We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated Arts Psychotherapist (Art/Drama/Music or Dance Movement Psychotherapist) to join the Bristol Inpatient Arts Psychotherapy Team at Callington Road Hospital. They will be working on Silver Birch Female Acute Ward and/or Elizabeth Casen PICU ward. We welcome applications from those meeting NHS band 7 competencies and also those looking to develop their inpatient skills, including newly qualified Arts Psychotherapists.

Our ward teams highly value psychological perspectives & are committed to a multidisciplinary approach. If you enjoy the challenges & rewards of developing psychologically-informed services, this post offers a wealth of opportunities. We seek applicants with a passion for working with people in crisis and developing the psychological knowledge/skills of ward teams.

You will join a supportive team of Inpatient Arts Psychotherapists with many opportunities to collaborate. You can join the Trust's dynamic network for inpatient psychological practitioners, with a range of CPD opportunities also available. We are keen to support our team to develop their own therapeutic interests, aligning with service needs/evidence base.

Main duties of the job

To work with clinical teams and as an autonomous clinical practitioner, planning and providing an Arts Psychotherapy service within own area of practice, providing highly specialist arts psychotherapy treatment and ongoing evaluation.

The post-holder will provide individual/group Arts Psychotherapy interventions on the ward and offer clinical supervision, reflective practice and psychological training for ward staff. They will need to be well organised, with good communication skills and the ability to prioritise their work according to clinical need. Applicants should have skills to work with a wide range of mental health issues whilst adapting interventions to the dynamic inpatient setting.

About us

Callington Road Hospital is a nine-ward site based in the vibrant City of Bristol. It is located by a nature reserve and allotments, within a landscaped grounds and includes a comprehensive therapies suite and conference facilities, as well as therapies spaces on each ward.

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job description Job responsibilities

Clinical

To provide a specialist arts psychotherapy service including assessment and treatment, using advanced levels of skill, for individual and group shorter and longer-term art psychotherapy and to advise teams in relation to service users complex needs and the range of interventionsavailable.

To carry out assessments and consultation to inform and enable comprehensive information gathering to establish diagnosis, re service users who present with unclear symptoms and complex mental health difficulties.

Regularly review and evaluate the therapy including levels of risk as part of the CPA process.

Communicate with empathy and sensitivity with service users and carers with an awareness and understanding of their problems and often complex issues.

To be responsible for own specialist caseload working within Trust policies, protocols and guidelines.

To record service users progress in RIO patient records, write reports and input statistical data.

To engage in reflective practice and clinical supervision and to offer clinical supervision to arts psychotherapy staff and other colleagues, as required.

To arrange and attend professional, team and specialist clinical supervision as appropriate to caseload.

Professional

Communicate effectively with members of clinical teams, managers and other professional colleagues both representing and providing an arts psychotherapy perspective.

Work with Managers and Locality leads to ensure that all new, current or adapted arts psychotherapy space/rooms conform to professional association standards and Standards for Better Health, and provide an adequate, appropriate and safe therapeutic environment in whichto practice.

To be responsible for ensuring that all arts works, and digital images and recordings are appropriately stored in line with HCPC, professional association guidelines and Trust policy.

To work within professional codes of practice and to Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards. To work using the best and evidence based practice.

To work effectively as a team member

Training and Staff Development

To maintain high standards of practice, demonstrate ongoing personal development through active participation in internal and external development and training opportunities, recordinglearning outcomes in a CPD portfolio to fulfil HCPC standards.

To engage in the appraisal process and own CPD and appraisal and CPD of junior/unqualified staff where appropriate. To ensure continuous engagement in ones own art process in line with HCPC standards.

To be responsible for the planning and organisation of placements for students including visits to other departments and evaluation of their progress.

To supervise, support and mentor students on placement where appropriate.

To be responsible for providing both verbal and written reports for universities and training establishments regarding students suitability to qualify.

To educate other professionals and their students about art psychotherapy and provide specialist advice. This may include presentations.

To engage in ongoing statutory and mandatory training.

Service and Policy Development

To keep Head of Profession or locality Head/Lead arts psychotherapist and Area Manager informed about local service developments, requirements, shortfalls and gaps in the service and input into team service development plans. Trust wide strategy and audit.

To be responsible for contributing to relevant policy and procedures.

To input and make proposals for the development of protocols and guidelines and input into the development of arts psychotherapy strategy.

To input into the Trust policy and procedures within the work area with particular reference to therapeutic issues.

Health and Safety

To be responsible for ensuring safe use of materials and equipment and work within health and safety policies and guidelines. Identify training needs for self and junior/unqualified staff where applicable.

To undertake specific training, keep records and be responsible for monitoring and maintaining health and safety and security of self and others in own work area.

Ensure regular health and safety training and updating for self and any junior/unqualified staff for which responsible.

To be responsible for and manage delegated art therapy equipment and materials budget, as appropriate. To order and maintain equipment in line with COSHH requirements.

Research and Development

To carry out or participate in research and clinical outcomes assessment to ensure best and evidenced based practice; to evaluate relevant current research, integrate into practice and disseminate to others.

To carry out or participate in audits and surveys to inform planning and ensure safe practice in line with clinical governance.

To collaborate with other specialist staff in designated area to extend the range of specialist psychological and group interventions available across the Area.

Person Specification Qualifications and Experience Essential

• Post graduate qualification in an Arts Psychotherapy at MA/MSc level, or equivalent.
• Registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC), the UK Council for Counselling Psychotherapy (UKCP) or equivalent (ADMP) Registered and working within the Code of Practice for their Professional body.
• Knowledge and experience of working with people with Mental Health difficulties

Desirable

• Inpatient PICU / Acute ward experience

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

342-BR081-0323