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Job summary

Main area
Specialists
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (Secondment option available)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week (Shifts will need to cover the service times of Monday to Sunday, 8am - 8pm)
Job ref
345-MED6377167
Employer
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
University Hospital North Tees
Town
Stockton
Salary
£35,392 - £42,618 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
05/07/2024 23:59
Interview date
11/07/2024

Employer heading

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust logo

Substance Use Practitioner

NHS AfC: Band 6

We are on a continuous journey of improvement and transformation , however our main priority is, and always will be, providing safe and high quality care to our patients every day; the kind of care we would want for ourselves and our loved ones. If you share our passion then apply for this opportunity and help us make our patients’ experience the best it can possibly be.

With a budget of around £365m, three hospitals and 5,500 staff, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital-based services to the population of Hartlepool, Stockton on Tees and parts of East Durham and Sedgefield as well as community, therapeutic and screening to a wider population across Durham and Teesside.

Job overview

We are looking for individuals with experience of working in substance use settings to support the development and implementation of our substance use service to ensure patients who attend the trust with substance dependency are effectively managed and referred to local community providers where appropriate. 

This is an exciting opportunity for experienced individuals to assess and manage an inpatient case load, provide specialist advice and enhance the wider hospital team’s knowledge of substance use. The substance use practitioner will be a professional role model; advocating evidence based clinical practice in the area of substance dependency, working closely with the existing clinical team to promote the multi-disciplinary team approach with colleagues involved in the management and prevention of the physical and psychosocial adverse consequences of substance use. Substance use practitioners will engage in regional meetings to share local intelligence, and develop pathways of care with other specialist services within and outside of the trust. 

The post holder will align with our established Alcohol Care Team, based at the University Hospital North Tees. The post holder will be expected to work flexibly to ensure that service needs are met.

Main duties of the job

  • Supporting in assessment and management of people with substance use and withdrawal and the physical, psychological and social complications of substance use and dependency.
  • Support patients where there may be physical or verbal violence or aggression towards the post holder.
  • Provide support and advice at Specialist Practitioner level, to the Consultant led clinical teams on wards and in the Emergency Departments
  • Develop treatment pathways for complex patients including comprehensive assessment and implementation of care plans designed to ensure the highest evidenced based care is delivered.
  • Identify the need for appropriate referral to substance use services within and outside the Trust and coordinate these referrals in an accountable, auditable way
  • Provide prescribing advice to prescribing colleagues for the appropriate management of substance use recommended by the Orange Book 2017 and NICE for use within substance use services.
  • Manage a caseload within agreed specification timescales ensuring safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children are paramount.
  • Be prepared to manage challenging behaviours through a trauma informed approach.
  • Monitor progress with patients, relatives and carers and the multi-professional team. Utilise reports and feedback to inform practice / service developments
  • Work with Urgent & Emergency Care frequent attenders to ensure safe discharges and appropriate treatment is reached.

Working for our organisation

At North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust our main priority is, and always will be, to provide safe and high quality care to our patients every day; the kind of care we would want for ourselves and our loved ones. We want our organisation to be the best place to work with the right staff, in the right roles, at the right time, to ensure we deliver exceptional patient care and experience.

We will support staff through providing an inclusive and supportive workplace with health and well-being initiatives, staff benefits and opportunities for personal and professional development.  Staff recognition is very important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Star and Team of the month, colleague recognition – a note of thanks, Managers Awards, Shining Stars and Service Awards.

We support the Making Every Contact Count approach to behaviour change in the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

 

We recruit for values and “Together we are North Tees & Hartlepool”

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See Job Description attached

  • Clinical assessment of patients with substance use
  • Advice on  prescribing  of opioid substitution therapy (OST) where required and advocate for the use of the clinical guideline to support OST
  • Provision of brief advice and harm minimisation
  • Wound care advice
  • Onwards referrals to housing, safeguarding etc.
  • Support the testing of illicit substances, (see separate SOP linking in with Cleveland police)
  • Referral and liaison with community substance use providers 
  • Referral and liaison with internal trust departments (e.g., pain time and psychiatry liaison) 
  • Provide education and training to trust colleagues
  • Support data collection and evaluation of the substance use pathway

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • First degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience For example: RGN/ RMN/ RNLD or equivalent discipline such as social work, health and social care etc.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience or further training in a relevant subject, e.g. Post – graduate Diploma in drugs and alcohol studies or equivalent

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of assessment and management of people with substance use and related problems
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working with partners and stakeholders across settings

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Expert knowledge of the management of substance use and withdrawal
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of providing education and training to colleagues

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Ability to confidently provide advice and guidance to colleagues and respond appropriately to challenge
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of use of audit processes

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - Silverhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kickstart-scheme-employer-resources/kickstart-scheme-brand-guidelinesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Dying to Work CharterStep into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Hayley Tranter
Job title
Alcohol Lead Nurse
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07900918168
Additional information

Emma Wright - [email protected]

Sally Harris - [email protected]

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