Job summary
The Addiction Care Team (ACT) is a collaborative initiative between King's College Hospital (KCH) and the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) Addictions Clinical Academic Group. Led by SLaM, the team includes both SLaM and KCH-employed staff working together to enhance the quality of care for patients at KCH.
Our team's mission is to improve clinical outcomes for patients who use alcohol and drugs harmfully by reducing hospital admissions, minimizing length of stay, and preventing readmissions.
The Addiction Care Team operates across both KCH sites: Denmark Hill and Princess Royal in Bromley. This role will be primarily based at Denmark Hill, with flexibility required to work at both sites as needed.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties of the Addiction Liaison Nurse:
- Conduct assessments, provide brief interventions, and arrange referrals for inpatients and Emergency Department attendees at KCH who are dependent on alcohol or other substances.
- Offer guidance and training to KCH staff to strengthen care practices related to addiction.
- Coordinate with local service providers to support seamless continuity of care for patients post-discharge.
We welcome applicants with a range of experience levels, including those new to the field of specialist addictions who are eager to expand their expertise. Please highlight relevant experience or interests in your application.
This is a fixed-term or secondment position covering up to 12 months.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Provide specialist assessment and intervention for KCH patients with alcohol or substance misuse-related symptoms, identifying appropriate treatment options and ensuring these are implemented.
- Utilise local and national guidelines to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care for all referred patients and escalate concerns promptly if care standards are not met.
- Collaborate with patients to create effective care plans that support safe discharge, aiming to reduce re-attendance and readmission to KCH.
- Respond promptly to referrals, with a goal to assess A&E referrals within 1 hour and inpatients within 24 hours.
- Arrange and participate in MDT meetings as appropriate to facilitate coordinated care and enhance communication.
- Conduct ongoing physical and mental health risk assessments, escalating concerns as needed.
- Ensure assessment outcomes and recommendations are communicated swiftly to relevant personnel, including ward staff, pharmacists, psychiatric liaison teams, and community teams.
- Act as a representative of the Addiction Care Team on the wards, building strong relationships with ward staff and fostering positive working partnerships across KCH services.
- Perform fibro scans on patients using departmental equipment.
- Maintain accurate, high-quality documentation in line with local and national policies, ensuring clinical activity data is up-to-date.
- Mentor nursing students and trainees as needed, contributing to their development within the field.
- Support the training and induction of KCH staff on alcohol, brief interventions, and substance misuse, promoting the use of screening tools and brief interventions for patient identification and support.
- Represent the Alcohol Care Team in meetings and forums in the absence of line managers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Provide specialist assessment and intervention for KCH patients with alcohol or substance misuse-related symptoms, identifying appropriate treatment options and ensuring these are implemented.
- Utilise local and national guidelines to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care for all referred patients and escalate concerns promptly if care standards are not met.
- Collaborate with patients to create effective care plans that support safe discharge, aiming to reduce re-attendance and readmission to KCH.
- Respond promptly to referrals, with a goal to assess A&E referrals within 1 hour and inpatients within 24 hours.
- Arrange and participate in MDT meetings as appropriate to facilitate coordinated care and enhance communication.
- Conduct ongoing physical and mental health risk assessments, escalating concerns as needed.
- Ensure assessment outcomes and recommendations are communicated swiftly to relevant personnel, including ward staff, pharmacists, psychiatric liaison teams, and community teams.
- Act as a representative of the Addiction Care Team on the wards, building strong relationships with ward staff and fostering positive working partnerships across KCH services.
- Perform fibro scans on patients using departmental equipment.
- Maintain accurate, high-quality documentation in line with local and national policies, ensuring clinical activity data is up-to-date.
- Mentor nursing students and trainees as needed, contributing to their development within the field.
- Support the training and induction of KCH staff on alcohol, brief interventions, and substance misuse, promoting the use of screening tools and brief interventions for patient identification and support.
- Represent the Alcohol Care Team in meetings and forums in the absence of line managers.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RGN or RMN or other relevant professional qualification
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience working with patients with alcohol and substance misuse dependency, either in a healthcare setting
Desirable
- Experience in a specialist nurse liaison role
- Experience in delivering brief interventions
- Experience in the psychosocial assessment of patients with substance misuse problems
Knowledge
Essential
- A genuine Interest in working with patient with alcohol and substance misuse dependency
Desirable
- Knowledge of pharmacological treatments for alcohol and substance misuse
Skills
Essential
- Able to use electronic notes and have good keyboard skills (A,I)
Desirable
- Experience of teaching in a clinical setting
- Experience supervising/mentoring others in a clinical setting
Personal
Essential
- commitment to equal opportunities
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RGN or RMN or other relevant professional qualification
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience working with patients with alcohol and substance misuse dependency, either in a healthcare setting
Desirable
- Experience in a specialist nurse liaison role
- Experience in delivering brief interventions
- Experience in the psychosocial assessment of patients with substance misuse problems
Knowledge
Essential
- A genuine Interest in working with patient with alcohol and substance misuse dependency
Desirable
- Knowledge of pharmacological treatments for alcohol and substance misuse
Skills
Essential
- Able to use electronic notes and have good keyboard skills (A,I)
Desirable
- Experience of teaching in a clinical setting
- Experience supervising/mentoring others in a clinical setting
Personal
Essential
- commitment to equal opportunities
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).
