Job summary
- Main area
- Dual Diagnosis
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Flexibility to work a shift pattern of 8am - 8pm across a 7-day service) from December 2025 with initial hours of Monday to Friday 9 -5 from appointment until the centre opens. To be based at a community site in Lewisham in SE13 or SE8 initially with an intended move to Heather Close – Lewisham SE12 in May 2026
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (37.5 hours per week (Flexibility to work a shift pattern of 8am - 8pm across a 7-day service))
- Job ref
- 334-CLI-7320871-A
- Employer
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Lewisham
- Town
- Lewisham
- Salary
- £46,419 - £55,046 per annum pro rata inc. HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 05/10/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Dual Diagnosis Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 6
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
Are you passionate about reshaping mental health care? Do you believe in the power of community, collaboration, inclusion, and peer support to transform lives? We’re launching an innovative community care centre inspired by global models like Trieste’s Mental Health Network, Navigo in Grimsby, and Clubhouse models in New York and Brixton.
This is a rare opportunity to join a pioneering pilot with national significance. Supported by NHS England, this initiative aims to radically transform mental health care delivery across the UK.
We’re seeking dedicated staff to help lead this revolutionary approach.
What We Offer:
- A unique care model focused on community, social inclusion, and holistic recovery.
- A supportive, peer-led environment where your contribution makes a real impact.
- Career development and training within a nationally profiled programme.
About the Role: The post holder will provide specialist assessments and evidence-based interventions to service users within the Lewisham N2 Community Mental Health Team. Working with individuals experiencing co-existing mental health and substance use issues—particularly methamphetamine use—they will use an assertive outreach approach. The role involves close collaboration with professionals and services to ensure high standards of care, promote best practice, and support recovery.
Main duties of the job
-
The post holder will provide specialist mental health and substance misuse assessments for the Lewisham N2 Community Mental Health Team. They will deliver time-limited, evidence-based interventions for individuals with complex dual diagnosis needs, using a person-centred, multi-disciplinary approach. Responsibilities include holistic assessments, risk evaluations, and collaborative care planning.
They will offer specialist advice on recovery, harm reduction, and signposting, applying motivational interviewing and other bio-psychosocial methods. The role involves working closely with families, carers, and external agencies to ensure integrated care and improved outcomes.
The post holder will contribute to service development through training, supervision, and dissemination of best practices. They will maintain accurate records, participate in audits, and support governance processes. Adherence to professional standards and Trust policies is essential.
They will promote culturally sensitive, person-centred care, reduce crisis episodes, and support access to community and digital resources. The role includes improving physical health outcomes and supporting social inclusion for people with dual diagnosis.
Working for our organisation
SLaM provides a comprehensive range of mental health and substance misuse services to residents of Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham, as well as national specialist services. We offer the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK and work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London as part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.
With around 5,000 staff, we serve a local population of 1.1 million and operate over 230 services, including inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, and community teams. Each year, we provide inpatient care to over 5,300 people and support more than 45,000 in the community. We also deliver substance misuse services in Bexley, Bromley, and Greenwich.
Joining SLaM means becoming part of an organisation with a rich history and global reputation in mental health care. Staff benefit from extensive professional development opportunities, including access to academic research and over 14,000 training experiences annually. Our unique integration of care, research, and education makes SLaM a dynamic and rewarding place to work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see Job Description for more details.
Post holder will provide ongoing specialist support and guidance to colleagues to enable staff to work effectively with people with complex needs. They will promote understanding of the effect that substance use can have on community support/treatment such as in engagement and risks to physical health. The post holder will work jointly around assessment, treatment, management and evaluation of support for people who present with dual diagnosis issues. They will provide support to people in line with the clinical pathways and best practice within the Early Intervention and substance misuse services including motivational interventions to enable people to engage with services and encourage change behaviour.
Adults with psychotic disorders often struggle to engage with the existing addiction services and therefore someone motivated and some experience in working creatively and assertively with this clinical population would be preferred.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered Nurse (RMN/ RGN), Social Worker, Occupational Therapist or Psychology degree with some experience working with people with substance misuse related problems
- Evidence of continuing professional development and training relevant to substance misuse/ mental health work
Desirable criteria
- A qualification or training in a relevant area of practice eg. dual diagnosis, substance misuse, motivational interviewing, trauma informed practice, cognitive behavioural therapy
- Experience of working with vulnerable adults and safeguarding
- Awareness of challenges an EI/addictions population face
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with people who misuse substances
- Experience of assessing the needs and strengths of people with mental illness and their families and holding a caseload of people with complex needs
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working and working in partnership with a range of organisations
- Experience of adult safeguarding and protection
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with people with: a history of trauma, psychosis, physical health problems
- Experience of auditing, research or data collection
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of the interactions between mental health problems and drug use and the issues facing people trying to stabilise their situation
- Current and up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance relating to the client group eg DoH, PHE, NICE, MHA, Care Act, MCA
- Applied knowledge of the principles of risk assessment and risk management particularly in relation to harm minimisation
- Cultural awareness and knowledge of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice in assessment and provision of service
- Knowledge of the principles and practice of clinical governance, clinical audit and risk management
- Ability to work effectively as a clinician and educator with a varied staff group
Desirable criteria
- Ability to engage service users who are hard to reach
- Ability to work as part of a team offering support to those with different professional backgrounds.
- Ability to work under pressure
Skills & Abilities:
Essential criteria
- Intermediate computer skills with Microsoft packages for example, Word, Excel, Outlook , Team & Epjs
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people from differing backgrounds
- Commitment to service user empowerment
- Ability to maintain appropriate records
- Ability to use and understand the supervision process
Desirable criteria
- Report writing and presentation skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Claire Ferguson
- Job title
- Interim Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
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