Co-occurring Mental Health & Substance Use Support Worker

NHS Jobs; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Co-occurring Mental Health & Substance Use Support Worker to provide integrated care. The role involves engagement, outreach (inpatient wards, community settings, and homes), and careful care planning within established protocols.

You will use motivational interviewing and harm reduction approaches, assisting with assessments and referrals, while collaborating with multiple services to ensure smooth transitions and timely support for

Responsibilities

• Organise and prioritise contacts and deliver interventions within training level.
• Undertake assertive/outreach visits to inpatient wards, community settings and homes as appropriate.
• Develop supportive relationships with service users, identify barriers to engagement, provide practical and emotional support.
• Undertake initial substance use assessments within agreed protocols and assist referrals.
• Use motivational interviewing and harm reduction approaches to support engagement and recovery.
• Contribute to care planning, monitor changes, escalate safeguarding or clinical risk as needed.
• Collaborate with Turning Point, mental health services, primary care, social care, homelessness services and voluntary sector partners for coordinated care.
• Maintain timely records, participate in MDT discussions, monitor service activity and support quality improvement.
• Work independently within agreed care plans and boundaries, and pursue relevant training to develop competencies.

Job description

Co-occurring Mental Health & Substance Use Support Worker

The CHIMES Support Worker will contribute to the delivery of integrated care for individuals experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use difficulties, with a particular focus on improving engagement, access to treatment and continuity of support. Working under the guidance and supervision of qualified CHIMES practitioners, the postholder will take responsibility for an allocated engagement caseload, organising and prioritising contacts and delivering agreed interventions within their level of training and competence. The postholder will undertake assertive and flexible outreach, including visits to inpatient wards, community settings and individuals' homes where appropriate. They will develop supportive relationships with service users, identify barriers to engagement and provide practical and emotional support to help individuals access and remain connected with appropriate services. Following training with Turning Point's Referral and Assessment Team, the postholder will undertake initial substance use assessments within agreed protocols and supervision arrangements. This will include supporting assessment and referral processes in mental health inpatient and community settings, reducing the need for individuals to attend additional appointments before accessing substance use treatment. The postholder will use motivational interviewing techniques, harm reduction approaches and agreed brief psychosocial interventions to support engagement, recovery and positive behaviour change. They will contribute to care planning, monitor and report changes in mental state, substance use or social circumstances, and promptly escalate safeguarding or clinical risk concerns to qualified practitioners. The role requires close collaboration with Turning Point, mental health services, primary care, social care, homelessness services and voluntary sector partners to promote coordinated care and effective transitions between services. The postholder will maintain accurate and timely records, participate in multidisciplinary discussions, contribute to service activity monitoring and evaluation, and support quality improvement within the pilot. They will be expected to work independently within agreed care plans and professional boundaries, make effective use of supervision and undertake relevant training to develop their skills and competencies. All duties will be undertaken in accordance with Trust policies and procedures, including safeguarding, confidentiality, information governance, equality and diversity, lone working and health and safety.

£47,951 - £56,863 per annum inclusive of HCAs (inner) pro rata

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust