Job summary
An exciting and innovative opportunity has arisen for an experienced drug and alcohol practitioner to support the work of the Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) who work with those who are in the process of, or having recently, transitioned out of secure care to live in the community. We welcome applications from those both with relevant qualifications in health or social work or those able to demonstrate significant knowledge, experience and professional development in the specialist area.
The post holder will be a highly autonomous practitioner supporting and working as a key member of the SCFT Multi-disciplinary team, and will assist in the provision of high quality, psychologically informed, risk aware care for a cohort of patients with complex forensic mental health needs.
The team office is based in Fromeside, Bristol with the plan for the team to access other community bases going forward. There is an expected element of travel within the role.
To find out more about the SCFT and this role please do contact us and speak to a member of the team.
Main duties of the job
The main roles will include the development, design and application of specialist interventions for the community caseload around substance use, the support of group-based substance use interventions where appropriate for the caseload, offering consultation, advice, teaching and supervision to other members of the MDT and stakeholders around substance use issues, evaluation and audit of the substance use work and supporting the development of research opportunities in the area.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset. Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Develop and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with service users and significant others as appropriate, working in partnership with service users and carers and ensuring that your practice accords with guidance and best practice standards regarding the delivery of services including, but not limited to, requirements in relation to Privacy, Dignity and Respect and Diversity .
- Provide screening, triage and comprehensive assessment for referred service users to an agreed standard.
- Provide a specialist service in a variety of settings for clients referred with a range of complex needs, having ongoing responsibility for managing your own caseload, including assessment of service users needs and the planning, provision and evaluation of care and treatment to meet needs as appropriate and based on best available evidence of effective practice.
- Working with service users, and others as appropriate, in the screening and ongoing assessment of risk, and the development and review of plans to manage identified risks effectively, working closely with senior members of the multidisciplinary team and practicing in accordance with Trust and national policy and best practice guidance and specifically the principles set out in Best Practice in Managing Risk (DoH 2007)
- Co-ordinate care through appropriate liaison with other members of the multidisciplinary team and other agencies involved in the care of individual service users; participate in AWP Integrated Care Programme Approach in accordance with AWP policy.
- Develop and maintain good working relationships and effective communication with other members of the SCFT, participating in regular team meetings and contributing to peer supervision and training as appropriate.
- Maintain accurate and up to date records of casework with individual clients, ensuring that your practice & record-keeping complies with all relevant standards and Good Practice Guidelines.
- Ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the Service by collecting and recording high quality and timely data using electronic and paper systems as required. 1 as set out in Standards for Better Health (DoH 2004) and Essence of Care benchmarks 2 e.g. NMC Guidelines, AWP Good Practice Guidelines for the Completion of Health and Social Care Records
- Participate in your own supervision. Work with your line manager to set and review your objectives, and to identify and meet your training and professional development needs through supervision and appraisal against the KSF outline for your post. Maintain professional registration as appropriate, utilising time allocated through agreement with line manager and clinical supervisor to ensure professional development.
- Ensure you keep up to date with developments in the drug/alcohol field and related areas as appropriate, ensuring that your practice is based on best available evidence and meets all relevant standards and requirements set out in Integrated Governance frameworks, specifically Standards for Better Health.
- Participate in Integrated Governance processes, including the continuing development, improvement and monitoring of service provision and performance, and monitoring standards of care, through data collection and audit processes and in accordance with national guidance and best practice standards.
- Maintain a good understanding and work in accordance with all relevant national and Trust Policy and guidance, including how and where to access this. This applies when working in partnership in being based within other organisations.
- Examine and review personal and teams understanding of provision of equal access to services by diverse groups in line with AWP policy, facilitating fair and equal access, particularly to under represented groups.
- Have responsibility for the supervision of other staff as required.
- Contribute to the provision of training for students, working with colleagues to ensure that the service meets relevant standards in this respect. Participate in providing support, advice and training to staff of other services as appropriate.
- Have responsibility for other duties as agreed with line manager.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Develop and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with service users and significant others as appropriate, working in partnership with service users and carers and ensuring that your practice accords with guidance and best practice standards regarding the delivery of services including, but not limited to, requirements in relation to Privacy, Dignity and Respect and Diversity .
- Provide screening, triage and comprehensive assessment for referred service users to an agreed standard.
- Provide a specialist service in a variety of settings for clients referred with a range of complex needs, having ongoing responsibility for managing your own caseload, including assessment of service users needs and the planning, provision and evaluation of care and treatment to meet needs as appropriate and based on best available evidence of effective practice.
