Rough Sleepers Senior Practitioner

Job overview

Are you experienced in project management? Are you a nurse with extensive experience in Substance Misuse? Or do you have a relevant degree with experience in working in substance misuse? Have you experience of working with individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness? Are you a car owner/driver? Are you flexible? Are you proactive?

We are offering a Band 7 Senior Practitioner to coordinate a small team of professionals in reaching out to those with substance use issues and also homeless or at risk of homelessness. The project aim is to assertively and proactively support these individuals into treatment which will sit within the wider i-access drug and alcohol team. Organisational skills and the ability to lead are essential to this role as well as having the necessary clinical skills to deliver treatment.

The post holder will be expected to cover Surrey wide but will have the option of either Guildford, Chertsey or Redhill as their main base. Flexibility to work in a variety of settings in order to meet the needs of the service user is essential.

Do you have access to a vehicle which can be used for work purposes or are you able to travel as required to meet the needs of the service? Please note not all office locations or client care bases may be reached by public transport

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for the co-ordination of roles, clarity of responsibilities and the deployment and use of resources within the Team and when required, overall service To be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that promote an environment of user involvement and recovery. To provide clinical leadership and supervision for other team members. To provide and lead on high quality substance misuse information, advice, support, liaison, treatment, signposting and bridging as part of the i-access team to the multi-disciplinary rough sleepers team. To work closely with the MDT, service users and clinicians, 1:1 brief work including assessments / joint assessments, provide advice, support, brief interventions and work collaboratively with the team To hold a small complex caseload of service users who are homeless and are engaging with treatment To work closely with care coordinators and other professionals who are in contact and/or provide services for rough sleepers according to individual need Use specialist Substance Misuse and Mental Health knowledge and skills to carry out joint assessments, plan, formulate and deliver a range of treatment interventions. To work closely and collaborate with hostels, housing providers, drop-in centres and homelessness centres. Working collaboratively to create spaces and opportunities to carry out joint assessments and deliver appropriate interventions.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To provide liaison, advice and support for partnership teams and agencies across Surrey and deliver training to staff regarding service users with drug and alcohol dependency issues/ complex needs including knowledge of Opiate Substitution Therapy and polypharmacy.
• To ensure clinical records are updated, maintained and completed in line with local operational guidelines and trust policy.
• To coordinate and participate in professionals meeting/care planning meetings/team around the person (TAP), including contribution, preparation and presentation of reports and information as appropriate.
• To maintain all records to the expected professional standard and actively ensure good communication within the team and between sessions.
• To maintain agreed standards of care and report to and advise the Management team if there are any difficulties.
• To act as a positive role model for colleagues and others through personal and professional conduct and practice.
• To act as mentor or delegate appropriate mentor for students from other clinical areas wishing to gain experience in Team. Supervisor for junior colleagues in the team and where appropriate supervise students from both their own and other disciplines whilst on placement with the team.
• All staff will have a sound awareness of Safeguarding issues and be clear about their respective roles and responsibilities to report, respond to and share information in relation to Safeguarding Adults, Safeguarding Children, Domestic Abuse and Public Protection.
• To attend Tribunals, Coroners and other Multi-Disciplinary Meetings and prepare reports. Please see the attached Job Description for the details of the role requirements and person specifications.