Homeless Substance Misuse Recovery Worker

Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

Haringey has recently been awarded funding from the rough sleeping drug and alcohol treatment grant to support to people who are experiencing or have recently experienced rough sleeping access drug and alcohol treatment, There is now an exciting job opportunity for a homelessness substance misuse worker to join our established and highly energetic clinical and psychosocial team at The Grove, working in partnership with the recently established Homeless Health Inclusion Team and homelessness providers to support access, engagement and sustained engagement with drug and alcohol treatment. We are looking for dynamic worker with excellent interpersonal skills to join our multi-disciplinary team, with a strong commitment to providing high quality care and an innovative approach to engaging this population in drug treatment

Main duties of the job

To work as a member of a multidisciplinary specialist drug team, providing information, advice, assessment, caseload management, recovery and harm reduction services to drug users who are currently sleeping rough or have a history of homelessness.
To work in partnership with homelessness and health providers, and other relevant agencies to engage this vulnerable and complex population in treatment, working collaboratively to break down barriers and develop innovative and robust pathways to engage this client group in treatment, and reduce harm.
The post holder will be responsible for undertaking substance misuse assessments of homeless service users, in partnership with homelessness and other health providers will develop and implement complex, responsive and service user focused treatment and recovery plans.
The post holder will assist the Clinical Services Manager and the Grove team to develop and maintain high quality standards of care.

Please note interviews will take place on 15 March 2022.

About us

BEHMHT is a multiple award-winning, combined mental health (MH) and community Trust providing local, regional and national healthcare services. We are one of the largest employers in North London with over 3000 staff delivering a range of mental health and community services to a population of over one million. In Enfield, we provide a full range of child and adult community health services, which over the last few years has been integrating with its mental health services to provide better and more holistic care. BEH manages the renowned North London Forensic Services (NLFS) which delivers MH care across some of the prisons and provides MH services as HM Young Offenders Institutions in Aylesbury. We are rated as 'Outstanding' by the CQC. We have also been appointed as the lead provider of forensic mental health services across North London managing the devolved New Models of care budget of £170m from 2018/19.

Date posted

15 February 2022

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,553 to £36,265 a year per annum inclusive of Outer London HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

306-SS052-GR

Job locations

The Grove

London

N17 6RA

Job description

Job responsibilities

To manage a caseload of service users affected by rough sleeping and substance use, completing comprehensive assessments, risk management and treatment plans, as well as developing co-produced care plans.
To work with service users who use opiates and need to access opioid substitute treatment (OST). This includes supporting the service user engage in the initial assessment and initiation on OST. Holding a caseload of clients in OST, testing for illicit drug use, liaising with pharmacies regarding dispensing and supervised consumption, GP liaison and producing/issuing prescriptions under the supervision of a medical prescriber.
To deliver structured psychosocial and psychoeducation interventions to non-opiate users, including harm reduction/minimization strategies, motivational interviewing, problem solving, and behavioural interventions and counselling techniques as negotiated with individual service users.
To be flexible and dynamic and able to provide an outward facing role to services users who are sleeping rough or in hostels/supported housing accommodation. Co locating to provide assessments, psycho education groups and harms minimisation direct to service users and advice and support to professionals working in these settings.
To work as an effective member of the multidisciplinary team actively participating in clinical team meetings, group supervision and contributing to the yearly service development plan
To work collaboratively with homelessness, health and other relevant agencies, to ensure a joined up approach to treatment and care planning
To adhere to local safeguarding protocols to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, including the completion of safeguarding assessment tools, referrals to social services and producing reports

Job description

Job responsibilities

To manage a caseload of service users affected by rough sleeping and substance use, completing comprehensive assessments, risk management and treatment plans, as well as developing co-produced care plans.
To work with service users who use opiates and need to access opioid substitute treatment (OST). This includes supporting the service user engage in the initial assessment and initiation on OST. Holding a caseload of clients in OST, testing for illicit drug use, liaising with pharmacies regarding dispensing and supervised consumption, GP liaison and producing/issuing prescriptions under the supervision of a medical prescriber.
To deliver structured psychosocial and psychoeducation interventions to non-opiate users, including harm reduction/minimization strategies, motivational interviewing, problem solving, and behavioural interventions and counselling techniques as negotiated with individual service users.
To be flexible and dynamic and able to provide an outward facing role to services users who are sleeping rough or in hostels/supported housing accommodation. Co locating to provide assessments, psycho education groups and harms minimisation direct to service users and advice and support to professionals working in these settings.
To work as an effective member of the multidisciplinary team actively participating in clinical team meetings, group supervision and contributing to the yearly service development plan
To work collaboratively with homelessness, health and other relevant agencies, to ensure a joined up approach to treatment and care planning
To adhere to local safeguarding protocols to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, including the completion of safeguarding assessment tools, referrals to social services and producing reports

Person Specification

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

Relevant qualification in the field of substance misuse or social care
Minimum requirement NVQ level 3

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

Recent and relevant experience of working with those affected by substance misuse and homelessness
Experience of assessment of drug and alcohol users with complex needs, including homelessness
Experience of working with a clients on Opiate Substitute Treatment
Experience of complex case management in a community setting
Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Essential

Ability to work independently if necessary and as part of a team, coupled with the ability to share skills, knowledge and experience
A good working knowledge of the specific health risks that those affected by substance misuse and homelessness are exposed to.
An understanding of the principles and practice of harm minimisation, and a commitment to work within the harm reduction model of practice
The ability to conduct strength based assessment in partnership with other professionals
An understanding of the physical, psychological and social needs of those affected by substance misuse and homelessness
An understanding and knowledge of the main psychoactive drugs used by this client group, their effects and current treatment
Ability to establish working therapeutic relationships and maintain professional boundaries across multiple homelessness settings
Ability to communicate complex and highly sensitive information to clients and other professionals
An understanding of the theories and practices of safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Essential

Good communication skills, both verbal and written. To be able to communicate in English both verbally and written.
Experience of using word processing and database, as well as willingness to improve existing skills.
The ability to quickly respond to changing and unpredictable service user behaviour and manage situations accordingly.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Essential

Willingness to handle body fluids, eg urine screening and body fluid spillages.
Able to work flexibly according to the needs of the service

Person Specification

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

Relevant qualification in the field of substance misuse or social care
Minimum requirement NVQ level 3

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

Recent and relevant experience of working with those affected by substance misuse and homelessness
Experience of assessment of drug and alcohol users with complex needs, including homelessness
Experience of working with a clients on Opiate Substitute Treatment
Experience of complex case management in a community setting
Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Essential

Ability to work independently if necessary and as part of a team, coupled with the ability to share skills, knowledge and experience
A good working knowledge of the specific health risks that those affected by substance misuse and homelessness are exposed to.
An understanding of the principles and practice of harm minimisation, and a commitment to work within the harm reduction model of practice
The ability to conduct strength based assessment in partnership with other professionals
An understanding of the physical, psychological and social needs of those affected by substance misuse and homelessness
An understanding and knowledge of the main psychoactive drugs used by this client group, their effects and current treatment
Ability to establish working therapeutic relationships and maintain professional boundaries across multiple homelessness settings
Ability to communicate complex and highly sensitive information to clients and other professionals
An understanding of the theories and practices of safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Essential

Good communication skills, both verbal and written. To be able to communicate in English both verbally and written.
Experience of using word processing and database, as well as willingness to improve existing skills.
The ability to quickly respond to changing and unpredictable service user behaviour and manage situations accordingly.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Essential

Willingness to handle body fluids, eg urine screening and body fluid spillages.
Able to work flexibly according to the needs of the service

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information