Recruiting | Primary Care Liaison Worker

BDP - Bristol Drugs Project; Bristol (IN); On-site; USD 31,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 27 days

Employee assistance

Training programme

Cycle to work

Job summary

BDP - Bristol Drugs Project in North Bristol is seeking a Permanent Primary Care Liaison worker to deliver structured support to people with primary opioid or dependent alcohol use within GP settings.

You will collaborate with General Practitioners to manage opioid substitution or detox pathways and promote BBV testing while linking clients to wider health and social services.

Qualifications

• These are set out in the Person Specification.

Responsibilities

• To encourage ambition, motivate and support individuals to become free from their problematic drug and/or alcohol use and to achieve their goals.
• Based in GP Practices, to provide a range of evidence-based, structured support packages to people with primary problematic opioid use and/or dependent alcohol use as part of a contractual arrangement with a GP.
• To establish and maintain good liaison with General Practitioners, their reception staff and wider health care team, participating in team meetings and training where appropriate.
• Following referral from GPs to provide assessments, continue opioid substitute prescriptions under GP clinical supervision through assessment and stabilisation, maintenance or detoxification pathways.
• Following referral from GPs to assess and prepare dependent alcohol users for and support them through and beyond medically assisted detoxification in collaboration with GPs or other prescribing professional.
• To facilitate harm reduction amongst all service users being treated within Primary Care.
• To undertake urinalysis and mouth swab testing.
• To offer and encourage BBV testing and promote access to treatment regarding BBV infection where appropriate.
• In consultation with Team Leaders, to offer Contingency Management packages to service users in particular circumstances, to improve chances of best outcomes for those individuals.
• To work with individuals who have become free of problematic drug and alcohol use, and encourage ambition, motivate and support them in the early stages of their recovery journey, ensuring transitions within Horizons and beyond are seamless and accessible to all service users.

Job description

Location North Bristol Full Time 37.5 hours per week Salary £27,558.50 per annum pro rata Closing Date 30th October 2026 Interview Date 12th & 13 November 2026 Job Reference PCLW-HB Accountable to Operations Manager through the Locality Team Manager. Supervised by an Opioid Team Leader. Contract Type: Permanent

About BDP

Bristol Drugs Project (BDP) has been supporting the people of Bristol around their drug and alcohol for the past 40 years. We are committed to providing accessible and appropriate support for anyone who needs it and to reduce the harms caused by drugs and/or alcohol. Workers at BDP come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, but all share a drive to make a difference in the lives of the people we work with.

Our Horizons Service

Horizons is a brand new partnership that is delivering services to support people affected by drug and alcohol use in Bristol. We have partnered with Turning Point (who are lead provider) and seven other local and national providers: The Nelson Trust, Hawkspring, One 25, Southmead Development Trust, Southmead Project, Wellspring Settlement, and Release. As a partnership we draw on the expertise of all of the organisations involved to create a service that best meets the unique needs of the people we support.

Purpose of the Role

Primary Care Liaison workers are based within the Treatment Team and have responsibility for delivering evidence-based, structured support to people with primary problematic opioid use and/or dependent alcohol use within Primary Care, working alongside and supporting GPs in delivering treatment.

The role is to encourage ambition, motivate and support people to regain their independence from their substance use through the use of opioid substitution or alcohol detox medications coupled with packages of psychosocial care.

Primary Care Liaison workers will provide harm reduction advice, inspire and encourage change and actively support individuals through maintenance or detox pathways. They will use a variety of evidenced approaches, including Contingency Management to support their work, and ensure that people link successfully to other services to meet their physical and mental health needs.

Principal Accountabilities

• To encourage ambition, motivate and support individuals to become free from their problematic drug and/or alcohol use and to achieve their goals.
• Based in GP Practices, to provide a range of evidence-based, structured support packages to people with primary problematic opioid use and/or dependent alcohol use as part of a contractual arrangement with a GP.
• To establish and maintain good liaison with General Practitioners, their reception staff and wider health care team, participating in team meetings and training where appropriate.
• Following referral from GPs to provide assessments, continue opioid substitute prescriptions under GP clinical supervision through assessment and stabilisation, maintenance or detoxification pathways.
• Following referral from GPs to assess and prepare dependent alcohol users for and support them through and beyond medically assisted detoxification in collaboration with GPs or other prescribing professional.
• To facilitate harm reduction amongst all service users being treated within Primary Care.
• To undertake urinalysis and mouth swab testing.
• To offer and encourage BBV testing and promote access to treatment regarding BBV infection where appropriate.
• In consultation with Team Leaders, to offer Contingency Management packages to service users in particular circumstances, to improve chances of best outcomes for those individuals.
• To work with individuals who have become free of problematic drug and alcohol use, and encourage ambition, motivate and support them in the early stages of their recovery journey, ensuring transitions within Horizons and beyond are seamless and accessible to all service users.

Qualifications and Experience

These are set out in the Person Specification.

Special Notes or Conditions

• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is a prerequisite of offer of employment.
• Post-holders are required to have a Hepatitis B vaccination
• This is a post in a developing service, which involves a wide range of agencies. The priorities for this role will be under review and may change as the service develops requiring flexibility from the post holder

What We Offer

• 27 days annual leave yearly which increases by 1 day every year to a maximum of 32 days after 5 of service PLUS bank holidays
• Comprehensive Employee Assistance Program
• Thorough line management and reflective practice programmeExtensive and ongoing training
• Cycle to work scheme