The Addiction Care Team (ACT) is a collaborative initiative between King's College Hospital (KCH) and the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) Addictions Clinical Academic Group. Led by SLaM, the team includes both SLaM and KCH-employed staff working together to enhance the quality of care for patients at KCH.

Our team's mission is to improve clinical outcomes for patients who use alcohol and drugs harmfully by reducing hospital admissions, minimizing length of stay, and preventing readmissions.

The Addiction Care Team operates across both KCH sites: Denmark Hill and Princess Royal in Bromley. This role will be primarily based at Denmark Hill, with flexibility required to work at both sites as needed.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties of the Addiction Liaison Nurse:

• Conduct assessments, provide brief interventions, and arrange referrals for inpatients and Emergency Department attendees at KCH who are dependent on alcohol or other substances.
• Offer guidance and training to KCH staff to strengthen care practices related to addiction.
• Coordinate with local service providers to support seamless continuity of care for patients post-discharge.

We welcome applicants with a range of experience levels, including those new to the field of specialist addictions who are eager to expand their expertise. Please highlight relevant experience or interests in your application.

This is a fixed-term or secondment position covering up to 12 months.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Provide specialist assessment and intervention for KCH patients with alcohol or substance misuse-related symptoms, identifying appropriate treatment options and ensuring these are implemented.
• Utilise local and national guidelines to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care for all referred patients and escalate concerns promptly if care standards are not met.
• Collaborate with patients to create effective care plans that support safe discharge, aiming to reduce re-attendance and readmission to KCH.
• Respond promptly to referrals, with a goal to assess A& E referrals within 1 hour and inpatients within 24 hours.
• Arrange and participate in MDT meetings as appropriate to facilitate coordinated care and enhance communication.
• Conduct ongoing physical and mental health risk assessments, escalating concerns as needed.
• Ensure assessment outcomes and recommendations are communicated swiftly to relevant personnel, including ward staff, pharmacists, psychiatric liaison teams, and community teams.
• Act as a representative of the Addiction Care Team on the wards, building strong relationships with ward staff and fostering positive working partnerships across KCH services.
• Perform fibro scans on patients using departmental equipment.
• Maintain accurate, high-quality documentation in line with local and national policies, ensuring clinical activity data is up-to-date.
• Mentor nursing students and trainees as needed, contributing to their development within the field.
• Support the training and induction of KCH staff on alcohol, brief interventions, and substance misuse, promoting the use of screening tools and brief interventions for patient identification and support.
• Represent the Alcohol Care Team in meetings and forums in the absence of line managers.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN or RMN or other relevant professional qualification

Desirable

• NMP
• Mentorship

Experience

Essential

• Experience working with patients with alcohol and substance misuse dependency, either in a healthcare setting

Desirable

• Experience in a specialist nurse liaison role
• Experience in delivering brief interventions
• Experience in the psychosocial assessment of patients with substance misuse problems

Knowledge

Essential

• A genuine Interest in working with patient with alcohol and substance misuse dependency

Desirable

• Knowledge of pharmacological treatments for alcohol and substance misuse

Skills

Essential

• Able to use electronic notes and have good keyboard skills (A,I)

Desirable

• Experience of teaching in a clinical setting
• Experience supervising/mentoring others in a clinical setting

Personal

Essential

• commitment to equal opportunities

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Kings College Hospital

Denmark Hill

London

SE5 8AZ

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

334-NUR-6769923-LF