Overview
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Job Summary: 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
* Provide specialist mental health and substance misuse assessments for the Lewisham N2 Community Mental Health Team. 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.
About Us
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 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. We provide inpatient care and community services, and 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 professional development opportunities, including access to academic research and training. Our integration of care, research, and education makes SLaM a dynamic place to work.
Details
Date posted: 19 September 2025
Band: 6 • Permanent • Full-time
Location: Lewisham, SE8 4AT
Job Description & Requirements
Job responsibilities
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 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 in 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.
Qualifications
Essential
* 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
* A qualification or training in a relevant area of practice (e.g. dual diagnosis, substance misuse, motivational interviewing, trauma informed practice, cognitive behavioural therapy)
* Experience of working with vulnerable adults and safeguarding
* Aware of challenges EI/addictions population face
Experience
Essential
* Experience of working with people who misuse substances
* Experience of assessing needs and strengths of people with mental illness and their families, holding a caseload of people with complex needs
* Experience of multi-disciplinary team working and partnering with organisations
* Experience of adult safeguarding and protection
Desirable
* Experience of working with people with history of trauma, psychosis, physical health problems
* Experience of auditing, research or data collection
Knowledge
Essential
* Knowledge of interactions between mental health problems and drug use and issues facing people trying to stabilise their situation
* Current knowledge of legislation and guidance relating to the client group (DoH, PHE, NICE, MHA, Care Act, MCA)
* Principles of risk assessment and risk management, harm minimisation
* Cultural awareness and equal opportunity practices
* Clinical governance, clinical audit, and risk management
* Ability to work as a clinician and educator with a varied staff group
Desirable
* Ability to engage service users who are hard to reach
* Ability to work as part of a team with different professionals
* Ability to work under pressure
Skills & Abilities
Essential
* Intermediate computer skills in Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams
* Excellent written and verbal communication
* Commitment to service user empowerment
* Ability to maintain records
* Ability to use supervision processes
Desirable
* Report writing and presentation skills
Disclosure & Sponsorship
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and may require DBS disclosure. Applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker sponsorship will be considered. See UK Visas and Immigration guidance for details.
UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. See NHS Careers for details.
Employer: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Lewisham, SE8 4AT. Website: https://www.slam.nhs.uk/
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