Drug and Alcohol Recovery Worker | East London NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	East London NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£38,488 - £46,852 per annum Inc HCAs
Hours:	Part-time
Location:	London, E9 5TD
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	18 Sept 2026
Closing date:	18 Oct 2026

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Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic person who has experience of working with people with substance use problems and/or experience of working with complex mental health presentations in a community, inpatient, or forensic setting. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants who have experience working with third sector/charity substance misuse organisations, and those who are representative of the diverse population we serve.

The post holder will be part of a dynamic clinical team within the medium inpatient service, working with service users with forensic histories and severe and enduring mental health problems. The primary role of the post holder will be to offer assessment and intervention to forensic service users who have difficulties with substance use who are in our inpatient service. The post holder will also provide consultation to other professionals across the clinical teams to enable them to understand and manage the risks and needs associated with service users' substance misuse. The post holder will be embedded within the forensic directorate’s Drug and Alcohol Service, a multi-disciplinary, specialist team, with access to rich supervision and CPD opportunities.

1. Under supervision, to undertake specialist assessment and formulation of forensic service users’ substance use problems.

2. Under supervision, to deliver psychosocial interventions for substance use in both individual and group format.

3. To provide consultation, support, and advice in relation to substance misuse issues to the forensic service, including ward multidisciplinary teams and relevant health professionals and other agencies as appropriate.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

AI in applications

If you use AI or other tools to assist in writing your job application, make sure you add your own personal touch especially in the supporting information section. AI can make writing easier, but it doesn’t fully understand the position you’re applying for and might generate false or misleading information. Applications written only by AI often sound generic and may not show your real skills, knowledge, or experience. It’s important to write your supporting statement in your own words. East London NHS Foundation Trust does not recommend relying only on AI, as it could negatively impact on your chance of success in the application process.

We carefully check applications to make sure no one has an unfair advantage, and we verify all references. At the interview, you’ll be asked about your experience, so be honest and ensure everything in your application is accurate. Please remember that using AI during the interview is not allowed.

Clinical

DIRECT

• Under supervision, to undertake specialist assessment and formulation of substance misuse in inpatient service users.

• Under supervision, to make appropriate recommendations for treatment thereafter, that are evidence-based, clinically indicated, and that complement service users’ broader therapies care plans.

• Under supervision, to develop and deliver, adapted where necessary, individual and group, evidence-based psychosocial interventions for substance misuse to service users in inpatient settings. Models of intervention should include motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, contingency management, and systemic interventions, where appropriate.

• To work collaboratively with members of multidisciplinary teams and other therapies staff, where indicated, to achieve the above goals.

• With support, to be able to use, interpret and report selected psychometric measures/tools at the relevant stages of service users’ care pathway, including at assessment, and before and after any intervention.

• Responsible for communicating across language and cultural barriers with service users or carers, using interpreters when necessary, and to work in a culturally sensitive and competent manner.

• Responsible for communicating complex clinical information, such as assessment, formulation, progress/outcome of treatment, in a skilled and sensitive manner to a variety of recipients including service users, family or carers, other professionals, formal panels, statutory and voluntary organisations, in a format appropriate to the recipient, verbally, in writing, or electronically.

INDIRECT

• To be involved in the discussion about, screening of, and accepting or rejection of referrals.

• To provide specialist input to service users’ risk assessment through liaison with multidisciplinary teams and attendance at key meetings, where appropriate. Such input is to include feeding in to risk formulations and risk management strategies that require the resources of the Drug and Alcohol Service.

• To provide consultation, support, and advice in relation to substance misuse issues to the forensic service, including ward multidisciplinary teams and relevant health professionals and other agencies as appropriate.

• With support, to participate in the development, delivery, evaluation, and review of packages of training on areas within the Drug and Alcohol Service’s specialty, to be delivered to a wide range of audiences, both within and outside the forensic service. Such training should be co-produced and co-delivered with service users, where appropriate.

• To involve families and carers in treatment plans, where indicated. This may require direct family interventions in conjunction with the Family Therapy Service, or the provision of information/education on substance misuse.

• To be familiar with, maintain effective knowledge of, and maintain effective working relationships with non-statutory providers of drug and alcohol services in the local area, who may also be providing care to forensic service users.

• Develop and maintain the highest standards of practice by continuing to gain additional experience and skills; by participating in regular clinical and professional supervision and appraisal; by active participation in internal and external CPD activities; and by updating knowledge of current developments in areas relevant to the role, through a personal development plan agreed with management.

• To exercise professional self-governance in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

• Develop and maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to forensic and general mental health services and the criminal justice system.

Administration

• To write progress notes and formal reports of your clinical work, under appropriate supervision.

• Organise time and resources to provide safe, effective, high quality care.

• To attend the inpatient and Drug and Alcohol Service meetings, away days and teams’ reflective practice sessions where practicable.

Management

• To work with other members of the Drug and Alcohol Service to support its development in regards to the service model, policies and procedures that surround its work.

• To engage in regular managerial supervision and clinical supervision from a member of the Drug and Alcohol Service.

Human Resources

• To always conduct oneself in a professional manner while at work.

• To abide by all Trust and local policies and procedures.

Performance and Quality

• To participate in formal audit and/or evaluation of the Drug and Alcohol Service’s clinical outcomes and performance.

• To participate in Quality Improvement (Improvement Science) activities relevant to role and work area, or to propose and lead Quality Improvement projects where areas of need are identified.

Financial and Physical Resources

• To be responsible for keeping updated in Breakaway techniques and any relevant MAPPA training and to be able to cope with a physically and emotionally high risk environment, ensuring at all times to the best of your abilities, your own, other staff and service user safety within Trust policy and guidelines.

• With the assistance of supervision, to have the capacity to engage with and contain emotionally charged, often traumatic, clinical material in the course of performing the clinical duties of the role.

This advert closes on Thursday 1 Oct 2026

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