Music Therapist

Kent And Medway Mental Health Nhs Trust; East Malling; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust is seeking an HCPC-registered Music Therapist for the Kent and Medway Adolescent Hospital (KMAH), a 14-bed unit for young people. You will design, establish, and deliver a specialist clinical music therapy service across 1:1 and group modalities.

You will join a supportive MDT that values creativity and collaborative care, with opportunities to lead service development, supervise colleagues, and ensure high standards of care for young people.

Qualifications

• Post-training experience as a Music Therapist for several years.
• Experience with difficult, disturbed or challenging children/young people.
• Experience of autonomous specialist assessments to determine treatment plans.
• Experience delivering music therapy to patients, carers and families in complex mental health.
• Experience delivering music therapy in inpatient settings.

Responsibilities

• Clinical Assessment & Delivery: conduct specialist assessments and design 1:1 and group sessions.
• Service Development: establish and shape the music therapy provision within the unit.
• Multidisciplinary Teamwork: maintain proactive communication with MDT colleagues.
• Clinical Supervision & Advice: provide guidance and supervision to colleagues and trainees.
• Risk & Safeguarding: identify and manage clinical risk per trust protocols.
• Documentation & Governance: maintain accurate, confidential clinical records.
• Professional Practice: maintain registration and CPD in line with HCPC guidance.

Skills

HCPC-registered

Music Therapy

Communication skills

Inpatient experience

Education

HCPC registration eligibility

Post-graduate training in related field

Job description

Job summary

Are you an HCPC-registered Music Therapist with a passion for using creative expression to support children and young people through complex emotional and psychological challenges?

We are looking for a dedicated, innovative, and empathetic Music Therapist to join our vibrant team at Kent and Medway Adolescent Hospital (KMAH)--a 14-bedded inpatient unit dedicated to young people's mental health. In this rewarding role, you will take the lead in designing, establishing, and delivering a specialist clinical music therapy service, working across both individual and group modalities.

You will join a supportive, fast-paced, and reflective multidisciplinary team (MDT) that genuinely values creativity and collaborative care. If you are looking for an opportunity where your clinical insight is celebrated and where you can make a meaningful, lasting impact on young lives, we would love to hear from you.

The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Main duties of the job

• Clinical Assessment & Delivery: Conduct specialist assessments for children and young people with complex, high-risk needs. Design and facilitate flexible, safe, and creative 1:1 and group music therapy sessions tailored to individual therapeutic goals.
• Service Development: Independently establish and shape the music therapy provision within the unit, developing creative, evidence-based interventions.
• Multidisciplinary Teamwork: Maintain close, proactive communication with MDT colleagues, sharing insights to ensure holistic patient care.
• Clinical Supervision & Advice: Provide specialist guidance, consultation, and clinical supervision to colleagues, trainees, and wider multidisciplinary teams where appropriate.
• Risk & Safeguarding: Swiftly identify, manage, and elevate clinical risk and safeguarding concerns in line with trust protocols and national guidelines.
• Documentation & Governance: Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential clinical records in accordance with professional standards.
• Professional Practice: Maintain registration and practice in alignment with HCPC guidelines, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

About us

We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• A number of years in employment as an Music Therapist post training
• Experience of working with difficult disturbed, or challenging children/young people requiring skilled and complex interventions
• Experience of specialist assessment carried out autonomously in order to determine the most appropriate treatment plan from a range of options for the child/ young person
• Experience of working therapeutically with patients/carers/ families of children and young people with complex mental health problems
• Experience of working and delivering music therapy treatment in inpatient settings with older people and people with dementia

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

• To be eligible for registration as a full member of the appropriate professional body: HCPC, BACP, UKCP, AFT, ACP)
• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent standard or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
• Successful completion of a post-graduate training (e.g. Arts Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Family Therapy, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy)

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively highly complex and sensitive matters to patients, which give rise to psychological distress
• Capacity to work alone, involving colleagues and manager as relevant

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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