He/she will be clinically autonomous and responsible for providing a Highly specialist Arts Psychotherapy assessment and treatment service (group and individual), in response to the complex mental health and learning disability needs of male adult secure patients across West Hertfordshire medium and low secure units Many of these will have high levels of emotional and psychological disturbance and will present with serious difficulties including autism/aspergers syndrome, or symptoms of psychotic, anxiety and depressive illnesses, personality or mood disorders suicidal and/or self-harming behaviour. They may also have experienced a history of sexual abuse or trauma through profound loss and may also present with a history of aggression or violence towards others alongside their learning and physical/sensory disabilities.

Main duties of the job

To work autonomously in assessing and treating an agreed caseload of highly complex service users with an offending history, mild Learning disabilities and /or Mental health problems and /or challenging behaviours. To bring highly specialist knowledge in their modality to the assessment and treatment of service users admitted to secure services; to identify the optimum form of treatment for an individual with reference to a range of treatment options within their modality.

Responsible for the effective planning and delivery of their modality within the Arts Psychotherapies Service, in consultation with the Professional Lead of Arts Psychotherapies and Occupational therapy Lead (i) with reference to the philosophy and aims of the team, (ii) in relation to the outcome of assessment, (iii) in line with the service user's CPA needs and (iv) with attention to ongoing risk assessment.

About us

Our Services



We provide mental health and social care services - including Adults of Working Age, Older Adults, Children and Adolescents and Specialist Learning Disabilities services.

The Trust works in close partnership with Hertfordshire County Council and also with other NHS organisations to promote and support mental health in the community. We also provide specialist learning disability services in Norfolk and North Essex.

The Trust provides:

• Community Services including local teams for mental health
• Acute and Rehabilitation Services including inpatient services and crisis team
• Specialist Services such as mental health services for older people, eating disorders, and our mother and baby unit
• Learning Disability and Forensic Services

Job description Job responsibilities

1. To work autonomously in assessing and treating an agreed caseload of highly complex service users with an offending history, mild Learning disabilities and /or Mental health problems and /or challenging behaviours. To bring highly specialist knowledge in their modality to the assessment and treatment of service users admitted to secure services; to identify the optimum form of treatment for an individual with reference to a range of treatment options within their modality.

Responsible for the effective planning and delivery of their modality within the Arts Psychotherapies Service, in consultation with the Professional Lead of Arts Psychotherapies and Occupational therapy Lead (i) with reference to the philosophy and aims of the team, (ii) in relation to the outcome of assessment, (iii) in line with the service users CPA needs and (iv) with attention to ongoing risk assessment.

Analyse and consider a variety of complex risk issues and adapt the treatment to service users level of functioning and needs, considering the individuals overall care-plan, and service aims.

Manages agreed caseload and timetable in response to the changing needs of service users in consultation with the head and team to balance priorities within the team, and within the constraints of their role boundaries assessing issues of risk.

Able to consider and provide a variety of types of work appropriate to service users who may have experiences of trauma and abuse and are at risk to themselves and others. This includes exploratory, reflective, supportive or developmental approaches, individual and group and to modify the work in relation to the service users capacities and functioning.

Uses highly specialist therapy techniques and advanced knowledge of and skills in own modality within restricted physical environments to work with service users who can be poorly motivated and difficult to engage.

Person Specification KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE Essential

• Honours degree in relevant subject and relevant work experience
• Masters level, or equivalent, in art/music/drama therapy
• Minimum of 2 years post qualifying professional experience and a demonstrable knowledge of and commitment to best practice and evidence based practice.
• Registered with Health and Care Professions council (HCPC)
• Experience of working within MDTs.
• Evidence of continued professional development.

Desirable

• Experience of supervising arts psychotherapists and of liaison with university training courses, in own speciality and other specialist areas

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE Essential

• Experience of providing a range of highly specialist therapeutic interventions including: assessment, inpatient and outpatient work, individual and group work, exploratory and supportive
• Experience of working with people with a range of mental health problems including: a degree of personality disorder
• Experience of working with people with Learning Disabilities
• Good organisational skills including management of systems and personnel.
• Developed skills in clinical supervision of trainee arts psychotherapists and junior staff

COMMUNICATION SKILLS Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively in a highly emotive atmosphere, to overcome patients' psychological resistance to personal disclosure and potentially threatening information, e.g. child protection and self harm
• Good communication skills: verbal & written, including presentations
• Ability to interact with a number of teams within a highly complex organisation of Forensic services
• Computer competency, including knowledge of electronic care records, email, word processing and audit tools.

ANALYTICAL SKILLS Essential

• Highly developed specialist knowledge of and skills in assessing clients for arts psychotherapies and/or other treatment interventions, including risk assessment and contributing to diagnosis
• Highly developed skills in the application of psychodynamic formulations and theory to work with individuals, groups and teams

DIVERSITY Essential

• Knowledge of and skill in considering differences and equalities in both therapy and professional relationships with reference to age, disability, culture, race and religion, sexual orientation and gender.

PHYSICAL SKILLS Essential

• Ability to organise and move physical resources required for delivering therapy
• Ability to complete full Respect training
• Car driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving)

PHYSICAL EFFORT Essential

• Community post and post holder will be expected to travel within Hertfordshire as required

MENTAL EFFORT Essential

• Regular requirement to concentration, frequency and consequences of interruptions. Include if the patient group has limited understanding or challenging behaviour

EMOTIONAL EFFORT Essential

• Regular requirement to deal with distressing or emotionally charged situations.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

367-LD&F-6753