237675 (AJM) – Arts Psychotherapist

Job Description

Overview

Arts Psychotherapist – Highly Specialist
OLDER PEOPLE MENTAL HEALTH, INPATIENT TEAM

Please note: As this post is part-time, the salary will be pro-rata.

An exciting opportunity to join the NHS Lothian Arts Psychotherapies Service – a team comprising of over 40 Arts Psychotherapists working across all age groups and all localities served by NHS Lothian.

What staff say about our team:-

• ‘It’s been a wonderful rich experience I’ll always greatly value’
• ‘My time working within the NHS Lothian Arts Therapies team has been incredibly rich and I have learnt so much.’
• ‘I would like to thank you for the incredible opportunities you have provided me within the NHS, I have learnt so much during my time as a student and as an employee and feel very lucky to have worked alongside such an inspiring team.’

The Arts Psychotherapies Service provides Art, Music, Drama Psychotherapy services to children, young people, adults and older adults with complex needs across all of NHS Lothian and specific additional partners (i.e. local authority social care and third sector organisations). Arts Psychotherapies may be offered within NHS venues or other community facilities.

For this role, Arts Psychotherapy is provided to the four Older People Mental Health wards – Inpatient services include acute assessment and treatment for functional and organic disorders for men and women, and liaising with the Rapid Response Team to support timely discharges.

The successful applicant will be expected to respond to the identified needs of patients and contribute to systemic care planning. In addition, they will be responsible for the operational management of the Band 6 post holder. They may also have opportunities to do other roles within the Arts Psychotherapy team as they arise.

This post may be of specific interest to clinicians with experience of working with older adults with complex mental health needs. Training and development opportunities and regular clinical supervision and line management will be provided by the Arts Psychotherapy Team. Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration is essential. We are looking for someone who is highly motivated and creative in their approach and has had previous experience of working with older adults using a range of verbal and non-verbal communication. The post holder will be expected to work independently using own initiative and as a team member, linking closely with other health professionals, visiting specialists, and families as appropriate.

Travel is required between sites.

If you would like an informal discussion, please contact:

Jenni.Johnston,

W: Arts Therapies – NHS Lothian Our Services

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

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Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you-not an AI tool.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a “regulated role”, your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.

As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro-rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.