Job summary
This pivotal role aims to improve health outcomes for some of our community's most vulnerable members. It is central to strengthening integrated care pathways and reducing service fragmentation, ensuring that support is both efficient and effective.
Focusing particularly on individuals who are persistently consuming alcohol and may not benefit from traditional structured treatment, you will lead on delivering flexible, nurse-led health clinics within hostel settings across the locality. Working in close collaboration with general practice, you will provide holistic healthcare to residents who often experience significant physical and mental health challenges.
The service's overarching goal is to improve access to appropriate care for people with a range of complex needs, including drug and alcohol use, by delivering timely interventions, promoting health and wellbeing, and supporting engagement with wider healthcare services.
This role also contributes to broader public health objectives -- reducing alcohol-related hospital admissions, tackling health inequalities, and enhancing continuity between community and acute services. Through preventative care, health checks, and targeted health promotion, you will help increase access to non-emergency healthcare and empower residents to take charge of their health.
Main duties of the job
As part of this vital service, the team conducts comprehensive Health and Wellbeing (HWB) assessments, delivering a range of interventions tailored to meet individual health needs. This includes supporting access to primary care, referring clients to appropriate specialist services, and facilitating continuity of care. The service also plays a key role in delivering training to hostel staff and promoting health education through regular screening and awareness sessions for clients.
The Peripatetic Nurse is instrumental in reaching people who may not otherwise access mainstream healthcare. You will provide community-based health screening and support at drop-in centres, day centres, churches, and other outreach settings across the borough, focusing mainly on people who are homeless, socially excluded, or experiencing significant deprivation.
A key aspect of the role involves building rapport and gaining a clear understanding of each client's lifestyle and health-related behaviours. Using a motivational and trauma-informed approach, you will provide practical health promotion and personalised advice and support clients in exploring and making positive changes to improve their overall wellbeing.
With informed written consent, you will conduct health and wellbeing nursing assessments for residents in local hostels. Assessment findings are shared with the client and, where appropriate, with their GP or other healthcare professionals.
About us
At Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL), we are proud to deliver inclusive, compassionate, and high-quality care to some of our communities' most marginalised members. Our Drug and Alcohol Services are a vital part of this commitment, offering innovative, person-centred support to improve health and reduce inequality.
You will be joining a forward-thinking, multidisciplinary team that is passionate about making healthcare accessible to everyone, especially those who face barriers to traditional services. Our approach is grounded in partnership, flexibility and trust. We work closely with GPs, hostel staff, community services and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that every client receives the right care, at the right time.
As a Peripatetic Nurse, you will be supported to work autonomously across a variety of community settings, including hostels, drop-in centres, churches, and day centres. Your work will be dynamic, mobile, and meaningful, meeting people where they are and helping them take the first steps toward improved health and well-being.
CNWL values its staff and provides strong professional development opportunities, regular supervision, and a culture of continuous improvement. You will be part of a supportive team that recognises the complexity of the work and shares a commitment to delivering impactful, recovery-focused care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role is central to delivering a dedicated healthcare service for individuals who are homeless, rough sleeping, or residing in hostels across Milton Keynes. As a Peripatetic Nurse, you will provide proactive, flexible, and person-centred care through a range of health and wellbeing interventions tailored to the complex needs of this population.
Your responsibilities will include:
-
Delivering nurse-led general health clinics within hostels, supported by local general practice.
-
Conducting health promotion activities and general health screening to address immediate and long-term health needs.
-
Supporting engagement with primary care services and facilitating seamless access to wider health and specialist treatment services.
-
Working collaboratively to develop and improve care pathways, ensuring services are well integrated, reducing fragmentation, and are responsive to the needs of service users.
-
Supporting individuals who consistently consume alcohol, particularly where traditional structured treatment is not appropriate, by offering accessible and flexible alternatives.
-
Addressing the physical and mental health needs of hostel residents, with a strong emphasis on reducing health inequalities and improving overall outcomes.
-
Providing training and support to hostel staff, helping to build capacity and resilience in managing residents health needs outside of normal service hours.
-
Working within a motivational and trauma-informed framework, build trust and promote positive behavioural change in partnership with each client.
-
Aiming to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions, support early intervention, and strengthen the interface between community and hospital services.
-
Increasing access to preventative and non-emergency healthcare, including regular health checks and signposting to mainstream services.
All care delivery will be in line with HCC Quality Standards, ensuring the service maintains high clinical and professional standards while addressing the unique challenges faced by this client group.
This is a varied, autonomous and impactful role ideal for a nurse who is passionate about reducing health inequalities, improving access to care, and making a meaningful difference to peoples lives in Milton Keynes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role is central to delivering a dedicated healthcare service for individuals who are homeless, rough sleeping, or residing in hostels across Milton Keynes. As a Peripatetic Nurse, you will provide proactive, flexible, and person-centred care through a range of health and wellbeing interventions tailored to the complex needs of this population.
