Dual Diagnosis Practitioner - HMP Wormwood Scrubs & HMP Brixton

Overview:

We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

What you will be doing?:

Dual diagnosis is an all-encompassing cross sector and cross-agency concern. The sheer breadth and complexity of issues makes it essential that people using, providing and working in services all work together. Dual diagnosis needs to become a bigger priority at all levels.

This role requires leadership and ability to manage strategic partnerships. There is particular emphasis on partnership working with mental health services.

Key Deliverables:

• Manage a caseload of service users ensuring effective co-ordination of care between substance misuse and mental health services.
• Monitoring engagement and effective sharing of information between services
• Development of robust referral pathway & eligibility criteria for ‘Dual Diagnosis pathway’
• Co-design of group work and interventions with relevant agencies/partners
• Co-delivery/facilitation of group work and interventions with relevant agencies/partners
• Attend multi-disciplinary meetings (MDT) or other meetings relevant to pathway development
• Delivering training to the team and wider stakeholder groups. Possible line management and supervisory duties

The post holder will promote an agenda of recovery from drugs and/or alcohol dependence which supports client group goals in reducing re-offending, increasing re-integration into meaningful and sustained occupation, improving social and family relationships.

The post holder will works seamlessly across healthcare and substance misuse services to ensure that the delivery and management of the service meets contractual obligations. This includes ensuring that all data and information requirements (HJIPs/KPIs) are submitted within agreed deadlines and data is utilised to manage the performance of the team and individual staff – taking corrective action in the case of underperformance.

Please note some flexibility may be required for evening/weekend working on a rota basis.

The post holder will be directly line management by service manager with offer of clinical supervision facilitated by service clinical leads that can be tailored appropriately to the needs of individual post holder.

What we are looking for?:

• To work as a member of a multidisciplinary team responsible for the delivery of specialist substance misuse treatment and recovery interventions for drug/alcohol misusers.
• To innovatively support the continuing development of Prison Substance Misuse and Dual Diagnosis Services within national guidelines, through the efficient and effective management of resources at their disposal.
• To contribute to development/negotiation of partnership working mechanisms with all key providers within the prison environment and to promote good partnership working relationships with all teams.
• To be familiar with all aspects of security and safety, consistent with working within a custodial framework and will ensure that positive and effective communication links exist between the wider health team, prison staff, Inclusion staff, community teams/services and any other agency in meeting the needs of this client group.
• To work with the Head of Healthcare and Forward Trust Team Leader to manage change processes from planning and implementation to evaluation/review of evidence-based practice, using clinical governance frameworks that respond to need and effective management of risk.
• To ensure that all staff contributes to the care and documentation (ACCT) initiated following an indication of an individual being at risk of self harm or suicide as per prison policy and ensure they link in with Safer custody and Violence reduction strategy.
• To ensure that facilities/equipment are maintained appropriately and in line with health and safety regulations.
• To provide safeguarding leadership for the team and provide support when safeguarding concerns arise.
• The post holder will be responsible for achieving agreed key performance targets held within partnership treatment plans, Practice Plus Group (PPG) service improvement plans and personal performance plans.
• To assist the Substance Misuse Team and Mental Health Team Leader and Head of Healthcare in ensuring that all Practice Plus Group (PPG) and Forward Trust policies and procedures, including Serious Incident and Complaints policies are fully implemented and complied with.
• To attend relevant internal and external meetings as required.
• To undertake the required training courses as specified by the Practice Plus Group (PPG) and Forward Trust.
• To work within the Forward Trust Health and Wellbeing Team alongside Practice Plus Group (PPG), the Mental Health Team Leader and Head of Healthcare to ensure the service is represented by staff in a professional manner at all times.

• To be responsible for the delivery of high standards of interventions to patients assessed and admitted to the service according to their needs, and in accordance with up-to-date evidence-based practice and relevant protocols and policies.
• To provide specialist advice on substance misuse, dual diagnosis, and related issues to a range of health and non-health professionals related to the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of the plan of care for patients referred to this specialist service. This includes advice on treatment options including detoxification, substitute maintenance prescribing, symptomatic management, the management of alcohol withdrawals and detoxification, advice on medication titration, dispensing of medication including controlled drugs, and managing all aspects of clinical safety e.g., potential overdose, pertinent to a high-risk environment.
• To ensure clinical notes are maintained to the agreed standard at all times and that clients are appropriately assessed, admitted, care planned and discharged.
• To ensure all clients have appropriate updated risk assessment and that risks are actively managed and communicated to relevant parties in an accurate and timely manner.
• To continuously assess the bio-psychological needs of patients, developing systematic plans for care and evaluation of treatment plans of nursing staff working jointly with members of the Inclusion team.
• To ensure an understanding and implementation of clinical governance and to be a lead for the dual diagnosis in any relevant clinical governance meetings
• To develop and maintain service user and carer involvement in both treatment/care planning and service design and ensure the service has active referral mechanisms to mutual aid support services.
• To carry your own caseload.

