Arts Therapist (Art,Music, Drama, Dance Movement) | East London NHS Foundation Trust

East London NHS Foundation Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in the UK is seeking an experienced Allied Health professional to provide specialist Arts Therapy within its Forensic Learning Disabilities and Autism service. In this role, you'll deliver trauma-informed therapy while collaborating with psychology, OT, and the wider team. Candidates should have experience in forensic mental health and a commitment to enhancing patient-centered care. The position offers opportunities for professional development and integration within a dedicated arts therapy team.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with forensic and learning disabilities and autism is essential.

Responsibilities

• Plan, provide and develop specialist patient-centered Arts Therapies.
• Manage and supervise allocated staff, including trainees.
• Evaluate work using service user experience measures.

Skills

Arts Therapy

Trauma-informed care

Collaboration with MDT

Job description

Overview

As an HCPC registered Allied Health professional, reporting to the Lead Arts therapist in your directorate, you will develop and provide specialist Arts Therapy to one patient/one ward using your own arts therapy modality (Art, Music, Drama or Dance Movement) within the Forensic Learning Disabilities and Autism (LDA) service.

As part of the ELFT Trust wide Arts Therapies you will work as an integrated and collaborative team member upholding the Trust values, ‘We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive’ and maintaining a holistic approach to promote effective functioning of the team and patient-centered care of service users.

As part of improving population health, improving access to therapies, preventative engagement and meeting service user needs, this post will be embedded on one of our Specialist Autism Medium Secure Service wards. You will not only deliver trauma informed specialist arts therapy but also support Psychology, OT and the wider MDT with co‑produced and collaborative work. Experience of working with forensic and learning disabilities and autism is essential.

Responsibilities

• Plan, provide and develop specialist patient-centered Arts Therapies including assessment, treatment and evaluation of individual and group work using own Arts Therapies modality.
• Evaluate work on an ongoing basis with an emphasis on using appropriate service user reported experience and outcome measures to measure and demonstrate effectiveness.
• Manage and supervise allocated staff, including trainees.
• Regularly undertake Quality Improvement, Research and Audit.
• Provide a range of teaching and training to multi-professional staff, service users and carers as required.
• Take a designated role in local service leadership and development.
• Maintain registration with HCPC and relevant professional bodies (eg BAAT, Badth).
• Maintain own self‑care and ability to practice.

Qualifications

Experience of working with forensic and learning disabilities and autism is essential.

About the Trust

East London Foundation Trust is one of the largest employers nationally of Art, Music Drama and Dance Movement Psychotherapists covering City and Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Bedford and Luton and Forensic Directorates both inpatient and wider community services. We are one of the largest providers of arts therapies placements with a commitment to provide bespoke CPD opportunities and training for our arts therapists, opportunities for research and development and partnerships with community arts, the voluntary sector and other NHS Trusts.

For further information relating to this vacancy please see attached job description and person specification.

This advert closes on Sunday 4 Jan 2026