Senior Nurse DART Durham in North East

Job Summary

Spectrum is recruiting a Substance Misuse specialist to lead our dedicated nursing team in Health and Justice.

To take forward our service, we're looking for a nurse with excellent leadership skills and the ability to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders - from pharmacists and Heads of Healthcare to NHS providers and services.

You'll be an affective and visible leader, providing robust clinical substance misuse support and operational guidance to all staff on matters relating to physical health and wellbeing within the prison setting. You'll manage our skilled substance misuse team and be passionate about patient care - with advanced nursing knowledge, an understanding of NICE guidelines and a desire to be involved with key decision-making.

In Spectrum, we don't believe in 'standing still'; we want our leaders to challenge existing practice and have the courage to innovate for the good of our patients, so that we can keep on improving. Our substance misuse services are built around a holistic Recovery model.

Main duties of the job

• The daily management of the Substance Misuse Service, including co-ordination of patient care and the provision of strong clinical leadership.
• This includes being involved with shift planning, taking appropriate action to adjust staffing levels and to prioritise the workload in accordance with patient need, service demand and the availability of staff.
• The post holder will be involved with assessing, diagnosing, providing advice and administering care to patients.
• You will also be expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding of health issues and treatment options.

About us

BE THE DIFFERENCE IN HEALTHCARE

Join our team

We're looking for passionate individuals to join our diverse and innovative team.

Whether you are starting out in your healthcare journey or are an experienced healthcare professional looking for a new challenge we've got a role for you!

• Access to NHS Pension
• Time for you (additional leave day)
• Refer a friend scheme
• Training and Development opportunities
• Flexible Working
• Access to Employee Assistance and Health and Wellbeing programmes
• Up to 33 days annual leave

Spectrum Community Health CIC provides a range of award-winning healthcare services on behalf of the NHS, Local Authority Public Health services, and other partners across substance misuse, sexual health, and health and justice settings. As a not-for-profit social enterprise and Community Interest Company our focus is centred on people - our patients, service users, staff and partners.

We are building on our ambition to deliver the best in health and wellbeing on a values-driven ethos and to maintain the highest standards of patient care and service. We are an expanding organisation, but we aim to grow without compromising on quality and social value.

Our Mission

Holistic interventions delivered with compassion for the stigmatised and marginalised in our communities

Our Vision

Quality healthcare that makes a difference to people's lives, regardless of circumstances.

Details

Date posted: 07 September 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum

Contract: Secondment

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 847-RM-26-V950-A

Job locations: HMP Durham, Durham, DH1 3HU, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

We have an ambition to become a truly lived experience inclusive employer, changing how we approach staff experience and value personal stories our colleagues bring with them.

We welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who belong to LGBTQIA+ Community and are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and Asexual, people with a disability, neurodivergent applicants and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

Person Specification

Education and Training

Essential

• RCGP Cert 1/2 Substance misuse
• Evidence of Competence in the Health and Justice framework
• Evidence of ongoing CPD

Desirable

• RCGP Cert 1/2 Substance misuse
• Independent Nurse / Non-Medical Prescriber (or willingness to undertake)
• Mentorship qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience in substance misuse
• Multi-Disciplinary working
• Understanding of clinical governance
• Recovery based models
• Experience of working as an autonomous practitioner
• Change management experience
• Experience of leading a team
• Offender health knowledge

Desirable

• Experience of working with an integrated model
• Understanding of local and national key documents and their impact on health care delivery in a prison setting

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name: Spectrum Community Health CIC

Address: HMP Durham, Durham, DH1 3HU, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://spectrum-cic.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact: DART Clinical Lead, Chrystal Butler, chrystal.butler@spectrum-cic.nhs.uk, 01913323648

Supporting documents

Privacy notice: Spectrum Community Health CIC's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.