Job summary
- Main area
- Arta Psychotherapist - Inpatient Psychology Service
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 364-A-9909
- Employer
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Basildon Mental Health Unit
- Town
- Basildon
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Arts Psychotherapist - Inpatient Psychology
Band 7
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
*An exciting opportunity has arisen for 0.4 WTE Band 7 Arts Psychotherapist to join our Adult Inpatient Psychological Services Team in South West Essex, Basildon*
The successful candidate will join an expanding team of psychological therapies staff working in the inpatient settings and will be supervised by an experienced senior clinical psychotherapist. The role consists of delivery of specialist arts psychotherapy interventions for adults admitted to hospital in acute mental health crisis, working with individuals as well as groups, across four adult acute wards.
You will be joining us at a time of implementation of the new Inpatient Operating Model, which also aims to realise EPUTs commitment to become a trauma informed organisation. If you would like to be a part of shaping and contributing to innovation in mental health delivery, are a champion of quality initiatives and have an interest in delivering interventions for people with severe mental health problems then we are keen to interview you and see if we can offer you the opportunities you deserve!
Applicants need to be a qualified arts psychotherapist (art, music, movement or drama) and registered with the HCPC (UKCP for DMP’s).
Main duties of the job
We are looking for someone with experience of a range of presenting needs and commitment to supporting the development of art psychotherapies to increase the choice and access service users have to evidence-based psychological therapies.
Key aspects of the role will involve assessing service users in terms of suitability for arts psychotherapy and their presenting needs, as part of a comprehensive MDT assessment, providing and evaluating the effectiveness of Art Psychotherapy interventions (both individual and group interventions), Arts Psychotherapies formulations, managing risk and contributing to MDT discussions, contributing or leading on aspects of service development, undertaking audit and research and training others as appropriate and needed.
In addition, the successful candidate would also be supported to provide clinical placements to art psychotherapies trainees and will be supported in their own development via CPD opportunities and building of professional links with relevant university courses and professional bodies.
Please refer to the JD/PS in supporting information.
For an informal discussion or questions related to this role, please do not hesitate to contact: Dr Kelly Mann (Principal Clinical Psychologist) [email protected]
Working for our organisation
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
- Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
- Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
- If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
- We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.
Benefits
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
- Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
- Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
- £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us, calculated pro rata.
- Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
- Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
- Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We, the Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team aim to understand the impact of trauma and adverse experiences on an individual’s crisis presentation within the hospital setting. We work together with our MDT colleagues to ensure our Service Users experience purposeful inpatient admissions and timely discharges.
EPUT’s Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team cover 6 inpatient sites across Essex. Each site has a Principal Lead overseeing the area. Our team is comprised of Principal/Senior Practitioners, Arts Psychotherapists, trainees and CAPs. We acknowledge the excellent day-to-day work of our staff team and also pride ourselves on supporting the development of new creative practice as appropriate depending on specific needs of different inpatient ward settings. This has seen several of our staff being recognised as part of quality and excellence awards, and has further helped promote the important role of our Arts Psychotherapies within our trust.
For more information please see attached Job Description and Person specification.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. psychiatric nursing, social work and occupational therapy or other relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field.
- Post graduate qualification in one of the Arts Psychotherapies as approved by HCPC.
- HCPC Registered.
- Accreditation/Registration with relevant and appropriate professional body relevant to the arts modality.
Desirable criteria
- Further qualifications in other forms of psychological therapy with an evidence base to be delivered in NHS mental health services.
Skills/Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience delivering Arts Psychotherapy within a NHS secondary care Mental Health Service; for community and in-patient clients including clients with psychosis and Personality disorders
- Provide clinical leadership to lower banded staff in line with Trust standards and Trust policies and procedures
- Manage and coordinate multi-disciplinary meetings i.e. referral l / review / business / handover
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological/ psychotherapy assessment, intervention and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Kelly Mann
- Job title
- Principal Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
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