- Working with service users, and others as appropriate, in the screening and ongoing assessment of risk, and the development and review of plans to manage identified risks effectively, working closely with senior members of the multidisciplinary team and practicing in accordance with Trust and national policy and best practice guidance and specifically the principles set out in Best Practice in Managing Risk (DoH 2007)
- Co-ordinate care through appropriate liaison with other members of the multidisciplinary team and other agencies involved in the care of individual service users; participate in AWP Integrated Care Programme Approach in accordance with AWP policy.
- Develop and maintain good working relationships and effective communication with other members of the SCFT, participating in regular team meetings and contributing to peer supervision and training as appropriate.
- Maintain accurate and up to date records of casework with individual clients, ensuring that your practice & record-keeping complies with all relevant standards and Good Practice Guidelines.
- Ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the Service by collecting and recording high quality and timely data using electronic and paper systems as required. 1 as set out in Standards for Better Health (DoH 2004) and Essence of Care benchmarks 2 e.g. NMC Guidelines, AWP Good Practice Guidelines for the Completion of Health and Social Care Records
- Participate in your own supervision. Work with your line manager to set and review your objectives, and to identify and meet your training and professional development needs through supervision and appraisal against the KSF outline for your post. Maintain professional registration as appropriate, utilising time allocated through agreement with line manager and clinical supervisor to ensure professional development.
- Ensure you keep up to date with developments in the drug/alcohol field and related areas as appropriate, ensuring that your practice is based on best available evidence and meets all relevant standards and requirements set out in Integrated Governance frameworks, specifically Standards for Better Health.
- Participate in Integrated Governance processes, including the continuing development, improvement and monitoring of service provision and performance, and monitoring standards of care, through data collection and audit processes and in accordance with national guidance and best practice standards.
- Maintain a good understanding and work in accordance with all relevant national and Trust Policy and guidance, including how and where to access this. This applies when working in partnership in being based within other organisations.
- Examine and review personal and teams understanding of provision of equal access to services by diverse groups in line with AWP policy, facilitating fair and equal access, particularly to under represented groups.
- Have responsibility for the supervision of other staff as required.
- Contribute to the provision of training for students, working with colleagues to ensure that the service meets relevant standards in this respect. Participate in providing support, advice and training to staff of other services as appropriate.
- Have responsibility for other duties as agreed with line manager.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Relevant qualification in health of social care area
- Significant experience and documented professional development in field
Desirable
- Post-registration education at Higher Diploma or degree level relevant to criminal justice, substance misuse or mental health.
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Substantial experience as a practitioner working with service users and carers in the delivery of services to address complex alcohol/drug problems
- Up to date working knowledge of the evidence base regarding effective practice, and ability to demonstrate a high level of skill in a range of psychosocial prescribing interventions
- Up to date working knowledge of current developments in the drug/alcohol field and related aspects of general / mental health
- Up to date working knowledge of the evidence base regarding best practice, and the ability to demonstrate high level skills and sound professional judgement in assessment
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Up to date working communication, presentation, interpersonal and liaison skills, both verbal and written
- Sound IT literacy, including word processing, e-mail, internet use and preparing presentations
- Able to develop and deliver therapeutically effective relationships with service users and carers, working effectively with diverse groups
- Up to date training, support and supervision skills understanding of the importance of effective supervision within a team
Desirable
- Experience of providing training in issues related to drug and alcohol problems
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Relevant qualification in health of social care area
- Significant experience and documented professional development in field
Desirable
- Post-registration education at Higher Diploma or degree level relevant to criminal justice, substance misuse or mental health.
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Substantial experience as a practitioner working with service users and carers in the delivery of services to address complex alcohol/drug problems
- Up to date working knowledge of the evidence base regarding effective practice, and ability to demonstrate a high level of skill in a range of psychosocial prescribing interventions
- Up to date working knowledge of current developments in the drug/alcohol field and related aspects of general / mental health
- Up to date working knowledge of the evidence base regarding best practice, and the ability to demonstrate high level skills and sound professional judgement in assessment
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Up to date working communication, presentation, interpersonal and liaison skills, both verbal and written
- Sound IT literacy, including word processing, e-mail, internet use and preparing presentations
- Able to develop and deliver therapeutically effective relationships with service users and carers, working effectively with diverse groups
- Up to date training, support and supervision skills understanding of the importance of effective supervision within a team
Desirable
- Experience of providing training in issues related to drug and alcohol problems
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).
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).
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