Treatment & Education Drug Services

TREATMENT & EDUCATION DRUG SERVICES

ACROSS RHONDDA CYNON TAFF

Cwm Taf Primary Care Drug and Alcohol Nurse

(PCDAS)

Responsible to: Manager, TEDS

Location: Rhondda Cynon Taff & Merthyr Tydfil (Cwm Taf)

Hours: 37 ½ hours per week

Annual Leave: 29 days a year, rising to 34 days after 5 years continuous service.

Salary: Starting at £28,755

Background

TEDS has been providing a wide range of specialist substance misuse services for over 29 years. We work within a recovery based, harm reduction framework, with the service user at the heart of all interventions.

PCDAS has been delivering a primary care substance misuse service across Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr Tydfil for 2 years, working with GP’s to provide a shared care service for drug and alcohol users within their Practice. There are currently 2 nurses and 4 drug workers delivering the service and we are now looking to employ another nurse and a primary care caseworker. The Team works with the GP’s to provide holistic, recovery based interventions, including substitute medication for the treatment of drug dependence and medication to assist with Community Detox for alcohol dependence. Clients of the service will be stabilised on appropriate substitute medication to alleviate withdrawal and cravings, in order to reduce the use of illicit or non-prescribed drugs while he/she works towards a substance free life.

Clients will be offered a full range of support in order to assist them in overcoming their substance misuse; this will include harm reduction focused work delivered by substance misuse nurses and drug/alcohol workers.

A range of options will be offered to clients engaged in the service, including pyscho-social interventions, detoxification and maintenance programmes. Treatment will be individualised, and will seek to support clients to address their substance misuse as well as to raise motivation to address any wider social and health issues.

The Substance Misuse Nurses and drug/alcohol workers deliver services in line with PCDAS Operational Policies, and NICE Clinical Guidelines, ensuring that care is safe, undertaken to a high standard and informed by up-to-date, evidence-based practice. The Clinical Lead for the Team is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Addiction, who oversees the project.

The post holder should enjoy face-to-face contact with people who have recognised that their use of substances has become problematic. S/he will have excellent communication skills, be able to work closely with other agencies, flexibly and efficiently, within a small team, to ensure services are delivered equitably and safely.

S/he will have a non-judgmental approach to people who have substance misuse problems and be able to provide a welcoming and accessible service to existing and potential service users.

Individual supervision for the nurse will be provided six weekly for one to two hours as required. There will be an induction period, during which training will be provided in specific areas as appropriate.

Key Duties

The Substance Misuse Nurse will:

·  Provide advice/information and guidance on the management of substance misuse to clients engaged with PCDAS.

·  Undertake comprehensive clinical assessments.

·  Carry a caseload of clients being prescribed substitute medication.

·  Agree treatment and care plans with service users and GP’s

·  Review care plans regularly as agreed with the GP .

·  Facilitate drug screening.

·  Ensure case notes and other statutory records are up to date and kept in accordance with TEDS/PCDAS policies and procedures

·  Facilitate clinical interventions, including HCV testing and HBV immunisation.

·  Liaise with Community Pharmacies as necessary.

·  Provide advice, support and training to GPs, pharmacists and other professionals where appropriate.

·  Work within the parameters of the substance misuse community prescribing

·  guidelines

·  Participate in clinical audits, service reviews and the evaluation of service user satisfaction, implementing resulting recommendations, in order to improve and develop the service.

·  Facilitate the transfer of clients from primary care to secondary care services when necessary and appropriate.

·  Work with other treatment services to support the development of Shared Care services.

·  Actively encourage service user involvement and feedback and ensure views are considered in informing the development of the service.

·  Collate data and contribute to service reports.

·  Participate in clinical supervision with the Lead Nurse.

Professional Development

·  Maintain and develop personal expertise and knowledge by reading, networking and further training in order to develop professional competence and to contribute to the development of competence within the team.

·  Help with the induction and orientation of new staff, volunteers and students.

·  Where relevant, develop and maintain the competencies needed to undertake the role of Substance Misuse Nurse.

·  Ensure professional development by participating in regular supervision and annual appraisals.

·  Effectively manage own time and prioritise workload, maintaining own administration and accurate personal records regarding travel, diary appointments, TOIL, and expenses incurred.

·  Be accountable and responsible for own professional practice, operating in line with professional code of conduct and within organisational policy and procedures.

Service Development

·  Ensure a high quality service is delivered in line with the service specification

·  Contribute to the delivery of internal training programmes

·  Work collaboratively with colleagues to further develop the service

Person Specification

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications / RMN / RGN
Professional Experience / §  Excellent case management skills, with experience in undertaking assessment, care-planning and treatment reviews with people who may have diverse and complex needs.
§  Previous employment in a substance misuse prescribing service.
§  Experience of developing and maintaining successful partnerships with GPs, treatment agencies and other healthcare providers / .
§  Experience in undertaking clinical audits.
Skills and Ability / §  Excellent written and verbal communication skills
§  Good facilitation/negotiation skills and a commitment to working in partnership with other agencies.
§  Computer literacy and IT experience in relation to managing own administration, monitoring and clinical activity data reporting.
§  Ability to work on own initiative, under pressure whilst demonstrating responsible time management and efficacy of prioritising workload.
§ 
Knowledge and Attitudes / §  Specialist knowledge and demonstrable competencies in relation to substance misuse, dependency, and detoxification
§  An insightful evidence-based approach to professional development and personal practice, including a commitment to clinical governance/ quality assurance
§  A flexible approach to working in a developing service and a willingness to assist in its improvement.
§  Have a positive, caring attitude towards clients.
§  A pro-active attitude regarding service user involvement and clear ideas about how to involve service users in the planning, development and monitoring of service delivery.
§  Demonstrate a commitment to being flexible with regards to working hours.. / §  Awareness of current strategic developments and legislative frameworks.

October 2014