Support Worker

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust seeks an experienced healthcare support worker to join the Addictions Team in a developmental role within the acute hospital setting. You will provide evidence-based, recovery-focused care to inpatients, delivering brief interventions and harm reduction while coordinating with nurses and the multidisciplinary team.

Join a supportive, dynamic addiction service and contribute to improving continuity of care with community partners, SMART Recovery groups, and FibroScan

Qualifications

• Level 3 qualification in healthcare.
• Fibroscan Training.
• SMART Recovery facilitator training.
• Experience with patients with problematic drug and/or alcohol use.
• Experience in an Acute Hospital.
• Experience in out-patient clinics.
• Knowledge of harm reduction approach.
• Compassionate and non-judgemental approach.
• Knowledge of local addiction services.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one support to hospital inpatients affected by alcohol and/or drug use, delivering brief interventions and harm reduction advice.
• Build therapeutic relationships and support patients throughout their hospital stay.
• Facilitate referrals to community addiction and recovery services.
• Maintain accurate patient records and manage a delegated caseload.
• Support delivery of specialist addiction services and coordinate care with partners.

Skills

Compassionate approach

Non-judgemental

Experience with drug/alcohol use

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Education

Level 3 healthcare qualification

Fibroscan Training

SMART Recovery facilitator training

Job description

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced and motivated healthcare support worker to join our specialist Addictions Team in a developmental role within the acute hospital setting. This is an excellent opportunity to build expertise in alcohol and drug services while making a meaningful difference to patients affected by substance use.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will provide personalised, evidence-based support to hospital inpatients, delivering brief interventions, harm reduction advice, motivational support, and recovery-focused care. You will contribute to assessment, care planning, and discharge processes, helping patients access appropriate treatment pathways and ongoing support services.

The role includes supporting innovative specialist services such as SMART Recovery groups and FibroScan clinics, while working collaboratively with community partners to improve continuity of care and reduce health inequalities for people experiencing multiple disadvantage.

We are looking for someone with excellent communication skills, a person-centred approach, and a passion for supporting individuals whose substance use impacts their health and wellbeing. In return, you will gain valuable specialist experience within a supportive and dynamic addiction service. We have a mandatory Crunchie on a Friday afternoon so if you'd like to be part of our chocolate appreciating team - we'd love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

• Provide one-to-one support to hospital inpatients affected by alcohol and/or drug use, helping them engage with treatment, recovery and harm reduction services. Deliver brief interventions, motivational support and harm reduction advice to improve outcomes and reduce substance-related harm.
• Build therapeutic relationships with patients and support them throughout their hospital stay. Work closely with specialist nurses and the multidisciplinary team to contribute to assessment, care planning, discharge arrangements and continuity of care. Facilitate referrals to community addiction and recovery services and advocate for patients to access appropriate support.
• Support specialist addiction services, including SMART Recovery groups and inpatient FibroScan clinics. Liaise with hospital staff, community providers and partner agencies to coordinate care and improve patient outcomes.
• Maintain accurate patient records, monitor progress, identify risks or safeguarding concerns, and elevate issues appropriately. Manage a delegated caseload, prioritising referrals and responding to patient needs within a busy acute hospital environment.
• Support patients with complex physical, mental health and social needs, promote recovery and health improvement, and contribute to service development, audits and quality improvement activities across the hospital.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Build therapeutic, recovery-focused relationships with patients affected by alcohol and drug use, delivering motivational support, brief interventions, and harm reduction advice.

Support patients throughout their hospital stay, helping them engage with treatment, improve health outcomes, and access recovery services.

Work closely with specialist nurses, multidisciplinary teams, community services, and partner agencies to ensure coordinated care and safe discharge planning.

Deliver personalised, evidence-based interventions and contribute to the development and review of individual care plans.

Support the delivery of specialist addiction services, including SMART Recovery groups and FibroScan clinics.

Facilitate referrals to community alcohol, drug, and recovery services, promoting continuity of care and reducing barriers to engagement.

Maintain accurate patient records and use electronic systems to document interventions, outcomes, and service activity.

Promote awareness of addiction, recovery, and harm reduction across hospital services.

Contribute to service development, quality improvement initiatives, audits, and patient feedback activities.

Work independently within agreed competencies while seeking support and escalating concerns appropriately.

Demonstrate resilience and professionalism when supporting individuals with complex health, social, and addiction-related needs.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Level 3 qualification in healthcare
• Fibroscan Training
• SMART Recovery facilitator training
• Experience of working with patients with problematic drug and/or alcohol use
• Experience of working in an Acute Hospital
• Knowledge and experience of working with a harm reduction approach
• Experience of working in out-patient clinics
• Compassionate and none judgemental approach
• Knowledge of local addiction services

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working with community addiction agencies
• Experience of motivational interviewing and behavior change
• Understanding of the impacts of addiction on health and mental wellbeing
• Experience of working in an Addictions Specialist team

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.