Lead Practitioner - Harm Reduction

South Lanarkshire Alcohol & Other Drugs Reachout Service

Type of service: Drugs and Alcohol Service

Job Type Lead Practitioner

Hours of work Full time

Job Description

Post: Lead Practitioner

Service: South Lanarkshire Alcohol & Other Drugs Reachout Service

Based: South Lanarkshire

Hours: Full Time (37 hours)

Salary: £26,076-£29,144 (£13.55 – £15.15 per hour)

Contract: Permanent

Could you support someone that has experienced a near fatal overdose and/or is in crisis within your community?

Turning Point Scotland’s Alcohol & Other Drugs Reachout service are offering the opportunity to work within their fantastic supportive team to provide rapid response to crisis and near fatal overdose.

We offer an immediate response to people in crisis and people that have experienced a near fatal overdose within South Lanarkshire, this may be a response to a call or email from the individual or a third party who has significant concerns for an individual’s safety. You will provide a short, focused period of support to each person and assertively engaging them with mainstream services such as alcohol and other drug services, community mental health and other partner organisations with whom you will continue to grow on our already excellent working relationships. You will work alongside another Lead Practitioner, and you will be supported by a proactive and supportive management team who have a wide variety of experience and vast knowledge of the alcohol and drugs sector allowing you to expand on your existing experience whilst developing new skills.

As part of the existing team you will work with individuals who have a wide range of support needs, providing them with practical and emotional support and encouraging them to achieve their own personal outcomes in all aspects of their daily lives e.g. keeping safe, meaningful activities, community involvement, physical health, relationships, emotional health and wellbeing.

The key aims and objectives:

• Rapid response to people in crisis and/or has experienced a near fatal overdose primarily during out of hours /7 days per week.
• Rapid response to crisis and/or near fatal overdoses providing harm reduction interventions and advice.
• Short, focused period of support maintaining contact through assertive outreach.
• Improved access, engagement and assertive linkage to healthcare and support services.
• Reducing drug and alcohol related deaths within South Lanarkshire

Crisis and Overdose Response staff will operate from 12pm to 7pm (7 days per week) on an established work pattern. Full drivers\’ licence and access to own vehicle is essential due to the geographic area of South Lanarkshire. You will be paid 45p per mile for when using your vehicle for work purposes, so you will never be out of pocket. The team endeavours to provide advocacy and emotional and immediate support at time of crisis. Referring and sign posting to relevant services. Discussions surrounding tenancy sustainment, harm reduction advice, information and provision (IEP, Naloxone, alcohol intake) generally keeping people in a safe place until they can engage with or be referred into appropriate services.

The support we provide is always person centred, we do this by involving people who know the person well, this includes family and friends, other health and Social Work professionals, Advocacy services and our own staff members.

This role would require someone with experience within the Alcohol and Other Drugs sector, we believe having the right values of respect, compassion, inclusion and integrity is what you need to join our team! We would offer you full support in completing your application.

We value lived experience, please click here to read more about our views

South Lanarkshire Alcohol & Other Drugs Reachout Service

The South Lanarkshire Alcohol & Other Drugs REACHOUT Service will work within the Alcohol & Drug Partnership to establish a service focusing on supporting people over the age of 16 with problematic alcohol & drug use through an Assertive Outreach and Intensive Case Management model.

The service model will focus on three key groups:

• Individuals who do not engage at any level;
• Individuals who sporadically engage therefore proving difficult to achieve desired outcomes, and
• Individuals who partially engage where the focus is purely on medical treatment

We are committed to helping individuals begin their journey to recovery whilst utilising harm reduction approaches. Safety will be at the forefront of care delivery, and we will make efforts to include families and communities in the continued growth and development of the service model to assist in reducing stigma, increase engagement and retention of individuals within the service/treatment/pathway which works best for them.

The service will operate flexibly & creatively across the whole of South Lanarkshire and will work in partnership with existing services such as CAReS teams and The Beacons etc. The service will operate 7 days a week, including evenings and public holidays.

The support we provide is always person centred, we do this by involving people who know the person well, this includes family and friends, other health and Social Work professionals, Advocacy services and our own staff members.

Benefits package

Turning Point Scotland have Platinum accreditation in Investors in People. Our staff are our most important asset, therefore we offer extensive training and impressive personal and career-focused development opportunities. You could be part of an organisation that not only offers excellent careers but makes a real difference to thousands of People’s lives and achieve your own personal fulfilment.

• Comprehensive Induction
• 123 Learning and development courses
• 29 eLearning courses
• Funded qualification – SVQ Social Services and Healthcare, work based assessment
• Your Career Pathway, we promote from within and advertise internally all jobs
• Pension Scheme, employer contribution 4%
• Wide range of family friendly policies
• 35 holiday/public holidays days\’ per year.
• Psychological Counselling session on a rota basis
• HSF Health Plan scheme OptiLife-Core as standard

Does this position require a valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle? Yes

Does the post include personal care? No

Does the post include cooking and housekeeping skills? No

Will the service users be involved in this process? No

If you would like to chat about any aspect of the role, please call our Recruitment & Engagement Team on 0808 1643100.