Mental Health & Addiction Team Leader Band 7 SEHSCT

Job details

• Branch: Belfast Area (SEHSCT)
• Location: Hydebank Prison
• Salary: Band 7 (£47,810 - £54,710)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 05/06/26
• Closes: Fri, 19 June 2026 @ 5:30 PM
• Interview Dates: To Be Confirmed

Notes

Please note this post will close on (insert date 2 weeks from live date at 4pm) unless a sufficient response is received before this in which case the post will close earlier than the stated closing date and time. Notes to applicants: You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined below at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria. Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE

Mental Health and Addiction Team Leader

BAND

Band 7

DIRECTORATE

Adult Services & Healthcare in Prison

INITIAL LOCATION

Hydebank Wood College and Female Prison

REPORTS TO

Mental Health Lead

ACCOUNTABLE TO

Assistant Director of Healthcare in Prison

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder is accountable for their department and will

Promote and monitor safe and effective practice

Enhance the patient/client experience

Provide effective leadership and management

Contribute to the delivery of the organisations objectives

Adhere to Trust values

Comply with Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols as relevant to healthcare staff

The Mental Health and Addiction Team Leader will provide operational management and clinical leadership to a multidisciplinary mental health and addiction team within Healthcare in Prisons

They will ensure the delivery of skilled, evidence based interventions to individuals suffering from mental health disorders and dependency on alcohol and/or other psychoactive substances

The Team Leader is responsible for the supervision and management of professional staff, ensuring the delivery of high quality care and treatment within a custodial environment that is in line with that provided in the community. They will work in collaboration with the wider Healthcare in Prison multi-disciplinary teams and with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

The will be expected to deputise for the Mental Health Lead and to represent the Healthcare in Prison Services when required.

KEY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical/Professional/Specific Managerial Responsibilities

The post holder will focus and lead on the following key areas, within the organisation’s governance framework:

Clinical/Professional/Specific Managerial Responsibilities

The post holder will

Work collaboratively with other members of the multi-disciplinary team in the delivery of mental healthcare and addiction services within the Prisons

Ensure health care provision is in line with NG57: Physical Health of People in Prison and NG66: Mental Health of Adults in contact with the Criminal Justice System

Ensure Risk Assessments and formulation of risk management plans as per Promoting Quality Care: Good Practice Guidance on the Assessment and Management of Risk (2009)

Ensure mental health and/or addiction team attendance and participation at the multi-disciplinary clinical meetings and daily huddle that facilities discussion of patient/client needs and ensures a shared approach to care, treatment and risk management

Liaise and work collaboratively with Community Mental Health Teams, Forensic Mental Health Services and Clinical Addiction Teams when necessary ensuring the safe transfer and/or discharge of patients

Ensure adherence to DHSSPSNI guidelines on Drug Misuse and Dependence: UK Clinical Guidelines on Clinical Management (2007)

Ensure the delivery of evidence based psychological and psychosocial interventions as appropriate to the needs of the patient/client, including group programmes

Promote person centred care and the recovery approach in the delivery of all clinical interventions

Develop and participate in psycho-education and health promotion advice to enhance the mental health and well-being of patients/clients and that promotes self-management

Ensure the Mental Health and/or Addiction Team contribute to the Supporting Prisoner at Risk (SPAR) process including participation in the SPAR Reviews and sharing relevant information to assist effective risk assessment and management plans

Monitor and report on patients/clients progress and maintain contemporaneous records, ensuring all clinical information is entered onto the patients’ computerised medical records (EMIS)

The post holder will focus and lead on the following key areas, within the organisation’s governance framework:

1. Ensure safe and effective practice

1.1 Professional, ethical and legal

Adhere to DHSSPS and professional guidelines (NMC, NISPCC or HPC) for practice requirements and standards, for example, safe handling, administration, storage and custody of medicinal products.

Adhere to Trust guidelines, policies and procedures.

Ensure that organisational goals are reflected in own and the mental health and addiction team’s objectives and in department plans.

Contribute to the development of the Trust’s policies and strategies, where appropriate.

Maintain own professional and personal development in accordance with that expected by the relevant professional regulatory body.

Establish and maintain relationships based on mutual respect communicating on a regular basis with the patient / client, relatives and carers in the provision of care and services.

Ensure appropriate systems are developed and operational to facilitate dissemination of information within the department team.

Adhere to the Data Protection Act (2018).

