Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic person who has experience of working with people with substance use problems and/or experience of working with complex mental health presentations in a community, inpatient, or forensic setting. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants who have experience working with third sector/charity substance misuse organisations.
The post holder will be part of a large, dynamic clinical team across seven East London localities, working with service users with forensic histories and severe and enduring mental health problems. We are especially keen to hear from applicants who are representative of the diverse population we serve. The primary role of the post holder will be to offer assessment and intervention to forensic service users who have difficulties with substance use who are either in the community or approaching discharge from our inpatient services. The post holder will also provide consultation to other professionals across the clinical teams to enable them to understand and manage the risks and needs associated with service users' substance misuse. The post holder will also be embedded within the forensic directorates Drug and Alcohol Service, a multi-disciplinary, specialist team, with access to rich supervision and CPD opportunities.
Main duties of the job
The East London Community Forensic Service (ELCFS) is a multidisciplinary service, developed for service users in the process of and following discharge from forensic inpatient services within East London.
The overarching aims of ELCFS are: to provide in-reach support to help service users move safely towards discharge and so reduce length of stay in secure care, and to provide enhanced support in the community, promote sustained recovery and quality of life, and in turn reduce recalls to hospital. The ELCFS strives to do so by supporting services users with; accommodation, education and employment, substance misuse, access to psychological and recovery focussed therapies, peer mentorship, and improving access to services.
The service model places a strong emphasis on Recovery, service user involvement, co-production, and working with carers. The importance of working across the care pathway from inpatient to community is emphasised. Likewise, there is an emphasis on building relationships with community services (including statutory and non-statutory services, third Sector services, accommodation providers, and community-based groups) to work collaboratively to address the needs of the population.
About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- oUndergraduate degree/diploma or equivalent years of experience would also be considered
- oProfessional Qualification e.g. Nursing, Social Work, or Counselling.
- oEvidence of professional development
Desirable
- oTraining in a model or approach relevant to drug and alcohol intervention, e.g. Motivational Interviewing, or CBT, or other psychosocial interventions.
- oTraining in the delivery of therapeutic groups
- oTraining in Structured Professional Judgment approaches to risk assessment
Experience
Essential
- oMinimum of 1 year's clinical employment within a forensic service, substance misuse team or dual diagnosis team.
- oClinical risk assessment and management of vulnerable service user groups
- oWorking with service users with co-existing mental health and substance use problems
Desirable
- oExperience of developing and delivering training to multidisciplinary audiences
- oExperience of Co-Production
- oClinical practice that is aligned with the principles of Trauma Informed Care
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oKnowledge of current legislation and initiatives within substance misuse and mental health
- oKnowledge of the legal and ethical issues relating to issues around substance misuse in a forensic setting
- oKnowledge of the theoretical frameworks of care of forensic service users with substance use problems and mental health problems
- oGood knowledge of drug and alcohol related problems.
- oKnowledge of the principles and practice of clinical governance, clinical audit and risk management
- oKnowledge of the principles and practice of Trauma Informed Care, and of how trauma relates to both substance misuse and mental health
- oTo empower service users to draw from their strengths and assets, and identify solutions
Desirable
- oAbility to lead and facilitate decision making processes
- oAbility to manage incidents of verbal and physical aggression
Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- oUndergraduate degree/diploma or equivalent years of experience would also be considered
- oProfessional Qualification e.g. Nursing, Social Work, or Counselling.
- oEvidence of professional development
Desirable
- oTraining in a model or approach relevant to drug and alcohol intervention, e.g. Motivational Interviewing, or CBT, or other psychosocial interventions.
- oTraining in the delivery of therapeutic groups
- oTraining in Structured Professional Judgment approaches to risk assessment
Experience
Essential
- oMinimum of 1 year's clinical employment within a forensic service, substance misuse team or dual diagnosis team.
- oClinical risk assessment and management of vulnerable service user groups
- oWorking with service users with co-existing mental health and substance use problems
Desirable
- oExperience of developing and delivering training to multidisciplinary audiences
- oExperience of Co-Production
- oClinical practice that is aligned with the principles of Trauma Informed Care
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oKnowledge of current legislation and initiatives within substance misuse and mental health
- oKnowledge of the legal and ethical issues relating to issues around substance misuse in a forensic setting
- oKnowledge of the theoretical frameworks of care of forensic service users with substance use problems and mental health problems
- oGood knowledge of drug and alcohol related problems.
- oKnowledge of the principles and practice of clinical governance, clinical audit and risk management
- oKnowledge of the principles and practice of Trauma Informed Care, and of how trauma relates to both substance misuse and mental health
- oTo empower service users to draw from their strengths and assets, and identify solutions
Desirable
- oAbility to lead and facilitate decision making processes
- oAbility to manage incidents of verbal and physical aggression
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).
Additional information
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).
