Job Description

We are looking for an innovative Head of Art Therapy with extensive clinical experience to join our service at consultant level. This pivotal role will contribute to the ongoing development of Art Therapy and psychological therapies across our Trust.



As a Consultant Art Therapist, you will play a crucial role in helping to shape the future of Oxleas psychological therapy services, demonstrating leadership in clinical practice, service development, supervision, training, and management. Your expertise will be instrumental in enhancing the quality and reach of our services, ensuring that we provide the best possible evidence-based care to our service users, their families and support networks. You will play a key role in developing and supporting training for our staff in working with our service users' support networks (including families and carers).



Oxleas has a clear commitment to support and develop staff. You will receive regular clinical and professional supervision and will be supported to continue developing your clinical and leadership skills as part of your ongoing professional career development within the role.



Oxleas is committed to the provision of Psychological Therapies and the Director of Therapies, Neil Springham (Art Therapist) holds a Board level decision-making role with psychological therapies central to the Trust's work.



Oxleas has developed an excellent reputation as a place to work. Listed as one of The Sunday Times top ten large organisations to work for in 2025, winner of the 2023 HSJ Trust of the Year Award, we are proud of our culturally diverse workforce and our shared values of kindness, fairness and caring. Psychological Therapy services are well respected within the wider Trust reflected in our Chief of Therapies Neil Springham, Art Psychotherapist being a full member of the Board of the Trust alongside the Medical and Nursing Chief Officers.



This role will work in partnership with a strong, well-respected professional leadership structure which includes senior Psychological Therapy and AHP colleagues within the Therapies directorate including excellent peer support from Consultant Lead Psychological therapists across the Directorates. You will focus on the ongoing development and delivery of Art therapy across the Trust, alongside providing clinical input to our Bexley AMH community teams.



You will lead Art Therapy as well as engaging joint initiatives, fostering a supportive environment where diverse perspectives are respected and integrated into our service delivery. Your expertise will be vital in shaping the future of our services, implementing innovative approaches, and maintaining the high standards of patient care.



If you believe you have the qualities we are looking for, we encourage you to apply and contribute to our vision of delivering exceptional psychological care.



Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.



We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.



Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:



We're Kind



We're Fair



We Listen



We Care



Further detailed information relating to the role and responsibilities can be found in the attached supporting documentation