Job overview
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is looking to employ an innovative and inspirational Senior Dual Diagnosis Practitioner to join our well-established and dedicated team of dual diagnosis specialist practitioners. The post holder will have the opportunity to work across a range of healthcare settings and London boroughs, contributing to the delivery of high standard care for people with co-occurring mental health conditions and alcohol and/or drug misuse.
The post is based in Southwark, and the post holder will be expected to travel to other sites in the organisation. If you are passionate about improving care for people with complex needs and have the skills to lead and inspire others, we’d love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
1. As a senior practitioner, the post holder will:
Provide autonomous, expert leadership, offering advanced guidance on policy, clinical practice, workforce training, and service development to support high‑quality dual diagnosis care.
Enhance and embed dual diagnosis provision, with a particular focus on strengthening pathways within community mental health services and fostering effective partnerships with key local stakeholders, especially substance misuse providers.
Promote integrated, person‑centred pathways, ensuring seamless transitions, collaborative care planning, and robust information sharing to improve outcomes and service user experience.
Deliver high‑quality clinical supervision and meaningful professional development, supporting, mentoring, and empowering colleagues in junior roles to build a skilled, confident, and compassionate workforce.
Working for our organisation
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical and Client Care
· Provide advanced clinical expertise in the assessment, treatment planning, intervention, and discharge processes for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions.
· Establish and maintain systems to ensure comprehensive assessment of alcohol and drug use for all service users, with accurate documentation using approved tools and in line with Trust standards.
· Promote collaborative care by actively involving all relevant stakeholders—service users, families, carers, and partner agencies -in assessment, treatment, and discharge planning through participation in appropriate forums.
· Ensure service users receive health education and information about local substance misuse services, self-help groups, and mutual aid networks, enabling informed decision-making about ongoing care and recovery options.
Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
· Lead the development of effective liaison pathways with GPs and substance misuse services to ensure seamless joint planning and smooth transfer of care where appropriate.
· Facilitate the involvement of carers and family members in assessment and care planning, ensuring they are provided with information about substance misuse support groups and resources.
· Collaborate closely with team-based dual diagnosis leads, where available, to promote and embed best practice standards across services.
· Provide expert input and support in the review of serious incidents where substance use is a contributing factor, ensuring lessons learned inform future practice.
Policy and service development
· Contribute to service development by initiating, conducting, and supervising service evaluations and audits, and support teams in using findings to inform improvements.
· Use DATIX effectively and provide guidance to teams to enhance their skills in incident reporting, ensuring accurate data collection and timely reporting of substance misuse-related incidents.
· Maintain up-to-date knowledge of policy and practice developments in substance misuse, mental health, and dual diagnosis, and disseminate research and evaluation findings through presentations and publications.
· Implement policies and procedures within own area of responsibility and proactively identify and propose improvements or beneficial changes.
· Participate in service development projects, ensuring alignment with Trust priorities and best practice standards.
· Support consultation and engagement with service users to ensure services are planned and delivered in ways that meet the needs of local communities.
Care or management of resources
· Ensure the proper care and responsible use of the Trust’s equipment and physical resources, maintaining standards of safety and efficiency.
· Anticipate future resource requirements by monitoring usage and estimating needs, and take proactive steps to request or order supplies in a timely manner to support service delivery.
Management, supervision and communication
· Contribute to the recruitment and appraisal processes for junior colleagues, as appropriate.
· Maintain regular communication with partner agencies involved in the care of individuals with dual diagnosis, fostering strong relationships with services providing substance misuse treatment, acute physical health care, housing, education, and employment support.
· Ensure ongoing liaison with substance misuse services to promote information sharing, joint care planning, and the development of seamless care pathways.
· Facilitate integrated working by promoting effective communication and coordination of care, ensuring collaborative decision-making wherever possible.
· Attend local Dual Diagnosis clinical and network meetings, police liaison forums, and site management meetings as required.
· Engage with other dual diagnosis practitioners and senior staff across the Trust to share learning, exchange best practices, and develop innovative approaches.
