JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Hospital Liaison link worker
Responsible to: Alcohol Liaison Nurse Team Leader
Salary Scale: NJC SP24 –SP28 £24,020 to £26,962 inclusive of GLW
Accountable to: Head of Alcohol Treatment
Contract: permanent
Hours: 37.5 hours as directed, including some late evenings or Saturday working
Based at: North Middlesex University Hospital, 171 Park Lane N17 0JH and 590 Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, N15 6HR, London and surrounding Haringey area
Summary of Post:
To work assertively with people who are frequent attenders at North Middlesex University Hospital (NMUH), with alcohol- specific complaints to enhance their engagement with treatment services and support them in improving their daily living skills, housing and health.
1. Basic Objectives
1.1 Provide 1:1 psychosocial interventions to repeat attending patients at NMUH – engaging them into HAGA’s wider alcohol treatment service.
1.2 Carry out comprehensive assessments (including risk assessments) and basic occupational health assessments.
1.3 Broker other services including: mental health, primary care, disabilities, social care and any other relevant services in response to service user needs.
1.4 Monitor, report on and improve outcomes across a range of measures, but particularly to reduce preventable GP attendances, urgent care centre attendances, A&E attendances, hospital admissions, ambulance call-outs for the service users in the “frequent attender” cohort.
1.5 Support Alcohol Liaison Nurse team leader with wider service targets (for example hospital ward round) on an as-required basis.
2. Main Duties and Responsibilities
2.1 To travel to various locations by public transport within the borough of Haringey, to make contact and build up relationships with the hospital “frequent attenders” through regular and consistent contact episodes and MET-oriented interventions.
2.2 To comprehensively assess the needs of the service-user group, in hospital or community settings and within their own homes. Offering appropriate interventions and referrals as agreed with manager/team members and in line with outputs and outcomes agreed for the project.
2.3 To ensure that joint assessments take place as required and interagency partnership working is prioritized
2.4 Advocate on behalf of service users in obtaining assistance with housing, benefits, mental and physical health care and access to substance misuse treatment services at whichever tier is appropriate.
2.5 Assist service users in developing strategies, which improve self esteem, social skills and psychological well being that supports their rehabilitation from alcohol misuse.
2.6 Teach service users appropriate daily living skills to manage own alcohol and substance misuse along with improve health and social functioning.
2.7 Accompany service users to appointments that add value to reducing harm within their daily lives.
2.8 Hold a caseload of ongoing service users, the numbers and intervention timescales to be agreed with manager, and within the project parameters
2.9 To act as a care co-ordinator for service users needing residential detox/rehabilitation in agreement with nursing staff at HAGA.
2.10 To work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary prescribing services and encourage clients medication compliance, as well as advocating in case of concerns.
2.11 Attend regularly the NMUH and where appropriate the Homerton, St Ann’s and Whittington Hospitals in order to engage, assess and provide care input for service users.
2.12 Work to obtain and maintain an honorary contract with the NMUH trust to assist in data monitoring and updating “frequent attenders” target list.
2.13. Conduct functional assessments informed by occupational therapy approaches for the purposes of providing practice support and appropriate referral for occupational therapy input or social care.
3. Professional
3.1 To follow the administrative procedures of HAGA and the NMUH trust
3.2 Develop and maintain mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the work, such as Clinical Information Portal, PAS, NDTMS and other associated hospital and Excel-based monitoring tools in conjunction with manager.
3.3 Keep up to date paperwork and/or database records of all work undertaken in the format of support plans and service user’s case notes.
3.4 Provide written and verbal reports and conduct correspondence as requested by manager.
3.5 To make client referrals as part of an integrated service.
3.6 Ensure that all documentation required by funders and commissioners is completed accurately and within the timeframe requested.
3.7 To collect statistical and monitoring information with particular focus on quality standards and in line with service level agreements.
3.8 To adhere to Safeguarding of Children and Young People and Vulnerable Adults policies and procedures and report any concerns to your line manager/Deputy Director, sharing HAGA’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
3.9 To ensure the maintenance of a high standard of Health and Safety at all times in line with both HAGA and NMUH trust procedure, and to report all accidents/incidents which take place both verbally to manager and on the standard forms.
