Drug and Homelessness Liaison Nurse

Job summary

The aim of this position is to reduce the burden of disease and untimely deaths in this vulnerable and complex patient group.

You will work with service users with a wide range of complex needs, such as homelessness, substance misuse problems, self-neglect, domestic abuse, significant risk histories and social exclusion, and who at times may present with challenging behaviours.

You will work flexibly, creatively and effectively in the role, with a high degree of self-direction and using excellent time-management skills to manage your own time and workload, under the supervision and guidance of their Manager.

You will develop strong working links with professionals engaged in support of service users with such issues, such as the multi-agency rough sleepers hub (MARSH), the Rehousing Engagement Support Team (REST), Derby homes, Centenary house, Milestone house, Safespace, the Homeless Paramedic and the Homeless MDT.

You will be a professional role model for the delivery of high-quality specialist interventions for people with drug and alcohol and associated homelessness and other welfare related issues.

You will demonstrate a consistent professional presence promoting a positive image of the Trust and the MHLT to the people under our care, carers and the community.

You will contribute to clinical audits to monitor the effectiveness of the service and improve practice where applicable.

Main duties of the job

To reduce drug and alcohol related harm to service users and the wider community, specifically in patients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness at the RDH.

To work in the Emergency Department and on the RDH wards to support positive risk taking in discharge planning, and to facilitate timely and safe discharge with the necessary support.

To promote carer, service user and community involvement with the service provided.

To establish links with partnership services and providing advocacy for access to these services, such as MARSH, REST, Derby homes, Centenary house, Milestone house, Safespace, the Homeless Paramedic, the Homeless MDT, alcohol and substance services, social care and the police, and develop pathways to improve patient's care delivery and community support.

To organise multi-disciplinary team meetings (MDTs) or risk strategy meetings where appropriate to contribute to the safe discharge planning of service users.

Contributing to the high impact user meetings and care planning as necessary

To ensure service users have access to support services for social (re)integration, enabling them to lead meaningful and purposeful lives: promoting recovery, resilience, peer support and self-determination.

About us

Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of 'making a positive difference in people's lives'.

CQC rated us as 'GOOD' overall, commenting on how our colleagues "treated patients with compassion and kindness" and "felt positive and proud about working for the trust."

Benefits include:

• Commitment to flexible working where this is possible

• 27 days annual leave/year plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years & 33 days after 10 years' service

• Yearly appraisal and commitment to ongoing training

• Generous NHS pension scheme

• Good maternity, paternity and adoption benefits

• Health service discounts and online benefits

• Incremental pay progression

• Free confidential employee assistance programme 24/7

• Access to our LGBT+ network, BAME Network and Christian Network

• Health and wellbeing opportunities

• Structured learning and development opportunities

Job responsibilities

To have a strong understanding of substance misuse issues and ideally have experience working within a similar field.

To have experience in conflict resolution and challenging behaviour.

To proactively work on their own initiative with excellent time management and prioritising skills.

To have a good working knowledge of mental health interventions, services, and good practice.

To be a supportive team player with strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work in partnership with a wide range of professionals, agencies, and internal/external stakeholders, and to demonstrate a problem solving approach.

To have the ability to manage change successfully in a way that prioritises the needs of service users.

To support individuals with housing / homelessness / finances difficulties and promote recovery as well as working to resolve the issues involved. Assessment involved in this would support the MDT to identify the care pathway out of hospital for the service user.

To use their knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, least restrictive practice, the principles of Safeguarding to support their assessment and care planning.

To commence and support continuation and titration of opiate substitution therapy where this is applicable.

To recognise and facilitate treatment of opioids through promoting where appropriate use of medications such as Methadone and Subutex, and Naloxone. To additionally promote recognition of synthetic opioids and treatment for overdose of these.

To provide Clinical Supervision of band 4 Support Worker, with support from Band 6 nurses from the Alcohol Care Team (ACT), and the Clinical Lead for Alcohol and Substance Misuse.

To be flexible, and motivated and driven to develop the role appropriately to the benefit of the patients and the service.

To demonstrate a willingness to work with people with challenging behaviour, and able to motivate people to make changes in their lives, demonstrating a non-judgemental approach and an understanding of people with mental health issues.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Current Registration with NMC under RN part 3/13
• Evidence of up-to-date Personal Development Plan, Professional Portfolio

Skills

Essential

• oDemonstrate knowledge and expertise of Risk Assessment and Management skills
• oEvidence of an appropriate professional attitude, disposition and image supporting the Trust's values and respecting the people with whom you work
• oDemonstrate the ability to lead and develop practice around best available evidence.

Knowledge

Essential

• oKnowledge of physical health conditions secondary to alcohol and substance misuse.
• oKnowledge of the difficulties associated with homelessness, such as obtaining housing, benefits and/or employment.
• oKnowledge of services available for patients with drug and alcohol and housing difficulties.