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Job overview
The North London Forensic Service is a NHS tertiary forensic mental health service based at Chase Farm Hospital in the London Borough of Enfield.
We provide care and treatment to people aged over 18 who have a primary diagnosis of mental illness or learning disability and who are liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act (1983). The service supports those whose risk of harm to others or escape from hospital cannot be safely managed in other mental health settings and therefore require care and treatment within a secure mental health service. The post holder will provide specialist substance misuse assessment and will deliver evidenced based psychosocial interventions to service users in the in-patient services. The post holder will help design and deliver training sessions related to substance misuse for other healthcare staff as well as working with MDT staff within the service to promote awareness and understanding of substance misuse issues through offering advice and consultation on service users’ care to colleagues, and to other non-professional carers.
The post holder will promote an agenda of recovery from the dependence on drugs and/or alcohol within the client group and which supports the goals of reducing re-offending, increasing re-integration into meaningful and sustained occupation and improving social and family relationships.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work alongside the other members of the Substance Misuse team to offer evidenced based interventions to service users in the in-patient services. The post holder will assist the Substance Misuse Lead to develop and maintain high quality standards of care.
The post-holder will be responsible for the assessment, planning and implementation of motivational & relapse prevention based interventions for a small caseload, the post holder will work very closely with their supervisor, the team lead.
The job involves delivering 1:1 and group interventions to service users.
The key skill and requirement for this post is the ability to be able to develop and sustain therapeutic relationships with those with complex presentations such as comorbid mental health and substance misuse issues.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To carry out initial screening and triage, and develop and implement treatment within the field of dual diagnosis (mental health and substance use/misuse) for service users identified as potentially having a dual diagnosis within NLFS.
- To carry out substance misuse assessments, as appropriate
- To provide one to one sessions with service users, ensuring that care and recovery planning in relation to Substance misuse is conducted on an individual basis according to the specific needs of the service user.
- To communicate highly sensitive information requiring the development of persuasive or re-assurance skills to service users and colleagues.
- To establish, sustain and disengage from therapeutic relationships with individuals. To interact and co-operate with service users, relatives, and other professionals within NLFS and any community services as appropriate.
- To have professional responsibility for promoting equality, diversity, and rights.
- To work closely with ward-based nursing teams and multidisciplinary teams to support the implementation of substance misuse care plans
- To design, implement and monitor treatment plans with service users that address their needs in relation to mental health and substance misuse problems.
- To assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to service users and/or others.
- To educate and give information to service users and others in the care of the client on issues related to mental health problems and substance misuse.
This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.
Person specification
Professional
Essential
- Registered Nurse RGN/RMN/RNLD with evidence of continuing professional development in relevant area e.g. substance misuse
- Recent and relevant experience of working with clients experiencing issues with substance misuse
- Experience of assessment of people with substance misuse and related problems
- Ability to work independently if necessary and as part of a team, coupled with the ability to share skills
- An understanding of the principles and practice of harm minimisation. A commitment to working within the harm reduction model of practice
- The ability to conduct a strengths based assessment eliciting a client’s recovery capital
Desirable
- Experience or further training in a relevant subject, e.g. Addictions, Dual Diagnosis or Motivational Interviewing
- Experience of working in forensic settings
- Experience of working in dual diagnosis service
- Evidence of working with complex mental health and substance misuse service users within in-patient and/or community settings
- Able to apply advanced understanding of physical, psychological and social needs of complex mental health and substance misusers – dual diagnosis
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to manage challenging behaviour/ crisis intervention.
- Good communication skills, both verbal and written. To be able to communicate in English, both verbally and in writing.
Skilss and Abilities
Essential
- An awareness of the physical, psychological and social needs of substance misusers.
- A commitment to obtain an understanding of the theories and practices of safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults.
- Ability to establish working therapeutic relationships and maintain professional boundaries.
- Ability to work in sometimes highly distressing and emotional circumstances.
- Good communication skills, both verbal and written. To be able to communicate in English, both verbally and in writing.
- Experience of using word processing and database, as well as a willingness to improve existing skills
- Understanding of Care Programme Approach
- A non-judgemental approach to drug use and drug users
Desirable
- Evidence of knowledge of good practice guidelines on Dual Diagnosis and implications on service delivery
- Able to develop and maintain professional and service user relationships across multiple Hospital and Community settings
- An understanding of Public Health directives and their impact on service delivery
- Experience of using electronic case management systems
- Awareness of the Recovery Model
- Evidence of applying working knowledge of complex interactions in mental health and substance misuse
- Able to formulate assessment, risk and care management of dual diagnosis service users
- Evidence of ability to develop, sustain and provide support to individuals with drug, alcohol and mental health needs
- Evidence of knowledge and application of Mental Health Act, Community Programme Approaches
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Substance Misuse Nurse with Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 6 Nurse (adult and children) role. The advertised salary is £44,485 - £52,521 Per annum including HCAS. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 02 Jul 2026.
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