3.10 Ensure service user and organisational confidentiality as per agreed agency policy.
3.11 To adhere to HAGA's Equal Opportunities Policy at all times, proactively ensuring that you are sensitive to the range of cultural, social and family backgrounds and to respect the varying needs of vulnerable adults/children and young people.
3.12 Ensure that all work areas—both communal and personal—are kept clean and tidy.
3.13 To be aware of and to adhere to HAGA's policies and procedures.
4. Personnel & Training
4.1 To attend and contribute to internal and external meetings, and group and individual supervision as requested by line manager.
4.2 To identify training needs and undertake "in-house" and external training as requested and approved by line manager.
4.3 To develop one’s own professional growth with input from the Employment Development & Training Manager and in line with the HAGA/Kinesis training policy.
4.4 To ensure that all requests for leave and working arrangements are discussed with the line manager in advance, and report/certify all sickness as appropriate.
5. Liaison and Communication
5.1 To communicate effectively with colleagues, and all other professionals and service users. Attending Community Alcohol Treatment (CAT) team meetings as required to share information about new service user assessments, discharges or for guidance/support on complex cases.
5.2 To be available for advice and consultation to other statutory and voluntary agency staff, and work cooperatively to develop effective responses.
5.3 To be responsible for referrals to CYPS where there are concerns that a service user has parenting/caring responsibilities in line with LBH Joint working protocols
5.4 Comply with the Haringey Drug, alcohol and recovery partnership (HDARP) information governance policy in respect of service user data collection, sharing and use of Carepath case management system.
6. Other
6.1 To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and post as specified by your line manager.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Person specification
All "essential" attributes listed below are essential for candidates to be considered for the role.
All candidates shortlisted will be expected to have at least some of the "desirable" attributes listed below
Area / Essential / DesirableEducation, qualifications, & training / · NVQ Level 3 Health or Social care / · BSc Substance misuse or any other related field
· Mental Health training
· Counselling / Therapeutic Skills
Experience / · 2 years minimum experience working with individual with alcohol or substance misuse
Skills / · Conducting comprehensive assessments
· Conducting risk assessments
· Support planning
· Use of Treatment Outcomes Profile
· Excellent written and oral communication skills
· Ability to demonstrate active listening skills
· Ability to maintain professional boundaries
· Ability to understand and work with, the issues that affect people with substance misuse problems
· Planning and organization skills, including prioritising competing demands and using contingencies to achieve deadlines and other requirements / · Family sensitive practice
IT / · Confidence and proficiency with software packages such as Access, Excel, Internet, PowerPoint, and Outlook emai& diaryl. / · Illy data management system
Partnership Working / · Proven ability to work positively within a multi disciplinary setting
· Establishing and working collaboratively with external agencies
Other / · Understanding of equality and diversity.
· Understanding of safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
· Willingness to develop new skills, undertake training and take on new challenges.
