Substance Misuse Nurse

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives.

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our teams apply these daily, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.  

Our Nurses play an integral part in Change Grow Lives mission to help people change the direction of their lives, to grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you would offer specialist clinical interventions to people who use our services.

This is an excellent opportunity for an energetic and passionate Dual Diagnosis/Substance Misuse Nurse to help shape our vision in how we provide clinical services to individuals whose lives have been affected by drugs and alcohol.  

Where: Tower Hamlets 

Hours: 37.5 per week

Allowances: £4,133.14 Inner London Weighting Pro Rata

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Responsibilites

Work to the core CGL substance misuse nurse job description with additional role specific requirements:

Role-specific responsibilities 

• Provide bespoke interventions for identified service users, with the aim of engaging people in the most appropriate service for their needs, reducing re-presentations and bringing about positive client outcomes
• Support the development of joint working protocols with mental health services and substance misuse services (including Neighbourhood Mental Health Teams (NMHTs), Improving Access to Psychological Therapies
  services)
• Review service users presenting to services and undertake specialist mental health assessments as required
• Identify the training and support needs of colleagues working with this group of service users and deliver training or provide support as appropriate
• Identify any gaps in dual diagnosis provision and provide examples of good practice to inform future pathway and service design
• Improve communication and referral pathways between substance misuse and mental health teams and other services involved in the care and treatment of people with dual diagnosis
• Provide a case management role for identified dual diagnosis service users as appropriate

Clinical Practice

• Undertake physical and mental health assessments for people who access our services when indicated by clinical need and ensure appropriate sign posting/referral to primary care or appropriate secondary health care services for identified health issues
• Undertake assessments for all alcohol individuals who use our services as indicated in the Change Grow Live Alcohol Policy and Procedure, using the outcome to determine safe detoxification as required
• Assist in the titration process for opioid individuals who use our services as required by service need to ensure the service user achieves an optimum dose of opioid substitution therapy (OST)
• Provide education, health promotion and screening for blood borne viruses (BBV). Provide Hepatitis A and or B vaccinations when indicated.
• Work within and consolidate integrated care and treatment pathways for individuals who are identified as being infected with BBVs (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and/or HIV)
• Undertake community alcohol detoxification 
• Support opioid detoxification in the community
• Undertake phlebotomy, as required, ensuring adherence to identified pathways for blood sample labelling, collection, obtaining results and signposting
• Use blood results to support the assessment of the current health status of individuals who use our services, the need for specialist medical referral and the suitability for community detoxification
• Where indicated, refer for specialist inpatient services (including detoxification) and liaise with hospital and inpatient unit staff
• Contribute to Change Grow Lives Naloxone Strategy by training staff and individuals who use our services in the use of naloxone. Ensuring naloxone is distributed to individuals who use our services at every opportunity
• Offer wound care assessment and basic wound dressing to individuals who use our services. Organise signposting to other services as required and ensure clear pathways into other treatment arenas as appropriate
• Have a demonstrable ability to manage emergency situations by being proficient in basic life support, defibrillation and managing a medical emergency e.g., anaphylaxis and overdose until the ambulance arrives
• Understand and adhere to the legislation surrounding the use of patient group directions (PGDs)
• Utilise psychosocial, motivational intervention in both one-to-one and group settings to promote engagement in treatment services and ownership of recovery planning.

About you

• Registered nurse with recent relevant post qualification experience and a current PIN

• Experience of working in substance misuse and/or mental health settings

• Experience of working with people with co-morbid mental health and substance misuse problems

• Experience of managing a caseload of clients with complex needs

• Knowledge of and skills in appropriate therapeutic interventions for working with people with dual diagnosis

• Knowledge of current mental health, substance misuse and dual diagnosis policy, guidance, and legislation

• Qualification in Mental Health Treatment. Relevant registered qualification in Mental Health

We want to support you to recognise and achieve your goals

• We hold regular national nurse and HCA forums, and you will have regular 1:1s and appraisals

• We actively support our nurses with revalidation with protected continuing professional development time, which totals up to 6 days per year
• We also have a wide range of educational opportunities including free access to the RCNi learning platform and we reimburse your NMC fee
• All our team members are encouraged to take a wellbeing hour every week and access personal well -being resources
• Our nursing pay is competitive with the NHS Agenda for Change pay bands

What we will give to you

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service “Capped at 30 days”.

• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme 
• Contributory pension scheme 
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc. 
• A friendly and supportive team 
• Training, career development & progression opportunities 
• Protected monthly CPD. 

Please ensure that when completing your application form and supporting statement, you reflect on the details outlined in the job description. This will help us understand how your skills and experiences align with the requirements of the role.

Direct applications only we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Salary is subject to review in line with the 2025/26 pay award.