Maintain effective records management ensuring all documentation written or electronic is managed as per HSC Trust and professional guidelines.

Adhere to the Code of Conduct for HSC Managers, as per Human Resource policies and procedures. Ensure risk management arrangements are in place within the department.

1.2 Evidence-based practice

Promote a culture of research and evidence-based practice within the department to enhance person-centred care.

Ensure evidence-based care is provided to agreed standards within the department.

Act as a change agent, developing clinically effective practice through the effective utilisation and integration of evidence.

Participate in developing, implementing and monitoring policies, procedures and protocols.

Create an environment which supports a culture of life-long learning and reflective practice for all staff.

Ensure systems and processes are in place to support effective mentoring of relevant staff.

1.3 Environment

Maintain a safe and clean environment for staff, patients / clients and visitors by ensuring compliance with legislation, policies and protocols including health and safety, healthcare associated infection, risk management and critical incident reporting.

Ensure staff awareness of environmental issues and take appropriate action as per HSC Trust policy.

Participate in the analysis, assessment and management of actual and potential risks to health and well-being.

Ensure safe and effective use of equipment as per HSC Trust policy.

Ensure near misses, incidents, accidents and faulty devices are recorded, reported, investigated and learning disseminated as per HSC Trust policy.

Maintain a Risk Register incorporating generic clinical and non-clinical risks in the department as per HSC Trust policy.

1.4 Multi-professional working

Establish systems and processes to ensure effective communication and continuity of patient / client care, liaising with multi-disciplinary/multi-agency teams and community services.

Contribute to the Prisoner Safety and Support Prisoners at Risk (SPAR) processes, sharing relevant information to assist effective risk assessment and management plans

2. Enhance the patient / client experience

2.1 Person-centred care

Develop and maintain a culture of person-centred care within the department.

Promote a caring environment where equality and diversity issues are respected and patients / clients and their carers are enabled to be partners in their care.

Develop strategies for communication between staff, patients / clients, relatives and their carers, showing awareness of barriers to understanding.

Facilitate communication between all members of the multi-disciplinary / multi-agency team, and across care settings.

Demonstrate appropriate care values including: compassion, respect, empathy, treating people with dignity, integrity, courage, responsibility and adaptability.

2.2 Coordination of the patient / client journey

Ensure the safety and quality of the patient’s / client’s journey by effective planning and co-ordination of the episode of care, including the smooth transition to other settings.

Ensure effective admission / discharge planning with relevant multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams as required.

2.3 Patient / client involvement

Identify opportunities for meaningful involvement of patients / clients and carers in relation to the development of care and services.

Ensure effective systems are in place to gain patient / client and carers’ feedback on their experience of care.

Ensure compliments and complaints are managed in line with HSC Trust policy including the dissemination of shared learning.

Generic managerial responsibilities both within an operational and strategic

context.

3. Provide effective leadership and management

3.1 Role model

Act as a visible clinical educational support within the Trust, directorate, and departments.

Provide effective leadership with regards the learning and development for all nursing staff including students.

Empower and enable staff to contribute to the learning needs of the directorate, departments, become effective contributors to their own learning needs and deliver high quality person-centred care.

Support clinical expertise within the directorate and departments by role modelling evidence-based person-centred care.

3.2 Develop performance

Promote, develop and facilitate a learning culture within the directorate and departments.

Promote equality of opportunity for all, in accordance with HSC Trust Equality Opportunity Policy.

Participate as and when required in staff appraisal/development review, ensuring effective implementation of the Knowledge and Skills Framework (DH, 2004).

Participate in learning needs analysis and facilitate personal and team development plans.

Contribute to the implementation of an effective infrastructure supporting learning and development for all staff.

Challenge appropriately and confidently where standards of care fall below that expected by the Trust, directorate, patient/clients and their carers.

Support, promote and participate in the preceptorship and induction programmes for nursing staff within directorate and departments.

Support the clinical skill development of health care support workers within the directorate and departments.

Understand the Trust and UK standards and policies relating to education and learning.

Promote a person-centred culture to facilitate good staff relationships and morale among all staff.

Contribute to the development of policies, guidelines and strategies related to nursing students.

Contribute to the education commissioning process for nursing staff.

Support the management of poor performance and practice of staff in line with HSC Trust policies.

Work in partnership with Higher Education Institute staff.

Ensure supervision, mentorship and preceptorship is embedded for pre-registration nursing students, registered nursing staff and health care support workers, as appropriate.

