Job summary
Join our mission to transform lives through compassionate, expert mental health and substance misuse support.
We're looking for an inspiring clinical leader to shape and drive care across our Mental Health & Learning Disabilities (MH & LD) Service Group, focusing on individuals with complex, enduring mental health conditions and co-existing substance misuse challenges.
This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact by:
- Providing specialist assessments and consultations that ensure person-centred, compassionate, and safe care.
- Leading and supporting a dynamic multidisciplinary team including Nurses, Occupational Therapists, AHPs, Consultant Psychiatrists, Associate Clinical Directors, and Clinical Operational Managers.
- Working alongside senior managers and clinicians to embed quality improvement initiatives that truly make a difference for our patients.
- Championing advanced clinical practice in line with NICE guidelines, raising the bar for care delivery across the directorate.
- Maintaining the highest clinical standards within your own professional discipline and contributing to the Trust's wider clinical priorities and excellence.
This role offers the chance to help shape a service that is clinically led, operationally supported, and rooted in innovation, compassion, and patient-centred values.
Main duties of the job
- To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor and evaluate progress during the course of multi-disciplinary care.
- To provide highly specialist advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients' formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan
- To liaise with appropriate professionals and to contribute to multi-disciplinary case discussions/planning meetings.
- Develop and maintain safe and effective multi-agency communication, information sharing and pathways, to ensure smooth transition between the agencies and services in line with the Trust's Dual Diagnosis Policy.
- Ensure that senior staff are kept appropriately informed of high risk or highly complex situations which might affect the integrity of the service.
- To promote the use of effective interventions for Dual diagnosis across the Trust.
- To liaise with other disciplines and agencies, as appropriate, to ensure best practice is shared.
- Act as a role model, demonstrating an expert level of professional competency
- Work in partnership with patients and carers to enable them to make informed choices about care and treatment and to promote their health and well-being.
- Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, self awareness and empathy in all communications.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description for full details of the Clinical Lead for Dual Diagnosis role and duties.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description for full details of the Clinical Lead for Dual Diagnosis role and duties.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post graduate level of training/experience.Registration with the relevant professional body such as the Health Professions Council or NMCNMP qualification
Desirable
- Relevant specialist CPD qualification (Diploma/ Masters etc.Management training/ qualificationClinical supervision training
Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification experience in the field of Dual Diagnosis.Experience of work across service settings and agencies.Clinical and audit work within specialist area.Teaching/training with range of staff and other professions.Supervision experience with all grades of staff.Care co-ordination or equivalent role.
Desirable
- Experience of Service Development/Project WorkConsultancy work in multi-professional settings.Service development/ project work.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with the client group, underpinned by comprehensive theoretical knowledge.Advanced assessment and formulation skillsKnowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice and professional management, including complex child protection issues.Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant professional body.Knowledge of the role & functions of other agencies & departments.Change and project management techniquesEffective communication with colleagues at all levels within the organisation and external organisations.Compassionate - Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff, patients, carers and relatives (as appropriate) remaining sensitive and empathetic.Listens to others' views respecting and valuing individual needs.Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities.Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.Able to take instruction and direction and work effectively as part of a team.Ability to record and retrieve information on paper/electronic records as appropriate.High standards of written communication skills with the ability to use email and internet.Evidence of a good standard of Literacy/English language skillsEffective team player with good leadership, communication and negotiation skills.Ability to function with a wide range of professionals and stakeholders in a complex multi-agency contextWell organised with good administration skills.Empathy/engagement skills with the client group, families, carers and colleagues.Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to "hold" the stress of others.Ability to work independently.Self awareness and emotional reliance.Skills in clinical supervision.Consultancy skills to other professions/ agencies.Ability to sit in a restricted position for long periods of time maintaining continuous, intense concentration, in working with challenging people and their families.Compassionate - Open minded, treats colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.Intuitive and caring nature.Act in a way that support equality and diversity.Working to professional guidelinesAdvanced use of judgement and analytical skills in interpreting overall health service policy and strategy in order to establish goals and standards.Own transport available for work purposes.Full UK driving licence.Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
Desirable
- Post graduate level knowledge of research design and data analysis
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post graduate level of training/experience.Registration with the relevant professional body such as the Health Professions Council or NMCNMP qualification
Desirable
- Relevant specialist CPD qualification (Diploma/ Masters etc.Management training/ qualificationClinical supervision training
Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification experience in the field of Dual Diagnosis.Experience of work across service settings and agencies.Clinical and audit work within specialist area.Teaching/training with range of staff and other professions.Supervision experience with all grades of staff.Care co-ordination or equivalent role.
Desirable
- Experience of Service Development/Project WorkConsultancy work in multi-professional settings.Service development/ project work.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with the client group, underpinned by comprehensive theoretical knowledge.Advanced assessment and formulation skillsKnowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice and professional management, including complex child protection issues.Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant professional body.Knowledge of the role & functions of other agencies & departments.Change and project management techniquesEffective communication with colleagues at all levels within the organisation and external organisations.Compassionate - Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff, patients, carers and relatives (as appropriate) remaining sensitive and empathetic.Listens to others' views respecting and valuing individual needs.Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities.Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.Able to take instruction and direction and work effectively as part of a team.Ability to record and retrieve information on paper/electronic records as appropriate.High standards of written communication skills with the ability to use email and internet.Evidence of a good standard of Literacy/English language skillsEffective team player with good leadership, communication and negotiation skills.Ability to function with a wide range of professionals and stakeholders in a complex multi-agency contextWell organised with good administration skills.Empathy/engagement skills with the client group, families, carers and colleagues.Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to "hold" the stress of others.Ability to work independently.Self awareness and emotional reliance.Skills in clinical supervision.Consultancy skills to other professions/ agencies.Ability to sit in a restricted position for long periods of time maintaining continuous, intense concentration, in working with challenging people and their families.Compassionate - Open minded, treats colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.Intuitive and caring nature.Act in a way that support equality and diversity.Working to professional guidelinesAdvanced use of judgement and analytical skills in interpreting overall health service policy and strategy in order to establish goals and standards.Own transport available for work purposes.Full UK driving licence.Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
Desirable
- Post graduate level knowledge of research design and data analysis
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
