Job requirements
Essential
28 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Skills
Able to assess complex client needs in a clinical setting and identify suitable interventions considering diagnostic and risk factors
- Skills
Ability to utilise previous experience in order to work effectively in clinical areas covered by this post
- Skills
Able to work in pressurised environment where there is verbal aggression and a risk of physical aggression
- Skills
Clear and effective decision making under pressure
- Skills
Ability to maintain a thoughtful, professional stance in situations of conflict
- Skills
Ability to process and work through emotionally demanding issues using clinical/managerial supervision/reflective practice
- Skills
Stamina and emotional resources / resilience
- Skills
Ability to adapt to the physical environment when dedicated rooms are not available, e.g. moving furniture and equipment
- Skills
Physical capacity to sit in constrained position for prolonged periods in therapy sessions
- Skills
Awareness of and ability to maintain professional/personal boundaries
- Skills
High level of communication skills verbal and written
- Knowledge
Specialist professional knowledge acquired through MA/MSc or equivalent level plus specialist short courses, CPD, clinical supervision of practice
- Knowledge
Knowledge of other modalities (e.g. medical model, systemic, behavioural) sufficient to contribute to multi-disciplinary planning and service provision
- Knowledge
Understanding of how music therapy interventions need to be adapted to meet a wide range of service user needs and settings
- Knowledge
Knowledge of condition specific therapies approaches, i.e. approaches tailored to the needs of specific groups of problems or specific diagnoses
- Knowledge
Knowledge of key features of the evidence base for the arts therapies
- Knowledge
Understanding of how the dynamics of teams and between professionals can be influenced by the psychological impact of work in a mental health environment
- Knowledge
Understanding of national healthcare initiatives (e.g. recovery model, arts in health, clinical governance, evidence based practice) and relevance to this post and to the organisation
- Experience
Experience of work in adult mental health
- Experience
Experience of working with people with disturbed and challenging behaviour
- Experience
Experience of work in MDT setting and communicating complex information therein
- Experience
Experience of setting up and managing own clinical caseload, including individual and group clinical work post qualification
- Experience
Experience of personal therapy
- Experience
Experience of assessing complex client needs in a clinical setting and identifying suitable treatments, taking into account diagnostic and risk factors
- Experience
Experience and understanding of a wide range of processes and equipment in own art medium
- Qualifications
Training MA/MSc or equivalent
- Qualifications
Registered Arts Therapist with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Qualifications
Meet conditions of Full BAMT Membership
Desirable
10 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Skills
IT skills: e.g., Word; Excel, Photoshop, AI tools
- Skills
Able to use word processing, database and test/administration scoring software
- Knowledge
Further specialist training or experience relevant to the setting
- Knowledge
Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice in relation to the client group and setting
- Experience
Experience of setting relevant to post
- Experience
Experience of working in an arts therapies team
- Experience
Experience of team development
- Experience
Experience of supervising students
- Qualifications
Membership of BAMT
- Qualifications
Evidence of further post qualification training e.g. forensic, trauma, group, psychodynamic, systemic, intellectual disabilities, autism
Job overview
Join our dedicated Arts Therapies team within West London Forensic Services and make a real difference through creative, recovery-focused interventions.
Working with service users with complex mental health, personality disorder, and offending-related needs, you will deliver music therapy within a supportive multidisciplinary environment. You'll benefit from regular supervision, peer support, weekly Arts Therapies meetings, and opportunities to collaborate with a wider network of Arts Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Psychotherapists, and Psychologists.
This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated Music Therapist seeking professional development within a specialist forensic mental health service.
Monday is an essential working day.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for an enthusiastic and compassionate Music Therapist to join our established Arts Therapies team within West London Forensic Services.
As one of two Music Therapists in the service, you will deliver both individual and group music therapy interventions to male and female service users within our inpatient forensic settings. Supported by highly specialist Arts Therapists, you will undertake assessments, contribute to multidisciplinary care planning, and provide consultation to colleagues across both inpatient and community forensic services.
This is a varied and rewarding role, offering the opportunity to work creatively with individuals who present with complex mental health and forensic needs. You will play a key part in supporting recovery, tailoring interventions to meet the unique needs of service users and helping them achieve meaningful therapeutic outcomes.
Working closely with a range of multidisciplinary professionals, you will contribute to electronic patient records, service development activities, and the ongoing delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care. There will also be opportunities to become involved in research, audit, and service evaluation, supporting innovation and continuous improvement within the service.
If you are passionate about using music therapy to make a positive impact and are keen to develop your skills within a supportive and specialist forensic mental health setting, we would love to hear from you.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Music Therapist with West London NHS Trust in Southall, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Music Therapist role. The advertised salary is £55524.00 to £62652.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 22 Oct 2026.
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