Job summary
Interviews are due to be held on 05 June 2025
This is an exciting opportunity for a Substance Misuse Practitioner to join the growing Op COURAGE Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service. This service covers the entire South Central region (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight), this role will predominately be covering Berkshire, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire therefore the post holder will need to reside in one of these areas to be considered for this post.
Within Op Courage our team work with military veterans to identify Mental Health concerns and address psychosocial and practical needs by supporting veterans to connect with appropriate services.
The team offer psychological therapy to veterans with mental health needs such as PTSD, depression and moral injury. working collaboratively as part of the Op COURAGE services the postholder will deliver specialist substance misuse information, advice, assessment, caseload management, recovery and harm reduction, signposting and onward referral to further support and treatment as required.
If you share our passion for people, we'd love to welcome you to our warm, friendly team, who want to help you to make your career reflect your ambitions.
Main duties of the job
o This is a full time permanent role, Monday - Friday 37.5hrso Be based at our offices in Erlegh House, Readingo Cover Berkshire, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshireo The post holder will manage a case load of veterans who require support to stabilise and manage their substance misuse as well as mental health and social needs in collaboration with other Op Courage colleagues,o The postholder will be responsible for enhancing and leading the substance misuse pathway in the BOB area and building links with community services.o The post holder will also have the opportunity to facilitate the SMART UK recovery programme, training will be offered alongside the role if required.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust site
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
1. Professional registration, Mental Health Nursing and / Social Work/ Occupational Therapist or extensive experience, skills and knowledge in substance misuse and mental health.2. Reside in the Berkshire, Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire area3. Passion and enthusiasm for working with military veterans4. Experience of delivering SMART Recovery or other MI interventions.5. A car driver with access to a car is essential.
This is a permanent post and the post holder will be equipped to work across the region. There are opportunities for flexible working and working from home as agreed. A car driver with access to a car is essential.
The post holder will manage a case load of veterans who require support to stabilise and manage their substance misuse as well as mental health and social needs, in collaboration with other Op Courage colleagues, the postholder will be responsible for enhancing and leading the substance misuse pathway in the BOB area and building links with community services. The post holder will also have the opportunity to facilitate the SMART UK recovery programme, training will be offered alongside the role if required.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Maria Warburton on 07812469253 or email: maria.warburton@berkshire.nhs.uk who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
1. Professional registration, Mental Health Nursing and / Social Work/ Occupational Therapist or extensive experience, skills and knowledge in substance misuse and mental health.2. Reside in the Berkshire, Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire area3. Passion and enthusiasm for working with military veterans4. Experience of delivering SMART Recovery or other MI interventions.5. A car driver with access to a car is essential.
This is a permanent post and the post holder will be equipped to work across the region. There are opportunities for flexible working and working from home as agreed. A car driver with access to a car is essential.
The post holder will manage a case load of veterans who require support to stabilise and manage their substance misuse as well as mental health and social needs, in collaboration with other Op Courage colleagues, the postholder will be responsible for enhancing and leading the substance misuse pathway in the BOB area and building links with community services. The post holder will also have the opportunity to facilitate the SMART UK recovery programme, training will be offered alongside the role if required.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Maria Warburton on 07812469253 or email: maria.warburton@berkshire.nhs.uk who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- RMN or equivalent professional Qualification/ Qualified Social worker/Occupational therapist or someone with extensive substance misuse and mental health knowledge and experience.
Desirable
- ENB 998/SLICE or equivalent
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Evidence of statutory and Mandatory courses pertinent to the role
- Willing to undertake in-house training on working with military and veteran populations with mental health problems.
Previous Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience working in substance misuse with knowledge of harm reduction.
- Broad experience, gained over a minimum of 2 years with mental health needs and substance misuse/addictive behaviours.
- Experience of delivering basic evidence-based interventions and provision of training in these to others within the wider clinical context.
- Experience of working in groups.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering SMART or other MI interventions.
- Experience of working with military or veteran population and their families and carers
- Evidence of experience of working with traumatised people including those with PTSD
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Current Government policies concerning the provision of Mental Health Care
- Risk assessment
- Safeguarding
- Therapeutic intervention
- Ability to demonstrate effective team working and ability to work autonomously
- Advanced assessment & clinical reasoning skills
- Skilled in identifying and differentiating between a wide range of diagnoses
- Confident to recommend treatment approaches appropriate to patients' psychological needs
- Thorough knowledge of the network of support services for patients and carers, and the means of accessing them
- Advanced interpersonal / communication skills
- Able to solve complex issues where there may be no precedent
- Enthusiasm for working with military veterans
- Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
- Capable of remaining calm during crisis situations
- Willing to undertake SMART Training and deliver this intervention
- Time management & workload prioritisation skills
- Computer literate
Desirable
- Leadership Abilities
- Teaching & group facilitation skills
- Demonstrates an understanding of common mental health difficulties and social care needs in the military veteran population.
- Evidence of providing specialist consultation and liaison with other services, including third sector organisations, service users and carers
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Car driver with ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- RMN or equivalent professional Qualification/ Qualified Social worker/Occupational therapist or someone with extensive substance misuse and mental health knowledge and experience.
Desirable
- ENB 998/SLICE or equivalent
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Evidence of statutory and Mandatory courses pertinent to the role
- Willing to undertake in-house training on working with military and veteran populations with mental health problems.
Previous Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience working in substance misuse with knowledge of harm reduction.
- Broad experience, gained over a minimum of 2 years with mental health needs and substance misuse/addictive behaviours.
- Experience of delivering basic evidence-based interventions and provision of training in these to others within the wider clinical context.
- Experience of working in groups.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering SMART or other MI interventions.
- Experience of working with military or veteran population and their families and carers
- Evidence of experience of working with traumatised people including those with PTSD
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Current Government policies concerning the provision of Mental Health Care
- Risk assessment
- Safeguarding
- Therapeutic intervention
- Ability to demonstrate effective team working and ability to work autonomously
- Advanced assessment & clinical reasoning skills
- Skilled in identifying and differentiating between a wide range of diagnoses
- Confident to recommend treatment approaches appropriate to patients' psychological needs
- Thorough knowledge of the network of support services for patients and carers, and the means of accessing them
- Advanced interpersonal / communication skills
- Able to solve complex issues where there may be no precedent
- Enthusiasm for working with military veterans
- Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
- Capable of remaining calm during crisis situations
- Willing to undertake SMART Training and deliver this intervention
- Time management & workload prioritisation skills
- Computer literate
Desirable
- Leadership Abilities
- Teaching & group facilitation skills
- Demonstrates an understanding of common mental health difficulties and social care needs in the military veteran population.
- Evidence of providing specialist consultation and liaison with other services, including third sector organisations, service users and carers
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Car driver with ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
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).
