Art Psychotherapist

Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a part‑time (0.5 WTE) art psychotherapist to join our Psychological Service for adults who receive treatment at the Barts Heart and Thorax Centre (BHTC) at St Bartholomew's Hospital, part of Barts Health NHS Trust.

This is a 12‑month fixed‑term contract to cover maternity leave.

The BHTC Psychological Service works with adult patients and their families who are living with acute or chronic cardiac and respiratory conditions, including those requiring critical care admission (predominantly cardiothoracic and cancer‑related). The service also provides a range of support structures for staff caring for these patients.

Patients are under the care of specialist multidisciplinary teams within BHTC, including:

• Adult Congenital Heart Service (GUCH)
• Heart Attack Centre (HAC)
• Adult Critical Care Unit (ACCU)
• Heart Failure
• Electrophysiology
• Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Difficult Asthma

The postholder will not be working with patients from these teams.

This post will cover areas of the BHTC related to cardiac conditions and critical care. The postholder will work with adults who have life‑limiting and life‑threatening conditions. The postholder will receive referrals from cardiac and critical care teams across BHTC and will work closely with the psychological services lead clinical psychologists, offering a good balance of autonomy and support. This is a varied role providing art therapy assessment and intervention to both inpatients and outpatients.

The BHTC teams are very welcoming, value psychological input for patients and staff, and will appreciate the postholder maintaining the range of therapies available.

The service is managed by a consultant clinical psychologist, who leads and develops the psychological provision for BHTC patients and coordinates support for staff. Line management will be provided by the principal clinical psychologist for the service. Clinical supervision will be provided by a senior art psychotherapist based at the St Bartholomew's Hospital site.

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers. The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world‑class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high‑performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm‑free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time.

It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

Date posted: 30 January 2026

Pay scheme: £56,276 to £63,176 a year per annum inc (pro rata)

Band: Band 7

Salary: £56,276 to £63,176 a year per annum inc (pro rata)

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Part‑time, Flexible working

Reference number: 259‑7776185

SBH

Job location: St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE

• Postgraduate MA in Art Psychotherapy / Art Therapy
• HCPC registration – current licence to practice as a qualified Art Therapist
• Member of the British Association of Art Therapists

• Post registration training in management / supervision / relevant clinical areas of Art Psychotherapy in medical settings

• Post qualification experience in physical health
• Sustained clinical experience at a good level of practice using a range of Art Therapy models and techniques
• Clinical experience in carrying out a range of clinical activities that are appropriate and adapted to the…