Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a new team operating in the community across the London Borough of Hillingdon.
We are seeking a nurse to support a multidisciplinary team to help engage with the homeless population who struggle with substance use within the borough of Hillingdon. The team use holistic assertive outreach techniques to support service users to access community-based drug and alcohol treatment and to secure long-term accommodation.
Main duties of the job
The role will be part of the Addictions Recover Community, Hillingdon (ARCH) team, based in Uxbridge, but predominantly community-facing, working in sites across the borough.
You will be a registered nurse (RMN/RGN), with a keen interest to work within the field of addiction psychiatry. The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to engage with hard to reach individuals to provide treatment within a variety of community based settings. You will have a range of therapeutic skills to support service users such as motivational interviewing techniques to encourage service users to work towards recovery. Knowledge of dual diagnosis, physical health and assessment skills would be beneficial.
The successful applicant will be expected to be able to assess and manage substance misusing clients by applying the concepts of harm minimisation approaches, relapse prevention, motivational Interviewing, detoxification programmes according to their clinical needs, and in accordance with up-to-date evidence-based practice and relevant Trust clinical protocol and policies.
About us
The Addictions Directorate within CNWL Foundation Trust is a large, well-established provider offering a wide range of specialist NHS drug and alcohol treatment interventions to the diverse and multicultural populations in Central and North West London. Our drug and alcohol services include community services, A&E liaison services, Peripatetic nurses, Family Therapy, a National Problem Gambling Service and a Club Drug Clinic.
Our substance misuse services are dedicated to helping reduce the harm caused by substance misuse; helping people overcome their dependency and problematic use of substances. We are proud to help both service users and their families rebuild their lives and enable recovery. We are committed to working in partnership with other providers and service users in local systems of treatment and recovery.
We are a forward-facing trust who believes in training and development of nurses skills and can prioritise supporting prospective applicants to learn new skills in working with providing service users addictions support. We have ample opportunities to gain a greater understanding of essential skills underpinning clinical practice such as motivational interviewing techniques, relapse management and clinical specialist skills such venepuncture, ECG, dry blood spot testing and fibro scan training.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist drug and alcohol outreach clinics for local hostels, homeless individuals and organise health services in the local authority catchment
- To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team in the management and treatment provision of a range of specialist services to service users experiencing difficulties with drugs and alcohol. Interventions include harm minimisation approaches, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, ITEP care planning, individual interventions, general health assessment, wound assessment and management, injecting site assessment, lifestyle assessment and physical health assessment including urine drug screening. The role includes using skills in mental health assessment, referral to appropriate mental health services and psychosocial group work
- To promote health and wellbeing and improve health inequalities by completing a range of health checks and to be able to assess service users general health and provide early intervention treatment, sign posting and referral to other organised health services
- To develop and maintain pathways into specialist services to ensure the health and well-being of residents is met, including primary care services. To sign post service users to the appropriate health care settings to meet their needs.
- To manage a caseload of service users accessing rough sleepers support. To ensure safety is maintained and risks are escalated appropriately. To ensure that gold standard holistic care is provided to individuals accessing addictions support.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist drug and alcohol outreach clinics for local hostels, homeless individuals and organise health services in the local authority catchment
- To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team in the management and treatment provision of a range of specialist services to service users experiencing difficulties with drugs and alcohol. Interventions include harm minimisation approaches, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, ITEP care planning, individual interventions, general health assessment, wound assessment and management, injecting site assessment, lifestyle assessment and physical health assessment including urine drug screening. The role includes using skills in mental health assessment, referral to appropriate mental health services and psychosocial group work
- To promote health and wellbeing and improve health inequalities by completing a range of health checks and to be able to assess service users general health and provide early intervention treatment, sign posting and referral to other organised health services
- To develop and maintain pathways into specialist services to ensure the health and well-being of residents is met, including primary care services. To sign post service users to the appropriate health care settings to meet their needs.
- To manage a caseload of service users accessing rough sleepers support. To ensure safety is maintained and risks are escalated appropriately. To ensure that gold standard holistic care is provided to individuals accessing addictions support.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oRMN
- oEvidence of continuing personal development and post-registration training in the nursing care, assessment and treatment of substance misuse clients
Desirable
- oCompleted the Motivational Interviewing Training Module
Experience
Essential
- oExperience working in Mental Health setting or substance misuse setting
- oExperience in undertaking Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Desirable
- oExperience of working in and delivering services to injecting drug users.
- oExperience of working with stimulant users and people with alcohol problems
- oExperience of group facilitation
- oExperience of managing a caseload within the community
- oExperience working with Patient Information Systems
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Good communication and presentation skills (verbal and written) plus good levels of numeracy.
- Ability to work independently and to prioritise effectively
- An appreciation of the range of issues that may affect substance misusers
- An understanding of harm minimisation and health promotion in the specific context of substance misuse
- IT literate: competent using Microsoft Word and able to report clinical activity data on patient information systems.
Desirable
- Awareness/knowledge of research skills
- Awareness of counselling models
- Awareness of Public health issues
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach, which considers the needs of the whole person.
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Non-judgmental attitude to client group
- The post holder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal and Diversity policy at a level appropriate to the job
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oRMN
- oEvidence of continuing personal development and post-registration training in the nursing care, assessment and treatment of substance misuse clients
Desirable
- oCompleted the Motivational Interviewing Training Module
Experience
Essential
- oExperience working in Mental Health setting or substance misuse setting
- oExperience in undertaking Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Desirable
- oExperience of working in and delivering services to injecting drug users.
- oExperience of working with stimulant users and people with alcohol problems
- oExperience of group facilitation
- oExperience of managing a caseload within the community
- oExperience working with Patient Information Systems
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Good communication and presentation skills (verbal and written) plus good levels of numeracy.
- Ability to work independently and to prioritise effectively
- An appreciation of the range of issues that may affect substance misusers
- An understanding of harm minimisation and health promotion in the specific context of substance misuse
- IT literate: competent using Microsoft Word and able to report clinical activity data on patient information systems.
Desirable
- Awareness/knowledge of research skills
- Awareness of counselling models
- Awareness of Public health issues
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach, which considers the needs of the whole person.
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Non-judgmental attitude to client group
- The post holder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal and Diversity policy at a level appropriate to the job
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
