About this role
Job summary
At East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) we are committed to supporting the development of arts therapies to increase the choice and access service users have to evidence-based psychological therapies. Over 50 arts therapists work across the trust in a wide range of services and each year we provide 30 arts therapies trainees with clinical placements through a centralised programme.
ELFT provides mental health services across Bedfordshire and Luton (B&L). This post offers an excellent opportunity to join a skilled arts therapies team. The team is based in the community adult learning disability service, and we also branch out into inpatient, and recovery college settings in adult mental health with a variety of treatment interventions and co-produced courses.Due to our current team provision, we are recruiting for a Dramatherapist.
The team is based at Twinwoods Clinical Resource Centre, Bedford, MK41 6AT. The successful post holder will have excellent on-going support including regular managerial, clinical, and professional supervision along with CPD to support career development. Being a car driver is essential.
Main duties of the job
To provide a specialist Arts Therapies assessment and treatment service to service users within the community Adult Learning Disabilities service in Bedford and Luton, and to work in conjunction with all members of the multi-disciplinary teams.
To develop and provide Arts Therapies assessment and treatment To participate in and to represent arts therapies in MDT clinical and business meetings where appropriate To upkeep data, reporting, outcome measures and feedback from service users To maintain continuing professional development To manage and prioritise a client caseload
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.
The adult learning disabilities service is a fantastic team to work in. Staff support and motivate each other. It is a great place to work and there are many opportunities for MDT-working and collaboration cross-disciplines.
Job description Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Patient Care
To plan and prioritise a client caseload as defined by the service under supervision from a senior Arts Therapist.
To develop skills to undertake specialised Arts Therapy assessments referring on to where appropriate.
To be responsible for maintaining, on service users behalf, an appropriate, contained, creative therapeutic environment
To deal with conflict and resolve difficulties arising for service users in clinical interventions
To plan and deliver recovery focused interventions in conjunction with the MDT ensuring regular evaluation of service user care plans
To assess clients mental state and identify any significant risk factors, and to collaboratively undertake risk assessments with other professionals
To promote and apply equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory interventions that respect the service users customs, values and spiritual beliefs at all times
To ensure that any service user complaints or incidents are reported accurately and investigated appropriately, making clinical team members aware.
To take a lead on designated projects with senior support
Clinical
To attend clinical meetings/ CPA meetings, contribute clinical information on clients progress and arrange clinical review meetings when necessary To develop skills in managing difficult and demanding clinical situations including exploring complex, sensitive and disturbing personal issues in both group and one to one contexts with service users with acute needs To apply clinical knowledge and skills in one to one and group interventions with clients with complex needs, including brief, medium and long-term work To ensure that all interventions are documented in the service users clinical record To attend clinical group supervision/consultation To produce clinical reports on a regular basis and disseminate to other involved professionals, agencies and the service user as appropriate To evaluate effectiveness of interventions, in conjunction with clients/carers, other professionals To apply evidence based practice To manage a client caseload in response to clients needs and the remit of the service with senior support To exercise professional and clinical judgement in complex clinical cases and refer to senior staff when necessary To make decisions in terms of day-to-day management of own time, in collaboration with the MDT and line manager support Administration
To collect statistics submitting them as per service requirements To carry out administrative tasks as required for the smooth running of the service To ensure that accurate and current service information is available to users and carers, and to provide as necessary to allocated caseload To ensure that clients clinical material e.g. audio/video is securely stored and safely managed To use video and audio equipment Human Resources
To contribute to the training and development of Arts Therapists in own and other modalities and use expertise to provide advice and information to health professionals in other disciplines To ensure own continued personal and professional development is met through training and educational opportunities, with support from Head Arts Psychotherapist and Strategic Lead for Arts Therapies Participate in yearly appraisals To engage in management supervision Performance and Quality
Adhere to Trust procedures and policies To develop and maintain links with relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies throughout Bedford and Luton including Psychological Therapies services, day care services, user-led initiatives, voluntary bodies and work, training and education services To follow Trust and Arts Therapies Service policies and procedures and HCPC/UKCP professional standards To contribute to an area of service development in line with local service policy and in consultation with relevant managers To offer professional advice to other professionals and care groups within the Bedford and Luton service To ensure the service provided to clients is culturally sensitive and responsive to the ethnic diversity within the locality To actively encourage service user involvement in recovery focused service development To participate in and contribute to service level discussions/plans on maintaining the treatment environment and services for clients. To actively participate in audits and quality improvement in relation to service evaluation and review To attend relevant professional and service development meetings, e.g arts therapies meetings, clinical meetings, handovers, Trust-wide Arts Therapies meetings. To maintain registration with the HCPC and be aware of and comply with policy and requirements of registration and professional bodies To promote and apply evidence based practice to service delivery To keep abreast of new developments and research in Arts Therapy and mental health To participate in activities related to clinical effectiveness via audit, quality improvement research and evidence based practice To participate in regular Trust-wide Clinical Interest groups undertaking delegated tasks as appropriate To participate in planned Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and maintain a personal CPD portfolio To ensure own development through regular participation in supervision/consultation process and participation in other training opportunities within the Trust Financial and Physical Resources
To monitor the levels of stock and equipment for the delivery of arts therapies To implement policies and procedures for the safe use & secure storage of stock and equipment in line with health and safety requirements To be responsible for accurately completing petty cash vouchers related to purchases made for individual client service provision To exert physical effort in moving equipment and furniture, e.g. when setting up a room for group work To undertake intense concentration for clinical interventions on both a one-to-one and group basis.
Person Specification
Shortlisting Criteria Essential
Masters Degree in Arts Therapies (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement) Degree in relevant area Registration with HCPC Membership of professional body (BAMT, BAAT, BADth...)
Desirable
Experience working with adults with learning disabilities Experience of working as an Arts Therapist in the NHS An understanding of relevant mental health legislation Experience of providing individual and group arts therapy
Shortlisting Essential
Masters Degree in Arts Therapies (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement)
Desirable
Experience working with adults with 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).
Employer details Employer name East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address Twinwoods Clinical Resource Centre
Milton Road
BEDFORD
MK41 6AT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)