Your responsibilities will include:
-
Delivering nurse-led general health clinics within hostels, supported by local general practice.
-
Conducting health promotion activities and general health screening to address immediate and long-term health needs.
-
Supporting engagement with primary care services and facilitating seamless access to wider health and specialist treatment services.
-
Working collaboratively to develop and improve care pathways, ensuring services are well integrated, reducing fragmentation, and are responsive to the needs of service users.
-
Supporting individuals who consistently consume alcohol, particularly where traditional structured treatment is not appropriate, by offering accessible and flexible alternatives.
-
Addressing the physical and mental health needs of hostel residents, with a strong emphasis on reducing health inequalities and improving overall outcomes.
-
Providing training and support to hostel staff, helping to build capacity and resilience in managing residents health needs outside of normal service hours.
-
Working within a motivational and trauma-informed framework, build trust and promote positive behavioural change in partnership with each client.
-
Aiming to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions, support early intervention, and strengthen the interface between community and hospital services.
-
Increasing access to preventative and non-emergency healthcare, including regular health checks and signposting to mainstream services.
All care delivery will be in line with HCC Quality Standards, ensuring the service maintains high clinical and professional standards while addressing the unique challenges faced by this client group.
This is a varied, autonomous and impactful role ideal for a nurse who is passionate about reducing health inequalities, improving access to care, and making a meaningful difference to peoples lives in Milton Keynes.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- RMN or RGN
- Evidence of continuing personal development and post-registration training in the nursing care, assessment and treatment substance misuse clients.
Desirable
- Diploma in Drugs and Alcohol Studies or equivalent qualification
- Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Completed the Motivational Interviewing Training Module
- Completed the 'Non Medical Prescriber' course
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience in Mental or general Health
- Experience in supervising junior staff
- Experienced in the supply and administration of Hepatitis vaccines
- Experienced and competent in the supply and administration of CNWL Trust Hepatitis Patient Group Directions
- Extensive clinical experience
- Case management experience
- Experience in undertaking Risk Assessments and Risk Management
- Teaching and Assessing qualification ENB 998 / SLICE or equivalent eg: mentorship
Desirable
- Community Nursing Experience
- Experience of working in and delivering services to injecting drug users.
- Experience of teaching others and willingness to undertake Teaching and Assessing qualification within six months of commencing post.
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Sound clinical knowledge and understanding of current NHS policies and national drug issues/policies.
- Good verbal, written and presentation skills
- Good interpersonal skills in order to communicate and negotiate effectively, both inside and outside the Trust
- Ability to work independently and to prioritise effectively
- Ability to assess and treat people with dual diagnosis
- Evidence of effective leadership and organisational skills
- Evidence of the ability to work in a changing and stressful situation.
- Evidence of ability to teach/disseminate knowledge and skills
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach, which considers the needs of the whole person.
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- IT literate: competent using Microsoft Word and able to report clinical activity data on patient information systems.
Desirable
- Experience of working with stimulant users and people with alcohol problems.
- Experience of group facilitation
- Experience of managing a caseload within the community
- Awareness/knowledge of research skills
- Awareness of counselling models
- Motivational Interviewing skills / Relapse Management skills
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- RMN or RGN
- Evidence of continuing personal development and post-registration training in the nursing care, assessment and treatment substance misuse clients.
Desirable
- Diploma in Drugs and Alcohol Studies or equivalent qualification
- Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Completed the Motivational Interviewing Training Module
- Completed the 'Non Medical Prescriber' course
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience in Mental or general Health
- Experience in supervising junior staff
- Experienced in the supply and administration of Hepatitis vaccines
- Experienced and competent in the supply and administration of CNWL Trust Hepatitis Patient Group Directions
- Extensive clinical experience
- Case management experience
- Experience in undertaking Risk Assessments and Risk Management
- Teaching and Assessing qualification ENB 998 / SLICE or equivalent eg: mentorship
Desirable
- Community Nursing Experience
- Experience of working in and delivering services to injecting drug users.
- Experience of teaching others and willingness to undertake Teaching and Assessing qualification within six months of commencing post.
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Sound clinical knowledge and understanding of current NHS policies and national drug issues/policies.
- Good verbal, written and presentation skills
- Good interpersonal skills in order to communicate and negotiate effectively, both inside and outside the Trust
- Ability to work independently and to prioritise effectively
- Ability to assess and treat people with dual diagnosis
- Evidence of effective leadership and organisational skills
- Evidence of the ability to work in a changing and stressful situation.
- Evidence of ability to teach/disseminate knowledge and skills
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach, which considers the needs of the whole person.
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- IT literate: competent using Microsoft Word and able to report clinical activity data on patient information systems.
Desirable
- Experience of working with stimulant users and people with alcohol problems.
- Experience of group facilitation
- Experience of managing a caseload within the community
- Awareness/knowledge of research skills
- Awareness of counselling models
- Motivational Interviewing skills / Relapse Management skills
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