Attributes / · Ability to motivate others
· Client satisfaction
· Teamwork both with immediate colleagues and between teams
· Results orientated
· Thoroughness
· Initiative
· Creativity
· Flexibility and on occasions willingness to work out of office hours
Key Activities
Unit Number /AA1 / Recognise indications of substance misuse and make appropriate referrals
AA2 / Relate to and interact with individuals
AA3 / Support individuals to access and use services and facilities
AA4 / To promote people’s rights and responsibilities
AA4 / To promote anti-discriminatory practice in ways which are consistent with
professional and legislative frameworks and organisational policy
AA4 / Recording, storing and communicating information is consistent with the
requirements of legislation and organisational policy
AA5 / Interact with individuals using telecommunications
AA6 / Promote choice, well being and the protection of all individuals
AB1 / Support individuals who are distressed
AB2 / Enable individuals to adopt safe practices associated with substance use
AB2 / Support individuals when they have used substances ensuring that your
actions are consistent with agreed role and CRI policies and procedures
AB2 / Support individuals in reducing substance use
AB3 / Contribute to the prevention and management of aggressive and abusive behaviour
AB4 / Contribute to the protection of individuals from harm and abuse
AB5 / Assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to substance users, other
clients and staff
AB6 / Support individuals to deal with relationship problems
AB7 / Provide services to those affected by someone else’s substance misuse
AB8 / Contribute to assessing and act upon risk of danger, harm and abuse
AB9 / Work in collaboration with carers in the caring role
AB10 / Relate to families, parents and carers
AC1 / Reflect on and evaluate your own values, priorities, interests and
Effectiveness
AC1 / Incorporate new knowledge into the development of your own practice
AC2 / Make use of supervision
AC3 / Contribute to the development of the knowledge and practice of others
AC4 / Support and challenge workers on specific areas of their practice
AD1 / Identify and increase individuals’ knowledge and values about substances,
their use and effects
AD2 / Facilitate learning through workshops, presentations and activities
AD3 / Facilitate group learning
AD4 / Develop and disseminate information and advice about substance use, health and social well-being
AF1 / Carry out screening and referral assessment
AF2 / Carry out assessment to identify and prioritise needs and taking
appropriate action
AF3 / Carry out comprehensive substance misuse assessment
AG2 / Contribute to the development, provision and review of care programmes and the delivery of service to individuals
AG3 / Assist in the transfer of individuals between agencies and services
AH3 / Supply and exchange injecting equipment for individuals
AH4 / Support individuals to undertake and monitor their own health care
AI1 / Counsel individuals about their substance misuse using recognised
theoretical models (e.g. Motivational Interviewing) to enable individuals to
identify and explore concerns and decide on a possible course of action
AI2 / Help individuals address their substance use through an action plan
AJ1/2 / Help individuals to plan, evaluate and review interventions to address and change their offending behaviour
AK1/2/3/4 / Assist individuals to explore and plan for future employment, training, education, housing and financial management
BA3 / Contribute to the development of organisational policy and practice
BA4 / Evaluate and improve organisational performance
BA5 / Support effective governance
BA6 / Manage the development and direction of the provision
BB1 / Promote your organisation and its services to stakeholders
BC2 / Manage activities to meet customer requirements
BC3 / Manage change in organisational activities
BC4 / Assure your organisation delivers quality services
BC5 / Manage a service that achieves best possible outcomes for the individual
BD2 / Manage your organisation’s facilities
BD3 / Support health and safety of yourself and individuals
BD4 / Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the working environment
BE2 / Provide information to support decision making
BE4/5/6 / Supply information for management control and to assist with decision-making, by preparing reports and returns
BF2 / Develop, implement and evaluate strategies and policies for recruiting and managing volunteers
BF5 / Lead the work of teams and individuals to achieve their objectives
BF6 / Manage the performance of teams and individuals
BF7/8 / Respond to / deal with poor performance in your team
This job description is subject to review by your line manager.
Date and reference:
Rider Clause
This is an outline of the postholder’s duties and responsibilities. It is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time in order to meet the changing needs of the organisation.
These sections should be included in all job descriptions
Supplementary Information:
Job Flexibility
The postholder will be required to work flexibly, providing assistance as and when necessary, which may involve them in a developing role.
Working Relationships
The working relationship between all members of staff should be mutually supportive, with staff deputising and covering for each other when appropriate.
Health and Safety
Haringey Advisory Group on Alcohol has a Health and Safety Policy applicable to all employees. Employees must be aware of the responsibility placed on them under the Employment Rights Act 1996, to ensure that agreed safety procedures are carried out, and to maintain a safe environment for employees, service users and visitors.
Infection Control
The prevention and control of infection is the responsibility of everyone who is employed by Haringey Advisory Group on Alcohol. Employees must be aware of infection control policies, procedures and the importance of protecting themselves and their service users in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
Staff Involvement
Haringey Advisory Group on Alcohol is committed to involve staff at all levels in the development of the organisation. Managers should ensure that staff are encouraged and involved in organisational and service developments including business planning and they are able to influence discussions, which affect them and their working conditions. All managers should engender a culture of openness and inclusion so that staff feel free to contribute and voice concerns. They should develop and implement communication systems that ensure staff are well informed and have an opportunity to feedback their views.