Dual Diagnosis Social Worker

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 08 December 2024

Job summary

You will work as a Senior Social Worker based in the community teams in either Mid, North East, South or West Essex and work with the Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership (excluding Southend and Thurrock) a minimum of one day a week, and community mental health services leading on the delivery and provision of an integrated service for people with co-existing substance misuse and mental health problems. This will require joint assessments with Crisis teams, Community Mental Health Services, Criminal Justice, Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership which includes third sector agencies to ensure that service users with multiple needs are not passed from one service to another.

Integral to your role will be whole family working and a multi-agency ethos, underpinned by a non-judgmental attitude and approach. You will be expected to lead on the collaboration with key partner organisations, service users, clinicians and other practitioners within the multi-disciplinary services providing a flexible approach to meet the needs of service users and their families. Evening working may be required to meet the needs of service users and families and meeting in non-stigmatising environments.

Main duties of the job

You will take a role in the development of service delivery and social work practice, consultancy and raise awareness to local staff working in mental health and substance misuse services. You will also actively practice as an AMHP, undertaking Mental Health Act (MHA) assessments and other allocated work in relation to service users with a range of mental health problems and engaging with their carers so that, within the legislation, appropriate action is taken. This includes attending and supporting the QAF Quality Assurance Forum.

You will be responsible for communicating with both service users and their families, trust staff, advocates and other agencies internal and external. This will include (but is not limited to) Essex County Council, Commissioners, Third Sector, Police and HM Prisons. In delivering your duties you are expected to display behaviours that are aligned with the Trust values and as required in accordance with the NHS Constitution at all times.

The dual diagnosis worker is expected to be proactively present in the mental health teams and drug and alcohol partnership offices, where they can then discuss cases, signpost and hold a transient caseload of dually diagnosed patients if required.

About us

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

Season Ticket Loans
NHS discounts for staff
Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Date posted

24 November 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

364-A-8463

Job locations

Herrick House

Colchester

CO1 1ST

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please note that this role outline serves to provide an illustrative example of the duties and responsibilities you may be expected to undertake during the course of your normal duties. It is not an exhaustive list and you will therefore be required to undertake other responsibilities and duties that are considered to be commensurate with the band.

Core Clinical Support

To support engagement with the community mental health services, Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership staff and criminal justice staff in their assessment and interventions where co-existing problems exist.

To co-work and support cases where there are co-existing problems and/or a need for services from multiple departments/agencies both within and outside the organisation.

To lead on raising awareness and promoting better understanding amongst substance misuse and mental health staff and the wider partnership of the issues and risks associated with co-existing problems and what interventions work in order to improve practice.

To implement and maintain processes, in agreement with senior colleagues, that promotes effective communication and joint working between substance misuse and mental health services.

To implement innovative service development and delivery in what can be a contentious and conflicting agenda.

To lead the work with colleagues (community mental health services, Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership and criminal justice) to achieve service objectives.

To offer expert clinical support, informed by evidenced based practice, to achieve skilled intervention where co-existing problems are a feature.

To be the key link on the provision to all services and to deliver consultation and support to all of the mental health services, and Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership and criminal justice.

To provide short term interventions with service users and families using motivational interviewing techniques, looking at being solution focused. For up to 8 weeks.

To ensure consistent attendance at key partnership and local meetings. Including: Joint Clinical Meeting; High Intensity User Group Forum and local Community Mental Health Team Meetings (join for section on Dual Diagnosis).

Collect data on activity, demographics and outcomes as agreed with senior management, analyse trends and implement changes as required in practice.

To participate in workshops and training sessions in the relevant area for other staff in areas of practice development and skill enhancement. To be done in conjunction with the Clinical Leads for Dual Diagnosis.

To work with the Area Managers across the Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership areas to ensure that their staff are able to access the specialist support and advice required to guarantee the effective management of risk in cases within their areas.

To ensure that all people presenting with co-existing mental health and substance misuse problems receive a service that reflects the organisations commitment to improving health outcomes.

To work within accepted standards of customer care and to provide a respectful and sensitive service at all times.

To work in a manner that recognises the diversity of the population and that particularly responds to the needs of women, people from minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities.

To keep up to date and cascade research findings and new thinking within the relevant field.

To identify training needs and to be aware of self-development needs.

Able to robustly assess holistically.

Undertake risk assessments and support developing risk management plans. Able to support positive risk taking.

Establish appropriate professional relationships with service users, their families and other professionals to enable effective partnerships in the provision of services.

Where appropriate to act as a lead for the team in areas of social care for example knowledge around the MHA and develop knowledge and skills locally.

Practice as an AMHP as required, responding effectively to referrals and enquiries. When operating as an AMHP you must be able to work in accordance with the relevant legislation, (including the Mental Health Act 1983, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2009 and related Codes, the Human Rights Act 1998, Equality Act 2010 and local policy. You must also fully comply with the Mental Health AMHP Regulations 2008.

To work with the consultant social worker within the area to ensure effective delivery of s75 performance objectives.

Prepare and present clear, assessment and other reports as necessary to set out the basis of decisions made in respect of service users. Maintain all records to a high standard in accordance with relevant legislation, policy and procedures. Provide information, written assessments, reports and statements to support other service professionals, managers and agencies in making decisions related to care. Provide specialist reports to Mental Health Review Tribunals and Home Office for service users subject to the Mental Health Act.

Core Non-Clinical Support

To be responsive to the development of new EPUT, commissioner and tertiary sector services, and to ensure understanding and development of new services and their delivery.

Be able to work flexibly across areas and teams as required by the service.

To supervise allocated supervisees who may be either staff or students.

Build upon existing knowledge and practice with research and training to develop individual skills and new approaches for improvement in service provision.

Be proficient with IT and be able to use Trust systems to accurately record in line with Trust policy/Use IT systems relating to client information, complying with practice requirements, legislation and local policy relating to data protection.

Be a Theseus representative.

To use all relevant recording systems effectively and appropriately such as Theseus, Paris, Mobius and HIE.

Develop own knowledge and practice and contribute to the development of policy and evidence based practice.

To link in with the local audit groups to facilitate and undertake local audits to ensure delivery of excellent service.

Actively support social work development forums and encourage social work staff within the team to attend

To participate in providing informal and formal training to staff.

Contribute to multi-disciplinary team working, and participate in team meetings

Act as link worker advising other professionals relating to specific areas of expertise