Dual Diagnosis Nurse

NHS; Walsall; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent health service in Walsall is seeking a Dual Diagnosis Nurse to support individuals with substance use and mental health issues. In this permanent, full-time role, you will be part of multidisciplinary teams, providing customized interventions, assessments, and case management. The ideal candidate should be a registered nurse with significant experience in mental health and substance misuse, ready to engage in a variety of clinical interventions and training responsibilities.

Qualifications

• First-level registered nurse with a current PIN.
• Experience managing a caseload of clients with complex needs.
• Knowledge of current mental health policies and legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide bespoke interventions for service users.
• Support joint working protocols with mental health and substance misuse services.
• Undertake mental health assessments as required.

Skills

First-level registered nurse

Experience in substance misuse

Experience with mental health

Knowledge of therapeutic interventions

Motivational interviewing skills

Education

Relevant registered qualification in mental health

Job description

Change Grow Live is one of the UK’s leading health and social care charities. The Dual Diagnosis Nurse role is varied and supports people with complex issues related to substance use and their physical and mental health. Nurses are integral members of multidisciplinary teams, delivering specialist clinical interventions and a whole‑person approach.

Responsibilities

• Provide bespoke interventions for identified service users, engaging them in the most appropriate services and reducing re‑presentations.
• Support development of joint working protocols with mental health and substance misuse services (including CMHTs and IAPT).
• Review service users and undertake specialist mental health assessments as required.
• Identify training and support needs of colleagues and deliver training or support.
• Identify gaps in dual diagnosis provision, providing examples of good practice to inform future pathway and service design.
• Improve communication and referral pathways between substance misuse, mental health teams and other services.
• Provide case management for identified dual diagnosis service users.
• Undertake physical and mental health assessments, sign‑posting and referrals to primary or secondary care.
• Manage opioid and alcohol detoxification (community or at home), including titration of opioid substitution therapy.
• Provide education, health promotion and screening for blood‑borne viruses; administer Hepatitis vaccinations where indicated.
• Offer wound care assessment and basic dressing, arranging further care as needed.
• Manage emergency situations, providing basic life support until ambulance arrival.
• Utilise psychosocial intervention in one‑to‑one and group settings to promote engagement and recovery planning.
• Contribute to the service’s naloxone strategy by training staff and patients.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of relevant policies, guidance and legislation.

Qualifications & Experience

• First‑level registered nurse with a current PIN.
• Experience working in substance misuse and/or mental health settings.
• Experience with co‑morbid mental health and substance misuse problems.
• Experience managing a caseload of clients with complex needs.
• Knowledge and skills in therapeutic interventions for dual diagnosis.
• Knowledge of current mental health, substance misuse and dual diagnosis policy, guidance and legislation.
• Relevant registered qualification in mental health (e.g., Mental Health Treatment).

Desirable

• Phlebotomy training or qualification.
• Qualification in substance misuse.
• Recent experience in drug and alcohol treatment.
• Knowledge of clinical prescribing issues.
• Experience contributing to project development and local services.
• Motivational interviewing skills and clinical auditing techniques.

Other Information

Physical presence at the Walsall site is required, with flexibility for evenings, weekends and bank holidays. The role is permanent, full‑time.

For more information, visit https://www.changegrowlive.org/.