Dual Diagnosis Worker, Wandsworth

About the Service /Department

Wandsworth Mental Health Recovery and Rehabilitation service delivers support and interventions to 60 service users with mental health issues living in accommodation services across the Borough. The focus of the service is to provide medium to long term focused rehabilitation and recovery support to adults with complex and enduring Mental Health conditions. The service is focused on promoting independence and preventing hospital admissions, delivering a person centred approach enabling choice and control for each individual to realise their potential, increasing service users’ ability to manage their tenures, supporting accessing to training, education and employment, and working closely with other providers of support to the individuals including clinical staff and carers and family members.

The High Support element comprises of 33 services users who live in one of four accommodation services which are staffed 24/7. Service users in the higher support houses need more support and prompting with their medication, personal and environmental health and may have a forensic history or dual diagnosis. The low support element comprises of 27 service users who live in one of six houses which have floating or visiting support from staff. This element is intended for service users with low-level support needs as step-down from high support or for service users who may struggle with accessing independent housing and need floating support. 

About the Role

• To provide specialist support and interventions for service users in the Wandsworth MH Rehabilitation and Recovery Service who are using drugs and / or alcohol
• To work with Senior Recovery Workers in their support of service users who are using drugs and / or alcohol to enable them to be more knowledgeable and therefore effective in their support of people with dual diagnosis
• To work with the Senior Recovery Workers in carrying out strengths and aspirations assessments and safety planning for service users who use drugs and / or alcohol
• Co-produce group work for service users around dual diagnosis including but not limited to alcohol / drug interactions with MH medications, effects of drugs and alcohol, healthy lifestyles, treatment regimens for substance misuse and the cycle of change
• To co-produce training sessions including bite sized workshops for staff around a range of areas related to dual diagnosis including signs and symptoms of drug / alcohol use, effects of drugs / alcohol, cycle of change and motivational interviewing, treatments available for substance misuse

About You

• An understanding of issues that impact with people with drug and/or alcohol use and mental health in a dual diagnosis context
• A knowledge of key issues relating to drug and alcohol use including approaches and specific interventions, treatment options and legislation
• An understanding and desire to learn relevant MH legislation in particular the Care Program Approaches and its delivery to Service Users who have MH diagnoses and use drugs and/or alcohol
• An understanding of health and safety issues related to drug and alcohol use in a residential setting
• An understanding of legal implications related to working with those how use illegal drugs in a residential setting
• Ability and the commitment to work through Co-Production
• An understanding or willingness to learn of drug and /or alcohol and medical contraindications and the awareness where to find further information in this area
• Excellent literacy and numeracy skills and able to produce clear training guides, case notes, advocacy, reporting and monitoring
• An understanding of safeguarding issues and ability to address them appropriately

Please note if offered a role with Hestia, you will be issued a conditional offer based on satisfactory references and a Basic or Enhanced DBS check. 

Disability confident 
Hestia is a disability confident employer, committed to the employment and career development of individual with disabilities. As part of this commitment, we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We will also accommodate reasonable adjustment during the selection and interview process and throughout your employment with us. 

Hestia positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. But we particularly welcome individuals from an ethnic minority background and those with disabilities to apply. As an organisation, we are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.