Substance Misuse Practitioner

Job overview

Interviews are due to be held on 05 June 2025

This is an exciting opportunity for a Substance Misuse Practitioner to join the growing Op COURAGE Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.  This service covers the entire South Central region (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight), this role will predominately be covering Berkshire, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire therefore the post holder will need to reside in one of these areas to be considered for this post.

Within Op Courage our team work with military veterans to identify Mental Health concerns and address psychosocial and practical needs by supporting veterans to connect with appropriate services.

The team offer psychological therapy to veterans with mental health needs such as PTSD, depression and moral injury. working collaboratively as part of the Op COURAGE services the postholder will deliver specialist substance misuse information, advice, assessment, caseload management, recovery and harm reduction, signposting and onward referral to further support and treatment as required.

If you share our passion for people, we’d love to welcome you to our warm, friendly team, who want to help you to make your career reflect your ambitions.

Main duties of the job

• This is a full time permanent role, Monday - Friday 37.5hrs  •    Be based at our offices in Erlegh House, Reading  •    Cover Berkshire, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire  •    The post holder will manage a case load of veterans who require support to stabilise and manage their substance misuse as well as mental health and social needs,  •    in collaboration with other Op Courage colleagues,  •    the postholder will be responsible for enhancing and leading the substance misuse pathway in the BOB area and building links with community services.  •    The post holder will also have the opportunity to facilitate the SMART UK recovery programme, training will be offered alongside the role if required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The “must haves” for this role:

1.    Professional registration, Mental Health Nursing and / Social Work/ Occupational Therapist or extensive experience, skills and knowledge in substance misuse and mental health. 2.    Reside in the Berkshire, Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire area 3.    Passion and enthusiasm for working with military veterans  4.    Experience of delivering SMART Recovery or other MI interventions.  5.    A car driver with access to a car is essential.

This is a permanent post and the post holder will be equipped to work across the region. There are opportunities for flexible working and working from home as agreed. A car driver with access to a car is essential.

The post holder will manage a case load of veterans who require support to stabilise and manage their substance misuse as well as mental health and social needs, in collaboration with other Op Courage colleagues, the postholder will be responsible for enhancing and leading the substance misuse pathway in the BOB area and building links with community services. The post holder will also have the opportunity to facilitate the SMART UK recovery programme, training will be offered alongside the role if required.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: Maria Warburton on 07812469253 or email: [email protected] who will be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.