An exciting opportunity has arisen for suitably qualified individuals to join our established and highly energetic dual diagnosis team in Haringey, as a Dual Diagnosis Recovery Worker on a permanent basis. The service comprises clinical and psychosocial elements of substance misuse treatment which will be delivered within an exciting new model of delivery focused upon recovery and underpinned by a key working system based upon a variety of skills around structured psychosocial and recovery consistent packages of care.

The Dual Diagnosis Network is a specialist Tier 3 treatment service working with service users who have complex mental health and concurrent drug and alcohol problems. Dual Diagnosis Recovery workers are embedded into local mental health (acute/community) services and can be accessed at those services.

Main duties of the job

The post holder should be enthusiastic and experienced in key working individuals having problems with substance misuse. Experience of working with individuals presenting concomitant substance misuse and mental health problems is a bonus. You will be responsible for devising and implementing packages of care for clients with dual diagnosis presentations in a variety of mental health teams (Acute/inpatient and Community), under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Practitioner and Operational Manager.

About us

The Dual Diagnosis Network (DDN) in BEH-MHT NHS Trust is at the forefront of delivering modern Tier 3 care for people with mental health and substance misuse issues. The care and management of Dual Diagnosis patients within NHS is becoming an increasingly important specialty in its own right and DDN is developing high quality, clinically effective services for this exceptionally vulnerable group of.

DDN is a beacon service operating under a Hub and Spoke Model , being fully integrated within Trust Mental Health services, whilst at the same time fostering strong partnerships with non-statutory substance misuse services in the Trust and other external organizations. Another important role of the service is the design and delivery of dual diagnosis training to other Trust and external organizations, to help build on staff awareness, skill set, clinical practice and ethos in delivering quality care services to patients with concomitant substance misuse and mental health problems.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will take a lead in developing and delivering dual diagnosis services, ensuring that high quality services are delivered to service users with a dual diagnosis. The post holder will act as a specialist resource to mental health and substance misuse teams, in statutory and voluntary sectors. The post holder will be responsible for undertaking substance misuse triage of service users, implementing and managing complex management plans in joint partnership with other teams in Haringey ensuring that effective and responsive plans are in place. The post holder will assist the Team Manager and Dual Diagnosis Network (DDN) team to develop and maintain high quality standards of care.

For more details please see Job Description.

Person Specification

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• Possession of an appropriate qualification or relevant experience and can demonstrate its relevance to this role i.e. the National Diploma Level 3 in Substance Misuse and/or a minimum of two years' experience in the field of addictions

Desirable

• Experienced in the use of ITEP or other psychosocial interventions such as addictions counselling or Motivational Interviewing

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Recent and relevant experience of working with clients experiencing issues with substance misuse
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of assessment of people with substance misuse and related problems

Desirable

• Some knowledge of working in liaison with GPs
• Experience of working in community settings
• Experience of working in dual diagnosis service
• Experience in case/care management for vulnerable and complex mental health and substance misuse problems
• Evidence of working with complex mental health and substance misuse service users within in-patient and/or community settings
• Able to apply advanced understanding of physical, psychological and social needs of complex mental health and substance mis-users - dual diagnosis
• Experience in contributing to multi agency case/care management plans for service users with dual diagnosis presentations

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Essential

• Ability to work independently if necessary and as part of a team, coupled with the ability to share skills
• An understanding of the principles and practice of harm minimisation. A commitment to working within the harm reduction model of practice
• The ability to conduct a strengths based assessment eliciting a client's recovery capital
• An awareness of the physical, psychological and social needs of substance misusers
• A commitment to obtain an understanding of the theories and practices of safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults
• Ability to establish working therapeutic relationships and maintain professional boundaries
• Ability to work with stable drug users in a low threshold support setting
• Basic knowledge of blood borne infection (BBV) and their impact on this client group
• An understanding and knowledge of the main psychoactive drugs used by this client group, their effects and current treatments
• Ability to manage challenging behaviour/ crisis intervention
• Ability to work in sometimes highly distressing and emotional circumstances
• Willingness to handle body fluids, eg urine screening and body fluid spillages
• Ability to design training programmes, educating others about substance use, health and social well-being in formal and informal settings
• Good communication skills, both verbal and written. To be able to communicate in English, both verbally and in writing
• Experience of using word processing and database, as well as a willingness to improve existing skills

Desirable

• An understanding of Public Health directives and their impact on service delivery
• Experience of using electronic case management systems
• Awareness of the Recovery Model
• Evidence of applying working knowledge of complex interactions in mental health and substance misuse
• Able to formulate assessment, risk and care management of dual diagnosis service users
• Evidence of ability to develop, sustain and provide support to individuals with drug, alcohol and mental health needs
• Evidence of knowledge and application of Mental Health Act
• Evidence of knowledge of good practice guidelines on Dual Diagnosis and implications on service delivery
• Able to develop and maintain professional and service user relationships across multiple Hospital and Community settings

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Essential

• The ability to understand and implement Equal Opportunities Policy, at a level appropriate to the job
• A non-judgemental approach to drug use and drug users
• Willingness to deliver services in partner agencies and across multiple sites within the Trust

Employer details

Employer name

Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

St Ann's hospital

St Ann's road

London

N15 3TH

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

306-BEH-2185