• To provide regular briefings to the management team on service issues.
• To contribute to the development of a strategic plan for dual diagnosis services with HMP Brixton.
• To work collaboratively in developing and maintaining professional links and co-ordinating client care pathways with other internal and external providers.
• To contribute to innovative solution focused thinking related to service improvement.
• To contribute to policy and protocol development.
• To understand and implement national strategies and policies.
• To oversee the review and implementation of policies/protocols referral, admission and discharge procedures.
• To liaise with prison staff in ensuring that the service is run in accordance with the prisons operational policies and procedures.
• To contribute or lead in partnership, the development of evidenced based and integrated care pathways for individuals experiencing substance misuse problems.

• To promote regular learning within the team to ensure that staff are briefed and trained in the latest dual diagnosis framework and interventions.
• To participate in training initiatives as required both within Practice Plus Group (PPG) and the wider partnership community.
• To be willing to develop own skills / academic knowledge further
• To provide teaching and education to all staff and patients on issues related to substance misuse awareness, dual diagnosis, relapse prevention, blood borne viruses and tolerance/risk of overdose.
• To develop training that promotes substance misuse knowledge and skills in mental health and general health staff and mental health knowledge and skills in substance misuse and general health staff.

• To contribute to clinical and consumer audit and implement resulting recommendations.
• To contribute to team/service reviews.
• To develop evidence-based approaches to the service and to encourage reflective practice, accountability, Clinical Governance and to continuously appraise one’s own performance and to make these outcomes known to the line manager.

• To contribute to the development and implementation of performance monitoring systems.
• To ensure all required activity data is collected and recorded by the team for performance monitoring needs.
• To ensure accurate monthly statistics are produced on service activity and outcomes.
• Ensure all clinical records are updated and accurate in a timely manner.
• Adhere and ensure all staff adheres to all the requirements of data protection and Caldecott.

• Patients are the most important people in the health service and are at the centre of what we do. Patients and carers are the ‘experts’ in how they feel and what it is like to live with or care for someone with a particular illness or condition. The patients’ experience of our services should guide the way we deliver services and influence how we engage with patients every day in our work.
• All staff should communicate effectively in their day-to-day practice with patients and should support and enable patients/carers to make choices, changes and influence the way their treatment or care is provided. All staff, managers and Board members should work to promote effective patient, carer and public involvement in all elements of their work.
• We have a duty to involve, engage and consult with patients, carers and families about plans for health facilities and the provision of our services. We wholeheartedly embraces the principles of patient partnership and has made clear our commitment to involve patients in key aspects of its work.

• To be responsible for ensuring self and team:
• Comply with the prison security requirements.
• Assume personal responsibility for the security of issued keys.
• Demonstrate security awareness and familiarity with security procedures especially in relation to prescribed and non-prescribed medication, articles used to self-harm and potential weapons.
• Respond to any situation or circumstance that may indicate threat to security, completing security information reports when appropriate.
• Where it is deemed appropriate to escort visitors to healthcare and prisoners in accordance with prison security standards.
• Escort and chaperone of healthcare related visitors.
• Achieve acquired standard of security awareness and breakaway techniques.

• To ensure that the team have the ability to work autonomously in order to carry out nursing duties this will include;
• Individual workload management
• Crisis Intervention
• Rapid assessment
• Crisis management

• Compliance with all infection control policies and procedures (including hand hygiene, personal hygiene, environmental and food hygiene) will form an integral part of the practice of all staff working in a clinical environment. Each staff member will be responsible for familiarising themselves with Infection Control Policy. Staff must keep up to date with new policies and subsequent implementation in practice and undertake annual training/updates in infection prevention and control.
• Staff must seek support and advice from Infection Control in all instances where cross infection is likely to have occurred or when managing situations involving patients with infections where guidance provided in the Policies is not applicable.
• All staff must contact the Occupational Health Dept if they are suffering from any form of infection which may put patients and other staff at risk.

What we offer:

Alongside Simply Health coverage, and a contributory pension scheme to assist employees with their general health and well-being. We offer:

• Training opportunities and career development
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

Person specification:

Please click on the link below to download the full person specification.

Dual Diagnosis Practitioner JD - 2023 London