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Job summary

Main area
Therapy in Drama
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 15 hours per week
Job ref
334-CLI-8225097
Employer
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Bethlem Royal Hospital
Town
Beckenham
Salary
£55,524 - £62,652 pro rata per annum inclusive of HCAs (Outer)
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
15/09/2026 23:59

Employer heading

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Drama Therapist

NHS AfC: Band 7

 

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives  in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology  to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust. 

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

To provide specialist drama therapy interventions to service users, using creative and evidence-based approaches to support recovery, emotional wellbeing, and engagement in meaningful therapeutic activity. To assess, plan, facilitate, and evaluate individual and group drama therapy programmes as part of the multidisciplinary team

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide evidence-based, client-centred Dramatherapy interventions for clients with complex needs, including assessment, treatment planning, implementation and evaluation of therapeutic interventions. They will contribute to the development and evaluation of Creative Arts services through involvement in projects, regularly supervise Dramatherapy students on placement, and participate in multidisciplinary team (MDT) activities. The role also includes providing administrative and clinical support within the Occupational Therapy Department as required.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It’s important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer

Some of our benefits are highlighted here:

  • Generous pay, pensions and leave, we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
  • Work life balance, flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.
  • Career development, There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes
  • Car lease, our staff benefits from competitive deals to lease cars
  • Accommodation, our staff benefits from keyworker housing available which is available on selected sites
  • NHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website. Other benefits include:
  • Counselling services
  • Wellbeing events
  • Long service awards
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Season ticket loan
  • Childcare vouchers
  • Staff restaurants

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

1. Clinical

To provide a specialist Dramatherapy service and additional creative groups to clients in the OT Department.

To work as part of the MDT within CPA and mental health Act frameworks

To plan and implement individual and/or group interventions, in collaboration with the client to achieve therapeutic goals.

To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.

To undertake risk assessments and risk management plans as appropriate.

2. Communication

To apply a comprehensive range of communication skills with clients, carers, team members, OT colleagues and external agencies.

To effectively work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team and implement core decisions with regard to clients care programmes.

To actively support and educate clients and teams regarding aspects of Dramatherapy provision.

3. Documentation

Maintain appropriate, up-to-date, written and electronic records and activity data in accordance with Professional and Trust standards.

Participate in departmental and corporate administration through collection and completion of statistics.

Provide specialist Dramatherapy and other reports as required.

4. Leadership, Supervision and Appraisal

To take a leadership role in influencing any proposed changes or developments in Dramatherapy provision.

To review, reflect and change own practice through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

To provide qualified and effective supervision and appraisal of junior staff as delegated by a senior member of staff.

To apply clinical leadership skills through the management of dedicated projects.

5. Training Staff and Students

To undertake the planning and implementation of the induction, training and education of students.

To be responsible for the supervision and written assessment of Dramatherapy students on practice placement within the Trust.

To participate in inter-professional training within the Trust.

To offer explanation and experience of Dramatherapy on external courses as required.

6. Professional Ethics and Development

To comply with the HPC code of ethics and Professional Conduct and national and local procedures and guidelines.

To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to those needs.

To demonstrate the ability to reflect on complex ethical issues and to provide guidance to junior staff as necessary.

Demonstrate an ability to apply increasingly complex skills and knowledge commensurate with maintaining an advanced level of professional practice.

Demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and external development opportunities, recording learning outcomes through maintaining and developing a professional portfolio for CPD.

7. Service Development and Delivery

To actively participate in and be responsible for relevant planning, evaluation and audit of practice, clinical pathways and protocols within service area as required.

To actively participate in the delivery and review processes of local service delivery.

To develop and review local Creative Arts Therapy service provision in conjunction with senior staff.

To participate in the operational planning and implementation of policy and service development.

8. Clinical Governance and Quality Standards

Participate in Clinical Governance and quality improvement projects within service area as appropriate.

To apply an understanding and application of national guidance and legislation relating to health and social care in Mental Health service provision.

9. Line Management, Staff and Budgets

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.

Be responsible for maintaining stock and advising on resource allocation.

Co-ordinate day-to-day activities of students and volunteer staff where applicable.

10. Research and Evidence Based Practice

Demonstrate the ability to evaluate current research, apply it to practise and disseminate findings at a local level.

To broaden research and development skills through participation in local audit and research projects.

 

 

 

 

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Person specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential criteria
  • Professional qualification in Drama Therapy
  • Supervisory Qualification
  • Registered Arts Therapist (HPC)
  • Masters training relevant to Mental Health
Desirable criteria
  • Membership of professional body and special interest group

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Working with mental health service users (Post qualification)
  • Extensive clinical experience including individual and group work
  • Experience of audit, research and clinical governance procedures and their application in practice
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours
  • Experience of specialist Mental health settings

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria
  • High level understanding of Mental health disorders and treatment models
  • Detailed knowledge of legislation relevant to Mental Health and Specialist practice where appropriate
  • Extensive knowledge of the principles of risk assessment and risk management
  • Working knowledge of the importance of service user and carer involvement
  • Understanding of HPC Professional Code of Conduct and Creative Arts Therapy skills, and their application in process

Other

Essential criteria
  • Ability to work flexibly
  • Commitment to student and staff supervision
  • Commitment to lifelong learning
  • Open to new ideas and awareness of general issues that might have relevance to service users’ involvement

Employer certification / accreditation badges

London Healthy workplaceCapital Nurse, LondonNo smoking policyLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Stonewall Silver 2022Disability confident employerCare Leaver CovenantStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Armed Forces Covenant Bronze AwardHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Kim Tennant
Job title
Unit Administrator
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
02032284182
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