Substance Misuse Service Bank Nurse

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust; Borstal; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in England is seeking dedicated Substance Misuse Service Nurses to cover bank shifts. You will provide specialized assessment and clinical care to prisoners with substance misuse issues and work closely with healthcare and prison departments. The ideal candidate will have experience in substance misuse nursing and the ability to work weekdays at HMP Rochester, focusing on holistic health approaches and leadership for junior staff.

Qualifications

• Experience in substance misuse nursing.
• Ability to work weekdays at HMP Rochester.
• Knowledge of opioid replacement therapy and detoxification.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist interventions at primary and secondary care levels.
• Manage a mixed and challenging caseload.
• Provide leadership and supervision to junior staff.
• Complete comprehensive clinical assessments and develop recovery plans.

Skills

Substance misuse nursing

Leadership and mentorship

Holistic health approach

Knowledge of detoxification processes

Job description

Overview

We are looking for dedicated Substance Misuse Service Nurses to cover bank shifts providing specialised assessment and clinical care to prisoners with identified substance misuse / dependency and related physical health issues in prison. Working closely with wider healthcare and prison departments to manage immediate risks and develop person‑centred collaboratively agreed recovery plan objectives. There are no night shifts at HMP Rochester, and nurses are expected to cover weekdays as well as weekends.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist interventions at primary and secondary care level including referral management, screening assessment, triage, and evidence‑based interventions.
• Care planning, risk assessment and one‑to‑one/group‑work facilitation.
• Manage a mixed and challenging caseload, providing pragmatic harm minimisation advice.
• Provide drug, alcohol and holistic health education to patients and colleagues.
• Provide leadership: supervise junior staff, receive supervision, develop a specialist lead role and offer peer support and training.
• Complete comprehensive clinical assessment, develop immediate risk management and safety planning, and instigate recovery planning for all prisoners with substance misuse issues arriving at HMP Rochester.
• Identify safeguarding concerns at arrival, assist with clinical oversight of new arrivals for the first five days, and correctly identify withdrawal indicators to request appropriate interventions (opioid replacement therapy, alcohol detoxification, benzodiazepine detoxification).
• Provide harm minimisation and health education advice, including Naloxone administration.
• Provide specialised clinical care for alcohol and substance dependency and signpost co‑morbidity conditions.
• Ensure timely and equivalence of care, coordinate joint care planning and release planning.
• Perform robust assessment and interventions for offenders with learning disabilities.
• Participate in resource centre services and deliver specialist activities under the direction of the clinical lead.
• Work psychologically minded with prisoners to achieve agreed goals and health outcomes.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, provide joint reviews with Psychosocial Recovery Workers, and contribute to integrated clinical governance.
• Undertake training for screening, health promotion, vaccinations and use of a stepped care approach.
• Ensure care coordination: single integrated care plan, regular reviews with psychosocial workers and ISMS prescriber, MDT meetings.
• Maintain confidential, timely electronic clinical records.
• Participate in annual appraisal reviews, demonstrate reflective practice, and complete the Knowledge and Skills Framework.
• Conduct research and audit tasks as directed.
• Communicate with community drug and alcohol services, MAPPA, police, probation, solicitors and court liaison teams for continuity of care.
• Engage with prison staff for sentence planning, resettlement, safer custody and ACCT processes.
• Adhere to health and safety, security protocols, respond to incidents, report breaches, and contribute to risk assessment procedures.

Qualifications & Experience

Experience in substance misuse nursing, ability to work weekdays at HMP Rochester, knowledge of opioid replacement therapy, alcohol and benzodiazepine detoxification, harm minimisation, and a holistic health approach. Ability to provide leadership and mentorship to junior staff and to develop a specialist lead role within the Integrated Substance Misuse Service.

Inclusion & Application

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. If you meet the minimum criteria and have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme – please select this on your application. Any information you provide will be kept confidential.