Job Description

The Mental Health for Older People (MHSOP) directorate are delighted to offer a fixed term Arts Therapist position within the Mental Health Services for Older People (MHSOP) directorate in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
We are looking to recruit an Arts Therapist into our inpatient and community teams to add to our thriving, passionate and person-centered AHP and Psychology teams. The successful applicant will be working across Cardiff and Vale within inpatient and community settings. They will work with clients who receive support from MHSOP services, which includes the Younger Onset Dementia service.
We are keen to demonstrate the value and impact on service users and staff during this fixed term of 1 year. The post holder will play a key role in the scoping of Art Therapy provision within our MHSOP directorate, as well as measuring outcomes of their services.
This is a full time post funded for 1 year and part time applications will be considered.
We provide care and support to people aged 65 years and over living within Cardiff and the Vale with a diagnosis of a dementia or functional mental illness. We also have a Younger Onset Dementia Service, for people who receive a diagnosis of dementia under the age of 65, their carers and families.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
This post is fixed term for 12 months to meet the needs of the service.
Main duties of the job
The post holder would be expected to provide input via both 1:1 and group interventions. They will work collaboratively with other members of the multidisciplinary team, families, carers, social services and 3rd sector.
Transition support (i.e., supporting transitions from inpatient to community)
Supporting individuals' wellbeing, helping to prevent hospital admissions.
Up-skilling and supporting colleagues and families (i.e., training, supervision, consultation and carer support groups)
Support the development of person-centred care environments through reflective practice, supervision and collaboration on service design
Assessment and intervention based on a holistic person-centred approach, which values the individual and seeks to engage staff/carers in creating supportive environments; and implement a multi-component framework for the delivery of evidence-based support.
Will be expected to provide a service which will improve and maintain the emotional health of older adults, through a combination of highly specialist assessment, formulation of treatment programmes, clinical interventions and teaching.
Contribute to the future development and planning of an Arts/Music Therapies service.
Will provide advice, training and consultation pertaining to Arts /Music Therapies to staff from other disciplines, carers or statutory bodies as required.
Will maintain HCPC registration as a condition of initial and continued
Will undertake appropriate CPD, research and audit activity
About us
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.
Details
Date posted
13 February 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
48,527 to 55,532 a year per annum pro rata
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time
Reference number
001-AHP018-0226
Job locations
Llandough Hospital
Penlan Road
Llandough
CF64 2XX
Job description
Job responsibilities
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac Job description
Job responsibilities
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Health related professional qualification ie., Arts/ therapies degree and/or post-graduate qualification in Art Psychotherapy, Art Therapy, Dramatherapy with a recognised training provider
• Current UK professional registration with Health and Care Professions Council as an Arts Therapist membership of governing body.
• Educated to master's degree in Health-related subject or able to demonstrate knowledge and experience to master's level.

Desirable

• Teaching qualification.
• Evidence that the candidate has an interest in or experience of working in a secondary community mental health setting.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of older people with mental health needs.
• Diploma or Degree in Mental Health profession e.g RMN RGN DipSW.
• Recent successful completion of a Level 2 BABCP accredited course with intention to apply for accreditation within the next 6 months.

Experience
Essential

• Significant post qualification clinical experience
• Extensive experience and the ability to draw on a range of psychological theories and models integrating these into a coherent formulation in undertaking assessments and providing evidence-based interventions for service users.
• Able to demonstrate an advanced level of expertise in specific areas of clinical practice.
• Significant experience of researching, developing and delivering training packages
• Experience and the ability to provide supervision to junior members of staff and other health care professionals.

Desirable

• Experience of working within the NHS
• Experience of applied clinical research and service evaluation.

Skills
Essential

• High level communication and interpersonal skills to convey and receive complex, highly technical, sensitive information effectively at both a written and oral level.
• Skilled in working professionally with people at all levels from all disciplines and interagency level.
• Ability to engage others in collaborative change processes.
• High level of presentation and report writing skills for clinical and academic content in a range of contexts
• Ability to make clinical and service-related judgements involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
• Ability to plan, formulate, organise and implement a broad range of complex clinical and service-related operational activities, programmes and plans.
• Able to demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity to gender, race and cultural issues in professional practice.

Desirable

• Commitment to providing teaching and training to a broad range of health professional with an ability to teach using a range of modes of delivery.
• Experience in presenting papers in local and regional professional forums.

Knowledge
Essential

• Expert knowledge in relation to complex mental health disorders.
• Specialist skills and an ability to sensitively relate to people with acute and chronic mental and physical health conditions.
• Skilled and experienced in providing clinical supervision to a range of clinicians.
• Computer literate.
• Professional knowledge acquired through degree/diploma supplemented by specialist training, experience, and short courses
• Up to date knowledge of relevant mental health legislative frameworks for children, adolescents and adults.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Health related professional qualification ie., Arts/ therapies degree and/or post-graduate qualification in Art Psychotherapy, Art Therapy, Dramatherapy with a recognised training provider
• Current UK professional registration with Health and Care Professions Council as an Arts Therapist membership of governing body.
• Educated to master's degree in Health-related subject or able to demonstrate knowledge and experience to master's level.

Desirable

• Teaching qualification.
• Evidence that the candidate has an interest in or experience of working in a secondary community mental health setting.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of older people with mental health needs.
• Diploma or Degree in Mental Health profession e.g RMN RGN DipSW.
• Recent successful completion of a Level 2 BABCP accredited course with intention to apply for accreditation within the next 6 months.

Experience
Essential

• Significant post qualification clinical experience
• Extensive experience and the ability to draw on a range of psychological theories and models integrating these into a coherent formulation in undertaking assessments and providing evidence-based interventions for service users.
• Able to demonstrate an advanced level of expertise in specific areas of clinical practice.
• Significant experience of researching, developing and delivering training packages
• Experience and the ability to provide supervision to junior members of staff and other health care professionals.

Desirable

• Experience of working within the NHS
• Experience of applied clinical research and service evaluation.

Skills
Essential

• High level communication and interpersonal skills to convey and receive complex, highly technical, sensitive information effectively at both a written and oral level.
• Skilled in working professionally with people at all levels from all disciplines and interagency level.
• Ability to engage others in collaborative change processes.
• High level of presentation and report writing skills for clinical and academic content in a range of contexts
• Ability to make clinical and service-related judgements involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
• Ability to plan, formulate, organise and implement a broad range of complex clinical and service-related operational activities, programmes and plans.
• Able to demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity to gender, race and cultural issues in professional practice.

Desirable

• Commitment to providing teaching and training to a broad range of health professional with an ability to teach using a range of modes of delivery.
• Experience in presenting papers in local and regional professional forums.

Knowledge
Essential

• Expert knowledge in relation to complex mental health disorders.
• Specialist skills and an ability to sensitively relate to people with acute and chronic mental and physical health conditions.
• Skilled and experienced in providing clinical supervision to a range of clinicians.
• Computer literate.
• Professional knowledge acquired through degree/diploma supplemented by specialist training, experience, and short courses
• Up to date knowledge of relevant mental health legislative frameworks for children, adolescents and adults.

Skills Required