Dual Diagnosis Practitioner | South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Lewisham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS mental health trust in Lewisham is looking for a dedicated specialist to provide assessments and interventions to individuals with co-existing mental health and substance use issues. The role emphasizes collaboration with families and other services to enhance care quality and recovery outcomes. Ideal candidates will possess strong motivational interviewing skills and a person-centred approach to treatment.

Benefits

Career development and training opportunities

Supportive, peer-led work environment

Qualifications

• Experience in providing evidence-based interventions for mental health and substance use issues.
• Ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external agencies.
• Knowledge of dual diagnosis and recovery approaches.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist mental health assessments within the community team.
• Deliver tailored, evidence-based interventions for individuals with dual diagnosis.
• Promote integration of care and support for individuals and their families.

Skills

Motivational interviewing

Culturally sensitive care

Holistic assessment

Education

Relevant qualification in mental health or related field

Job description

Overview

Are you passionate about reshaping mental health care? Do you believe in community, collaboration, inclusion, and peer support to transform lives? We’re launching an innovative community care centre inspired by global models and a pioneering pilot with national significance. Supported by NHS England, this initiative aims to radically transform mental health care delivery across the UK. We’re seeking dedicated staff to help lead this revolutionary approach.

What We Offer

• A unique care model focused on community, social inclusion, and holistic recovery.
• A supportive, peer-led environment where your contribution makes a real impact.
• Career development and training within a nationally profiled programme.

About the Role

The post holder will provide specialist assessments and evidence-based interventions to service users within the Lewisham N2 Community Mental Health Team. They will work with individuals experiencing co-existing mental health and substance use issues—particularly methamphetamine use—using an assertive outreach approach. The role involves close collaboration with professionals and services to ensure high standards of care, promote best practice, and support recovery.

• The post holder will provide specialist mental health and substance misuse assessments for the Lewisham N2 Community Mental Health Team. They will deliver time-limited, evidence-based interventions for individuals with complex dual diagnosis needs, using a person-centred, multi-disciplinary approach. Responsibilities include holistic assessments, risk evaluations, and collaborative care planning.
• They will offer specialist advice on recovery, harm reduction, and signposting, applying motivational interviewing and other bio-psychosocial methods. The role involves working closely with families, carers, and external agencies to ensure integrated care and improved outcomes.
• The post holder will contribute to service development through training, supervision, and dissemination of best practices. They will maintain accurate records, participate in audits, and support governance processes. Adherence to professional standards and Trust policies is essential.
• They will promote culturally sensitive, person-centred care, reduce crisis episodes, and support access to community and digital resources. The role includes improving physical health outcomes and supporting social inclusion for people with dual diagnosis.

Organisation Context

SLaM provides a comprehensive range of mental health and substance misuse services to residents of Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham, as well as national specialist services. We offer the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK and work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London as part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. With around 5,000 staff, we serve a local population of 1.1 million and operate over 230 services, including inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, and community teams. Each year, we provide inpatient care to over 5,300 people and support more than 45,000 in the community. We also deliver substance misuse services in Bexley, Bromley, and Greenwich. Joining SLaM means becoming part of an organisation with a rich history and global reputation in mental health care. Staff benefit from extensive professional development opportunities, including access to academic research and over 14,000 training experiences annually. Our unique integration of care, research, and education makes SLaM a dynamic and rewarding place to work.

Additional Details

Please see Job Description for more details. Post holder will provide ongoing specialist support and guidance to colleagues to enable staff to work effectively with people with complex needs. They will promote understanding of the effect that substance use can have on community support/treatment such as engagement and risks to physical health. The post holder will work jointly around assessment, treatment, management and evaluation of support for people who present with dual diagnosis issues. They will provide support to people in line with the clinical pathways and best practice within the Early Intervention and substance misuse services including motivational interventions to enable people to engage with services and encourage change behaviour. Adults with psychotic disorders often struggle to engage with the existing addiction services and therefore someone motivated and with some experience in working creatively and assertively with this clinical population would be preferred.

This advert closes on Sunday 5 Oct 2025