Clinical Nurse Specialist in Substance Misuse in Norwich

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Substance Misuse Team at NNUH to recruit a Clinical Nurse Specialist who will also be part of the wider Complex Health Hub. The postholder will act as a specialist for drug and alcohol assessments and treatments within the hospital. You will be supporting patients in recovery including Opiate Substitution Treatment and Alcohol detoxification along with promotion of healthy lifestyles.

We are looking for:

• Registered Nurse (RGN/RMN) with significant experience in substance misuse/addiction nursing and a non-medical prescribing qualification.
• Strong clinical skills in managing complex alcohol/drug issues and comorbidities.
• A passion for supporting vulnerable populations and addressing health inequalities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and partnership-building skills.

Main duties of the job:

• Independently manage the care of patients, providing specialist assessment, planning, and implementation of evidence-based care for patients with complex alcohol and drug dependencies, often with co-occurring physical/mental health needs.
• Formulate appropriate treatment plans.
• Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to the patient's needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice, national guidelines, and within scope of practice.
• Bridge gaps between primary, secondary, and specialist services, improving access to care and reducing health inequalities.
• Support homeless populations, facilitate access to structured treatment, and manage complex cases.
• Champion integrated care pathways and collaborative working with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Provide specialist supervision, education and training programs for healthcare professionals, students and other professional groups.
• Contribute to developing the service in collaboration with the Team Manager to improve practice and work collaboratively across healthcare boundaries, implementing and evaluating evidence-based standards, guidelines and policies.

Please note interviews are planned to take place on Monday 23rd February (Subject to change).

About us:

Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff! The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world. We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity.

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:

• Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
• Multi Faith prayer room
• Discounted gym memberships
• Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
• Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
• Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
• Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
• On-site Nursery
• On-site cafes offering staff discounts
• Flexible staff bank
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics

Job responsibilities:

• Operate autonomously at an advanced level of clinical practice providing research based expert care and advice to all colleagues and managing a caseload effectively.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients presenting with drug and alcohol related issues across acute hospital settings (A&E, inpatient, and outpatient).
• Develop individualised care plans based on assessment findings, considering the physical, psychological, and social aspects of substance misuse.
• Monitor and manage patients experiencing alcohol or drug withdrawal, overdose, or acute intoxication, ensuring safe and appropriate interventions and communicate relevant changes promptly and effectively in patient status to the multi-disciplinary team.
• Provide consultation and liaison to clinical teams and ward staff using evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
• Lead the development of training packages for ward staff and provide input into their delivery alongside other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Make clinical decisions related to the care and treatment of individuals with substance use disorders, working independently when necessary and escalating to senior medical staff as appropriate.
• Recommend and prescribe medications for detoxification, withdrawal management, or opiate substitute medications.
• Deliver care in a compassionate, trauma-informed manner, recognising the complex relationship between addiction and past trauma, and adapting approaches to suit individual patient needs.
• Provide psychological support and advocate for patients, ensuring their voices are heard and respected throughout the care process.

Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.

Person Specification:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Registered Nurse on appropriate part of the NMC register.
• Currently has completed the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Level 7 course with a valid V300 registration recorded with the NMC.
• Extensive post-registration experience and significant experience in assessment and treatment of individuals within the field of Substance Misuse.
• Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH's PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence.
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

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.