3.3 Effective use of resources

Deliver a safe and effective service within allocated resources, ensuring the resources are used to maximum effect.

Monitor budgetary performance, develop and implement action plans, organise the necessary resources and monitor outcomes.

Adhere to financial policies and procedures, particularly Standing Financial Instructions, Authorisation Frameworks, Procurement Legislation and associated processes, and Prompt Payment Code.

Adhere to HSC Trust financial controls and fraud awareness principles (e.g. verification of authenticity / accuracy of the Staff-in-Post records).

Adhere to HSC Trust systems for effectively managing stock and safeguarding fixed assets.

Promote the principles of good governance and protects the directorate from financial risk, particularly in respect of patient/client monies and property and charitable fund.

Display managerial and organisational skills to ensure that products required for learning and development purposes are procured in timely fashion and demonstrate value for money.

Show a commitment to effectively manage resources and achieve statutory financial targets.

4. Contribute to the delivery of the organisation’s objectives

Continuous quality and improvement

Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement through the use of audit (including multi-professional audit), patient / client feedback and reflection on practice by self and other members of the team.

Service improvement, development and modernisation

Work in partnership with a range of clinicians and managers in the planning or development of own service promoting the involvement of patients / clients and carers.

Review processes / practices including those within the department to support patients / clients to improve their own health and well-being.

Review processes / practices to ascertain if there are better ways of working within the department to enhance patient / client care, service delivery and deliver required efficiencies.

Staff Management

Ensure qualified staff working in the department are professionally qualified and registered with the relevant regulatory body ie NMC, HPC or NISCC.

Liaise with relevant professional managers on all professional issues.

Ensure processes are in place to manage sickness / absenteeism and take appropriate action in line with HSC Trust policies.

Promote the health and well-being of staff and observe for any signs of ill health or stress factors in staff assigned to the area and take appropriate action in line with HSC Trust policies.

Manage duty rotas / annual leave and study leave to ensure adequate staff cover and appropriate skill mix.

Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust’s Raising Concerns Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The post holder will be required to

Ensure the Trust’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.

Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

All employees of the South Eastern HSC Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the South Eastern HSC Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the South Eastern HSC Trust’s policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent the Trust’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

eHealth

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has invested in eHealth to deliver better, faster, safer care to our community and is committed to supporting staff to utilise associated information systems that directly and indirectly inform care. Trust staff are therefore required to commit sufficient time to ensure that they acquire and/or retain the core technology skills required to support their role.

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI)

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community were relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal and Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information. PPI_leaflet.pdf (hscni.net)

June 2026

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE

Mental Health and Addictions Team Leader

DEPARTMENT /DIRECTORATE

Adult Services, Healthcare in Prison

SALARY

Band 7

HOURS

37.5 per week

Ref No: 55711291 June 2026

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience / Registration/ Qualifications

Registered Nurse on Part 1 (Mental Health)

Or

Occupational Therapist

Or

Social Worker

AND

Be currently registered with a relevant professional regulatory body i.e. NMC, HCPC or NISCC

Have five years post-registration experience within a mental health and/or addictions setting which must include a minimum of 2 years as Band 6

Evidence of post registration training and development in leadership and/or management.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Knowledge /Skills / Abilities

Provide evidence of continuous personal and professional development.

Ability to provide effective leadership to meet the needs of the post in full.

Ability to effectively manage an operational team to endure positive outcomes for patients/clients.

Provide evidence of maintaining and monitoring standards which have enhanced the patient/client experience of care.

Ability to influence and manage change, including the promotion of evidence based practice

Have effective communication skills to meet the needs of the post in full.

Demonstrate ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Interview / Test

Other

Must be resident in the UK/ROI for previous 2 years (this is a requirement for the Counter Terrorism Security Check, which is a Department of Justice Process and a pre-requisite for anyone working in Healthcare in Prison).

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Leadership Experience

Shortlisting by Application Form

Qualifications

Management qualification

Shortlisting by Application Form

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

To access a copy of the Access NI Code of Practice, please Click here

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has guidance on the Recruitment of People with Criminal Convictions. To access a copy of this guidance, please Click Here

Protecting and using your information

To access a copy of the Trust’s Data Protection Policy Statement,

Click Here

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. Request for recognition of previous service with non-direct NHS/HSC organisations towards starting salary and incremental credit must be made via the Retained Recruitment team within 3 months from commencement of employment. Requests made after 3 months will not be considered. If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times