Substance Misuse Clinical Practitioner

Maudsley Learning; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits as a Clinical Practitioner specializing in substance misuse within a pan-London Integrated Community Pathways Service. This role focuses on supporting individuals on probation who face complex personality challenges and a high risk of harm. You will engage directly with service users, providing expert consultation on substance misuse and contributing to workforce development through training. Join a dedicated team committed to improving psychological wellbeing and reducing offending behavior. This role offers a chance to make a significant impact in the community while being part of a supportive and innovative environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in relevant subject or equivalent experience required.
• Training in drug and alcohol intervention models essential.

Responsibilities

• Support high-risk service users with personality difficulties.
• Provide training to staff on substance misuse interventions.

Skills

Motivational Interviewing

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Risk Assessment

Substance Use Intervention

Therapeutic Rapport Building

Crisis Management

Education

Degree in relevant subject

NVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care

Job description

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to take on a Clinical Practitioner role with a specialism in substance misuse within a pan-London Integrated Community Pathways Service (ICPS), as part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway. This input will focus on supporting the effective management and engagement of people on probation who present with complex personality difficulties and a high risk of harm to others, with the joint aims of reducing offending and improving psychological wellbeing.

Please note, as well as DBS checks you will also be expected to undertake HMPPS security vetting.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will work directly with complex, high-risk service users with personality difficulties to assist their effective desistance, and be expected to provide enhanced substance misuse support to people on probation screened onto the OPD Pathway. They will provide specialist consultation and advice on resettlement support to staff, particularly with regards to issues around substance misuse, ensuring that case formulations consider the function and role of substances in individuals’ offending behaviour and personality difficulties.

The postholder will contribute to workforce development by providing training to staff to increase confidence and competence in working with people with substance misuse problems. They will liaise with probation, third sector and other agencies to address the support and wellbeing needs of service users and workers, working within a framework informed by best practice and the literature on working with personality disordered offenders and effective risk management, with an emphasis on desistance.

The postholder will contribute to the development and implementation of effective governance frameworks, and to the audit and evaluation of developing services. They will work autonomously within professional guidelines, policies and procedures of London Pathways Partnership (LPP)’s services, and overarching objectives of LPP and the OPD Pathway.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent experience Or NVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care, and/or equivalent professional qualification (e.g. Health Care, Social Work, equivalent overseas qualification)
• Training in a model or approach relevant to drug and alcohol intervention, e.g. Motivational Interviewing, or CBT, or other psychosocial interventions
• Received training (either formally or through experience) in risk assessments and/or formulation
• Received training (either formally or through experience) in substance use and related issues

Experience

• Minimum of 1 year’s clinical employment within a forensic service, substance misuse team or dual diagnosis team
• Experience of delivering individual and/or group interventions
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of working with service users with co-existing mental health and substance use problems
• Experience of working with service users with complex needs and/or personality difficulties
• Experience of working in diverse inner-city areas
• Experience of working with offending behaviour and/or with criminal justice agencies

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the theoretical frameworks of care of forensic service users with substance use problems and mental health problems
• Knowledge of current legislation and initiatives within substance misuse and mental health
• Knowledge of the legal and ethical issues relating to issues around substance misuse in a forensic setting
• Knowledge of the Offender Personality Disorder Community Pathway

Skills

• Ability to work under pressure and to deal with emergency situations/crises/highly emotional situations safely and effectively
• Skills in planning, organising and delivering appropriate interventions and activities based on analysis, formulation, monitoring and adjustment of individual and environmental factors
• Ability to establish rapport work therapeutically with a diverse client group, and maintain a safe therapeutic environment
• Ability to give specialist advice on the recovery/desistance process with respect to people with serious offence histories and personality disorder

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights.

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust