Job summary
The aim is to provide an extended service to hostels and street-homeless residents within the London Borough of Ealing. The Assertive Outreach Nurse will improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities for individuals who are homeless, rough sleeping, or at risk of homelessness, particularly those who are hard to reach or continually consuming drug or alcohol, where traditional structured treatment may not be suitable. This role involves providing flexible, creative, and innovative assertive outreach to support access to healthcare and promote social inclusion, focusing on physical and mental well-being. A key purpose is to develop and maintain local referral routes and integrated pathways, ensuring seamless, efficient, and effective access to specialist services, primary care, and non-emergency healthcare, thereby removing barriers and addressing gaps in local areas. The role also aims to prevent fragmented services and reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions.
The role will include a range of activities addressing the client's health and well-being, the development of pathways into specialist services, training of hostel and partnership outreach staff to manage residents out of hours, and improving the overall health inequalities via:
- Health promotion
- General Health screening
- Engagement in Primary Care services and facilitate access to organised health care
Main duties of the job
To provide specialist drug and alcohol outreach clinics for local hostels, GP surgeries, and health services in Ealing, including follow-up referrals for hard-to-engage clients. Work closely with the GPs
To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team.
To assess the client's overall health, facilitate early intervention, and guide signposting and referrals to other organised health services.
Continuously assess the psychological, emotional, social, and rehabilitative needs of clients.
To contribute to RISE Naloxone Strategy by training staff and service users in the use of naloxone. Ensuring naloxone is distributed to service users at every opportunity.
Carry out adequate risk assessments and management.
Conduct dry blood spot testing for BBV and urinalysis as needed.
To ensure the CNWL and RISE Hepatitis care plan is used for all clients.
To recognise the professional duty of care to protect where clients present a risk to themselves or others, and comply with statutory requirements regarding Safeguarding Children, Child Protection, including the Children Act 1989 and Hidden Harm guidelines.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
About us
We expect you to show COMPASSION, contribute to a caring and kind environment and recognise that what you do and say helps can make the lives of others better.
We expect you to RESPECT everyone and acknowledge and welcome people's differences rather than ignore them or see them as problematic.
We expect you to EMPOWER others and continually try to provide information, resources and support to help others make their own decisions and meet their own needs.
We expect you to work in PARTNERSHIP and behave in a way that shows that you recognise that commissioners and users of our services are the people who generate and pay for our work.
This role requires successful candidates to be able to engage in Therapeutic Management of Violence and Aggression (TMVA) training, including the use of force techniques and the ability to attend resuscitation training and perform CPR. This is because of the high-acuity nature of the ward / community environment and the need to ensure the safety of both patients and staff. The role is conditional upon candidates being able to engage in TMVA training and resus training during the course of their employment whilst undertaking this role
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached JD&PS for full details of duties and responsibilities.
To provide specialist drug and alcohol outreach clinics for local hostels, GP surgeries, and health services in Ealing, including follow-up referrals for hard-to-engage clients. Work closely with the GPs
To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team in managing and providing specialist services to problem drinkers and drug users in hostels and remote areas, including harm minimisation, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, ITEP care planning, individual intervention, health assessments, wound and injection site management, lifestyle and physical health checks, blood glucose, and urine tests. The role also involves mental health assessments, referrals, and group work.
To assess the clients overall health, facilitate early intervention, and guide signposting and referrals to other organised health services.
Develop and maintain pathways to specialist services to ensure residents' health and well-being, including primary care.
Signpost service users to appropriate health care settings.
Act as the single point of contact for Primary care, local hospitals, and other health services.
Refer dependent drinkers and those needing further input to specialist alcohol services.
Develop and provide a training package for hostel staff on brief interventions and out-of-hours support.
Develop and deliver training for primary care, hospitals, and local health services..
Continuously assess the psychological, emotional, social, and rehabilitative needs of clients, considering family and community, and develop systematic care and treatment plans.
To contribute to RISE Naloxone Strategy by training staff and service users in the use of
naloxone. Ensuring naloxone is distributed to service users at every opportunity.
Assess and case manage clients who inject drugs, especially injection sites, and understand harm minimisation principles.
Use established Outcome Monitoring Tools (TOP) and other quality measures.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached JD&PS for full details of duties and responsibilities.
To provide specialist drug and alcohol outreach clinics for local hostels, GP surgeries, and health services in Ealing, including follow-up referrals for hard-to-engage clients. Work closely with the GPs
To work as a member of the multidisciplinary team in managing and providing specialist services to problem drinkers and drug users in hostels and remote areas, including harm minimisation, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, ITEP care planning, individual intervention, health assessments, wound and injection site management, lifestyle and physical health checks, blood glucose, and urine tests. The role also involves mental health assessments, referrals, and group work.
To assess the clients overall health, facilitate early intervention, and guide signposting and referrals to other organised health services.
Develop and maintain pathways to specialist services to ensure residents' health and well-being, including primary care.
Signpost service users to appropriate health care settings.
Act as the single point of contact for Primary care, local hospitals, and other health services.
Refer dependent drinkers and those needing further input to specialist alcohol services.
Develop and provide a training package for hostel staff on brief interventions and out-of-hours support.
Develop and deliver training for primary care, hospitals, and local health services..
Continuously assess the psychological, emotional, social, and rehabilitative needs of clients, considering family and community, and develop systematic care and treatment plans.
To contribute to RISE Naloxone Strategy by training staff and service users in the use of
naloxone. Ensuring naloxone is distributed to service users at every opportunity.
Assess and case manage clients who inject drugs, especially injection sites, and understand harm minimisation principles.
Use established Outcome Monitoring Tools (TOP) and other quality measures.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- RMN / RN
- Evidence of ongoing personal development and postregistration training in nursing care, assessment, and treatment of clients with substance misuse
Desirable
- Diploma in Drugs and Alcohol Studies or an equivalent qualification
- Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Completed the Motivational Interviewing Training Module
Previous Experience
Essential
- Post-registration experience in Mental or Health
- Experience in senior role managing staff
- Skilled in Hepatitis vaccine supply and administration
- Competent in CNWL Trust Hepatitis Patient Group Directions
- Extensive clinical experience
- Case management expertise
- Skilled in Risk Assessments and Management
- Teaching and Assessing qualification (e.g., mentorship)
Desirable
- Community Nursing Experience
- Experience of working with and delivering services to injecting drug users
- Experience of teaching others and willingness to undertake a Teaching and Assessing qualification within six months of starting the post.
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Possesses sound clinical knowledge and a thorough understanding of current NHS policies and national drug issues.
- Demonstrates strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Exhibits good interpersonal skills for effective communication and negotiation both within and outside the Trust
- Capable of working independently and prioritising tasks effectively.
- Skilled in assessing and treating individuals with dual diagnoses.
- Commits to treating service users with respect and dignity at all times, employing a culturally sensitive approach that considers the person's overall needs
- Can build positive relationships with warmth and empathy, supported by strong communication skills.
- IT literate: proficient in Microsoft Word and capable of reporting 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
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential
- Committed to multidisciplinary teamwork
- Committed to user involvement
- Flexible and responsive to a developing service. The post holder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal and Diversity policy at a level appropriate to the role.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- RMN / RN
- Evidence of ongoing personal development and postregistration training in nursing care, assessment, and treatment of clients with substance misuse
Desirable
- Diploma in Drugs and Alcohol Studies or an equivalent qualification
- Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Completed the Motivational Interviewing Training Module
Previous Experience
Essential
- Post-registration experience in Mental or Health
- Experience in senior role managing staff
- Skilled in Hepatitis vaccine supply and administration
- Competent in CNWL Trust Hepatitis Patient Group Directions
- Extensive clinical experience
- Case management expertise
- Skilled in Risk Assessments and Management
- Teaching and Assessing qualification (e.g., mentorship)
Desirable
- Community Nursing Experience
- Experience of working with and delivering services to injecting drug users
- Experience of teaching others and willingness to undertake a Teaching and Assessing qualification within six months of starting the post.
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Possesses sound clinical knowledge and a thorough understanding of current NHS policies and national drug issues.
- Demonstrates strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Exhibits good interpersonal skills for effective communication and negotiation both within and outside the Trust
- Capable of working independently and prioritising tasks effectively.
- Skilled in assessing and treating individuals with dual diagnoses.
- Commits to treating service users with respect and dignity at all times, employing a culturally sensitive approach that considers the person's overall needs
- Can build positive relationships with warmth and empathy, supported by strong communication skills.
- IT literate: proficient in Microsoft Word and capable of reporting 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
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential
- Committed to multidisciplinary teamwork
- Committed to user involvement
- Flexible and responsive to a developing service. The post holder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal and Diversity policy at a level appropriate to the role.
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).
