South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
Senior Clinical Practitioner – COMHAD
The closing date is 12 May 2026.
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Clinical Practitioner to join our Co‑Occurring Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs (COMHAD) Provision. This is a 1‑year secondment opportunity, offering a unique chance to work with individuals who may face barriers to accessing traditional services, including those affected by mental health difficulties, substance use, social exclusion and other complex needs.
You will play a key role in improving access, engagement and outcomes for people who are often underserved, working across mental health, substance misuse and partner organisations. The role focuses on delivering high‑quality, person‑centred care using trauma‑informed, recovery‑oriented and harm minimisation approaches.
This is an excellent opportunity for a clinician looking to broaden their experience, develop leadership skills, and contribute to improving how services respond to co‑occurring needs across a range of settings.
Main duties of the job
* Provide specialist clinical input to individuals with co‑occurring mental health and substance use needs, particularly those less likely to engage with traditional services.
* Undertake comprehensive assessments and deliver time‑limited, evidence‑based interventions, supporting individuals to access and remain engaged in treatment and recovery pathways. Contribute to care planning, risk management and coordination of care for people with complex and often high‑risk presentations.
* Work collaboratively across mental health teams, substance misuse services and partner agencies, including those working with socially excluded groups, to improve access and continuity of care. Support colleagues through consultation, shared working and informal teaching, helping to strengthen capability in working with co‑occurring needs.
* Contribute to service development, supporting improvements in pathways, reducing unplanned disengagement from services, and promoting effective, recovery‑focused interventions across systems.
About us
South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust is proud to belong to a community of dedicated professionals committed to delivering the best quality care for those with mental ill‑health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ – we aspire to be ‘outstanding’. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Job responsibilities
* Provide specialist clinical advice and support to colleagues within the health care setting and to agencies concerned with substance misuse.
* Undertake time‑limited treatment‑specific work, including prescribing, with clients whose care is coordinated by other members of staff in clinical teams, in respect of substance misuse, relapse prevention, detoxification and rehabilitation referrals. Devising systematic plans for care; implementing this plan; coordinating the input of others and evaluating its effectiveness. This includes commencement of medication; monitoring effect and side effects and interactions and developing medication adherence strategies for nursing staff.
* Work as an autonomous practitioner providing expert assessments and developing, implementing and evaluating care/treatment interventions for service users with complex needs associated with a co‑occurring substance dependence and mental health issues.
* Lead the promotion of evidence‑based practice for people with co‑occurring substance dependence and mental health needs with their linked services.
* Provide expert advice to clinical staff of all disciplines and grades (including consultant psychiatrists) on the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care/treatment packages for people with a co‑occurring mental health, alcohol & drugs.
* Provide clinical supervision formally and informally to staff of all disciplines (e.g. nurses, doctors, social workers) and grades up to and including consultant level.
* Provide harm reduction information, support and referral with an emphasis on safer drug and alcohol use, safer sex, tobacco harm reduction / smoking cessation, HIV, Hepatitis A, B and C and other blood borne infections. Work closely with Wandsworth & Richmond drug and alcohol Service to support referral and engagement to Hep C treatment.
* Provide overdose prevention interventions in line with Wandsworth & Richmond drug and alcohol Service guidelines.
* Manage a caseload of service users affected by rough sleeping, drug and alcohol use and severe and enduring mental health needs, including those with complex needs.
* In consultation with service users, enable substance misuse and homelessness providers to develop flexible and realistic strengths‑based / recovery plans.
* Support the RSDATG Team with the assessment of service users for residential detoxification and rehabilitation treatment where appropriate.
* Employ a range of interventions with service users including motivational interviewing and be familiar with treatment tools.
* Empower services to work with people with co‑occurring substance misuse and staff and service users to identify quality improvements in practice and service delivery and become involved in service‑user co‑production.
Person Specification
Training & Qualification
* Degree or equivalent experience that demonstrates work at degree level in a relevant clinical subject (e.g. RMN, OT, Social Work).
* Current professional registration in a relevant clinical subject/practice in England.
* Clinical supervision training.
* Qualification in a relevant area of practice (e.g. co‑occurring substance dependence and mental health needs, cognitive behavioural therapy, substance misuse).
* Membership of a professional interest group relating to specialist substance misuse work.
Experience
* A minimum of 6 months post‑qualification experience working in an addictions and/or specific co‑occurring mental health, alcohol and/or drugs issues role and a minimum of 1 year post‑qualification experience in a mental health setting.
* Experience of clinical risk assessment and management of vulnerable client groups.
* Experience of working clinically and professionally with people who have a mental illness or substance misuse problems and homelessness.
* Experience of maintaining and establishing collaborative relationships across professional groups and organisations and managing those relationships with sensitivity and diplomacy.
* Experience of working collaboratively with service users and/or carers to develop services.
* Experience of working in a community setting.
Knowledge & Skills
* Knowledge of the theoretical frameworks of care for service users presenting with co‑occurring substance dependence and mental health needs.
* Knowledge of the principles and practice of clinical governance, clinical audit and risk management.
* Knowledge of the experiences faced by service users with co‑occurring substance dependence and mental health needs.
* Ability to deliver co‑occurring substance dependence and mental health needs services.
* Ability to manage severely challenging behaviour / crisis intervention.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required to check for any previous criminal convictions.
South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
£58,133 to £65,261 a year (inclusive of inner London HCAS).
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