the NHS Long Term Plan, the postholder will contribute to ongoing pathway development, service user involvement and co-production and supporting approaches that improve access to Arts Therapy.
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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Band 7 Arts Therapist provides specialist Arts Therapies to adults with complex and enduring mental health needs across inpatient settings and diverse populations. Key responsibilities include assessment, delivery of individual and group therapy, and adapting approaches to meet diverse clinical and cultural needs.
The role is part of multidisciplinary working, requiring clear communication, appropriate liaison and reliable clinical documentation.
Band 7 responsibilities include providing clinical supervision to trainees or junior clinicians in line with professional requirements. The post also contributes to service development and engagement with local organisations.
The postholder is expected to participate in audit, evaluation, research or Quality Improvement projects as required, and to maintain HCPC registration, safeguarding practice, CPD and adherence to Trust governance and policies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Band 7 Arts Therapist provides specialist Arts Therapies to adults with complex and enduring mental health needs across inpatient settings and diverse populations. Key responsibilities include assessment, delivery of individual and group therapy, and adapting approaches to meet diverse clinical and cultural needs.
The role is part of multidisciplinary working, requiring clear communication, appropriate liaison and reliable clinical documentation.
Band 7 responsibilities include providing clinical supervision to trainees or junior clinicians in line with professional requirements. The post also contributes to service development and engagement with local organisations.
The postholder is expected to participate in audit, evaluation, research or Quality Improvement projects as required, and to maintain HCPC registration, safeguarding practice, CPD and adherence to Trust governance and policies.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- Masters Degree in Arts Therapies (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement)
- Degree in relevant area
- Registration with HCPC / UKCP (for dance movement therapists)
- Membership of professional body (BAMT, BAAT, BADth...)
- For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Evidence of working towards: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist
Desirable
- For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist
- Membership of Arts Therapies Professional Body
- Clinical Supervision Training
- Further training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area
Experience
Essential
- oPost qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with the client group that this post is linked to in both individual and group work
- oExperience of working with Service Users with secondary care mental health needs including challenging behaviour
- oClinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist
- oExperience of assessing service users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team
- oExperience of providing teaching and training sessions regarding Arts Therapies to a variety of audiences
Desirable
- oExperience of working as an Arts therapist in a Multi-disciplinary team
- oExperience of providing Arts Therapies as part of research or clinical trial
- oExperience of providing Arts Therapies in both acute and community settings
- oExperience of project management and evaluation supporting service development
- oExperience of supervision and support of Arts in Health projects
Skills and abilities
Essential
- oHigh standard of verbal communication skills including the ability to provide concise, clear and relevant feedback to a ward round or MDT meeting
- oComputer literacy and a high standard of written communication skills including the ability to produce clear reports detailing progress of therapy, selecting relevant information from sessions and presenting this without bias
- oDeveloped interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained with clients
- oAbility to treat Service Users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the whole person
- oAbility to apply specialist skills in individual and group based Arts Therapies assessments and interventions
- oAbility to work both independently and a part of a MDT team
- oAbility to assess and manage frequent distressing clinical interactions with clients who have complex mental health problems
- oAbility to assess and manage exposure to potential hazards including frequent verbal aggression and risk of physical aggression in hospital setting whilst ensuring safety of self, client and members of the public
- oGood organisational and time management skills
- oLine management of more junior staff
- oAdapts and uses a range of Arts Therapies clinical techniques
- oAbility to work with trauma and contain emotional impact through clinical supervision and team support systems
- oAbility to assess risk and be able to work face to face with acutely unwell service users
Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- Masters Degree in Arts Therapies (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement)
- Degree in relevant area
- Registration with HCPC / UKCP (for dance movement therapists)
- Membership of professional body (BAMT, BAAT, BADth...)
- For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Evidence of working towards: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist
Desirable
- For Dance Movement Psychotherapist: UKCP Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist
- Membership of Arts Therapies Professional Body
- Clinical Supervision Training
- Further training in an area of psychological practice relevant to the post's clinical area
Experience
Essential
- oPost qualification experience as an Arts Therapist working with the client group that this post is linked to in both individual and group work
- oExperience of working with Service Users with secondary care mental health needs including challenging behaviour
- oClinical supervision of a trainee Arts Therapist
- oExperience of assessing service users and making recommendations to a Multi-disciplinary team
- oExperience of providing teaching and training sessions regarding Arts Therapies to a variety of audiences
Desirable
- oExperience of working as an Arts therapist in a Multi-disciplinary team
- oExperience of providing Arts Therapies as part of research or clinical trial
- oExperience of providing Arts Therapies in both acute and community settings
- oExperience of project management and evaluation supporting service development
- oExperience of supervision and support of Arts in Health projects
Skills and abilities
Essential
- oHigh standard of verbal communication skills including the ability to provide concise, clear and relevant feedback to a ward round or MDT meeting
- oComputer literacy and a high standard of written communication skills including the ability to produce clear reports detailing progress of therapy, selecting relevant information from sessions and presenting this without bias
- oDeveloped interpersonal skills enabling therapeutic alliances to be developed and maintained with clients
- oAbility to treat Service Users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the whole person
- oAbility to apply specialist skills in individual and group based Arts Therapies assessments and interventions
- oAbility to work both independently and a part of a MDT team
- oAbility to assess and manage frequent distressing clinical interactions with clients who have complex mental health problems
- oAbility to assess and manage exposure to potential hazards including frequent verbal aggression and risk of physical aggression in hospital setting whilst ensuring safety of self, client and members of the public
- oGood organisational and time management skills
- oLine management of more junior staff
- oAdapts and uses a range of Arts Therapies clinical techniques
- oAbility to work with trauma and contain emotional impact through clinical supervision and team support systems
- oAbility to assess risk and be able to work face to face with acutely unwell service users
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).
