Band 6 Dual Diagnosis Nurse - Thurrock

We are looking for a compassionate and experienced Dual Diagnosis Nurse to join our team, supporting individuals with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health needs. This is an exciting opportunity for a registered nurse who is passionate about delivering person-centred care and improving outcomes for people facing complex challenges. You will play a key role in providing clinical assessment, care planning, risk management, and evidence-based interventions, helping individuals to achieve recovery and improve their overall wellbeing.

Working within a multidisciplinary team and alongside a range of health, social care, and community partners, you will support service users through their recovery journey, ensuring they have access to integrated, holistic, and responsive care.

As a Dual Diagnosis Nurse, you will:

• Undertake comprehensive clinical assessments for individuals with co-existing substance misuse and mental health conditions.
• Develop, implement, and review personalised care and risk management plans.
• Deliver evidence-based interventions, including motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, harm reduction, and trauma-informed approaches.
• Support individuals through community and inpatient detoxification pathways.
• Provide overdose prevention advice and promote the use of naloxone where appropriate.
• Deliver structured one-to-one and group interventions.
• Monitor and respond to changes in mental health, escalating concerns when required.
• Build strong partnerships with Community Mental Health Teams, GPs, housing providers, social care services, criminal justice agencies, and voluntary sector organisations.
• Advocate for service users to access appropriate mental health and recovery support.
• Promote recovery, resilience, social inclusion, and improved quality of life.
• Contribute to service development, audits, quality improvement initiatives, and staff training.

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of vulnerable individuals while contributing to the development of integrated dual diagnosis pathways within the community.

You are a skilled and compassionate registered nurse who is committed to delivering high-quality, recovery-focused care. You have experience working with individuals affected by substance misuse, mental health difficulties, or both, and understand the importance of building trusting therapeutic relationships.

You will be confident working autonomously whilst also contributing positively within a multidisciplinary team. You are passionate about reducing health inequalities, supporting recovery, and helping people achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.

Essential Requirements

• Registered Nurse (RMN, RGN, or RNLD) with current NMC registration.
• Experience working within substance misuse services, mental health services, or both.
• Strong understanding of dual diagnosis and recovery-oriented approaches.
• Experience undertaking clinical assessments, care planning, and risk management.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication, engagement, and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to person-centred, strengths-based, and values-driven care.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and risk management practices.

Desirable Requirements

• Training in Motivational Interviewing, CBT-informed approaches, or Trauma-Informed Care.
• Experience working within community, outreach, or integrated care settings.
• Knowledge of local health, social care, and recovery pathways.
• Experience facilitating group interventions and psychoeducational programmes.

Please be advised that we are not able to provide sponsorship for this role, you must have the right to work in the UK without need of sponsorship.

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. 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.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us as an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• BHSF Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 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)

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Diversity at Forward Trust

The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with Lived Experience of addiction, offending, or homelessness. Some of our roles may require a minimum period of sustained recovery (normally around 3 years). This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and exceptions may be considered depending on the role and individual circumstances.

When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

To find out more about Forward's commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy, please click here.

We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.

Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview. If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the Eligibility to Work in the UK requirements.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follows safer recruitment practices and supports a culture of openness and accountability.