Arts Psychotherapist - Inpatient Psychology

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Harrogate; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust is seeking an Arts Psychotherapist to deliver specialized interventions in a multi-disciplinary team setting. The role requires a qualified professional to assess service users, contribute to service development and provide clinical placements for trainees. This position is 0.4 WTE at the Derwent Centre, offering a salary of £47,810 to £54,710, with benefits like relocation assistance and flexible working options.

Benefits

Flexible working

27 days holiday plus bank holidays

Excellent pension of up to 14.5%

Qualifications

• Qualified Arts Psychotherapist registered with HCPC or UKCP.
• Experience in providing arts psychotherapy interventions.
• Ability to manage a clinical caseload autonomously.

Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver specialist Arts Psychotherapy interventions.
• Assess service users for suitability for arts psychotherapy.
• Contribute to service development and training.

Skills

Arts Psychotherapy interventions

Client focused approach

Trauma informed care

Education

Postgraduate qualification in Arts Psychotherapies

HCPC registration

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and enthusiastic Arts Psychotherapist to join our Adult Inpatient Psychological Therapies team in Essex. The post is 0.4 WTE and is based at the Derwent Centre in Harlow.

The closing date is 04 January 2026

Please contact Dr Karin Sjostrom (Lead for Inpatient Psychological Services in Harlow): 07811 005570; Email: [e-mail]

We are looking to interview on the week commencing 19th January 2026.

Main duties of the job

The post is based at the Derwent Centre in Harlow, which comprises two wards (one male and one female).

The role consists of planning and delivering specialist Arts Psychotherapy interventions for adults admitted to hospital in acute mental health crisis; working with individuals as well as with groups. Key aspects of the role will involve assessing service users in terms of their presenting needs and suitability for arts psychotherapy. The assessment will form part of a comprehensive MDT assessment, formulation and treatment planning (including risk management).

The post holder will contribute or lead on aspects of service development, undertaking audit and research (including evaluating the effectiveness of Art Psychotherapy interventions) and training others as appropriate.

The role involves working as part of the multi-disciplinary team and providing consultation to our multi-disciplinary colleagues.

Applicants must be a qualified Arts Psychotherapist (art, music, movement or drama) and registered with the HCPC (UKCP for DMP's)

About us

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.
• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
• Excellent pension of up to 14.5% 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
• 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.

Job responsibilities

We are looking for someone with experience of working with a range of presenting needs, and who is committed to supporting the development of Art Psychotherapies provision on the wards at the Derwent Centre, to increase choice and access for service users to evidence‑based psychological therapies.

As part of this role, the successful candidate would be supported to provide clinical placements to Art Psychotherapies trainees. They will also be supported in their own continuing professional development, building links with universities and professional bodies as appropriate.

The post is 0.4 WTE and is based at the Derwent Centre in Harlow, comprising two acute inpatient wards (male and female). The Derwent Centre also houses a number of community services, and the post holder would be encouraged to make links with community colleagues to ease transition of our service users in and out of hospital.

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.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate their ability to be client focused, understand what is meant by trauma informed care, use this and their psychotherapeutic thinking in all clinical work interactions with colleagues, service users and other stakeholders.

EPUTs 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 pride ourselves on new creative practice as evidenced by recent innovations; such as our nationally recognised staff training packages.

The successful candidate will deliver Art Psychotherapies, assessing for the appropriate provision of each. You will be responsible for clinical administration of your caseload including maintaining notes, outcome measures and communication with all involved colleagues. You will work closely with the multidisciplinary team in supporting colleagues with supervision, learning opportunities, and reflective practice as appropriate. You will work with colleagues to develop and manage a clinical data and outcome measure process.

As well as applicants from the UK, we encourage overseas candidates to apply for this role. We welcome diversity within our organisation.

For more information please see attached Job Description and Person specification.

Person Specification

Education, Training and Qualifications

• 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.
• High standard of education
• Further qualifications in other forms of psychological therapy with an evidence base to be delivered in NHS mental health services

Experience

• Experience in providing arts psychotherapy interventions at postgraduate level
• Experience or willingness to develop skills in leading, facilitating and supporting therapy in group setting
• Experience of managing and carrying a clinical caseload and working as an autonomous and independent practitioner.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, presenting with a range of clinical severity, across care settings (e.g. community, outpatient, inpatient) with the capacity to maintain professionalism while being presented with highly emotive and distressing problems.
• Experience in providing specialised arts psychotherapy within an NHS secondary care Mental Health Service for clients with complex presentations including clients with psychosis and personality disorder in accordance with Trust clinical pathways, NICE guidance and evidence‑based psychological practice.

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.

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum pro rata