· Prepare high-quality reports and presentations for relevant meetings and forums.
· Communicate highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, and colleagues in a clear, professional, and empathetic manner.
· Maintain close communication with the Consultant Nurse – Dual Diagnosis and other dual diagnosis leads to stay informed about developments in local substance misuse services.
Teaching and Training
· Act as a key resource for dual diagnosis across services by accessing, interpreting, and disseminating up-to-date guidance, research, and audit findings, and promoting their implementation in practice.
· Identify individual and team training needs and design bespoke dual diagnosis training programs tailored to specific service requirements.
· Contribute to the design and delivery of Trust-wide dual diagnosis training initiatives and provide post-training support, supervision, and mentorship to embed learning into practice.
· Support teams in achieving key objectives, including CQUIN targets, KPIs and other service improvement priorities.
· Facilitate meaningful engagement of service users in the planning and development of training and service initiatives to ensure they reflect lived experience and meet community needs.
Record-keeping and Information Governance
· Ensure that all information generated through own work is accurately recorded in accordance with Trust policies and local procedures.
· Maintain the highest standards of clinical record-keeping and report writing, adhering to professional and Trust guidelines, including timely and accurate electronic data entry.
Research and development
· Drive service improvement by initiating, conducting, and supervising service evaluations and audits, and support teams in applying findings to inform future developments.
· Provide research guidance and supervision to staff undertaking research projects, fostering a culture of evidence-based practice.
· Use DATIX effectively and support teams to develop competence in incident reporting, ensuring accurate data collection and timely reporting of substance misuse-related incidents.
· Maintain up-to-date knowledge of policy and practice developments in substance misuse, mental health, and dual diagnosis, and disseminate research and evaluation findings through presentations, publications, and other forums.
· Ensure services are inclusive, acceptable, and accessible to the diverse communities within the local population, embedding equality and cultural sensitivity in all initiatives.
Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
· Ensure own continuing professional development aligns with professional registration requirements and the Trust’s Personal Development Plan (PDP) and appraisal framework, maintaining appropriate documentation to comply with regulatory standards.
· Manage own time effectively and independently, adopting a reflective practice approach to regularly assess and review your performance with your clinical supervisor.
· Participate in regular clinical and professional supervision with senior professional leads, in accordance with statutory regulations and the Trust’s Supervision and Appraisal Policies.
General
· Travel to sites across the organisation and the wider Trust as required to fulfil the responsibilities of the role.
· Remain vigilant to risks associated with aggressive or challenging behaviour within the client group and adhere to Trust policies for managing such situations.
· Respond professionally and appropriately to emotionally distressing situations, including challenging behaviour and disclosures of traumatic life events, while providing support to others involved.
· Work flexibly within the agreed job plan to meet the needs of the Trust and ensure service continuity.
Person specification
Education and qualifications
Essential criteria
2. A qualification in mental health nursing (RMN or part 13 of the NMC register), general nursing (RGN or part 12 or the NMC register), social work, occupational therapy, clinical psychology or counselling/psychotherapy) and professional registration appropriate to own discipline (e.g. NMC, HPC)
3. Post graduate qualification relevant to mental health professional background.
4. Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development, particularly focused on enhancing dual diagnosis services and improving clinical practice
5. Mentorship/ENB998 or other Assessment/Teaching in Practice equivalent qualifications
Desirable criteria
6. A relevant qualification in an area of practice such as dual diagnosis or substance misuse.
7. MSc or equivalent postgraduate qualification aligned with a MH professional background.
8. Experience in delivering a Level 2+ dual diagnosis course or equivalent accredited training.
9. Non-Medical Prescriber qualification (or willingness to work towards this, if applicable)
Experience
Essential criteria
10. Extensive post-qualification experience delivering dual diagnosis expertise across a variety of clinical settings.
11. Proven ability to lead effectively in challenging clinical environments, liaising with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of care for individuals with complex needs.
12. Demonstrated leadership in the development and implementation of clinical practice improvement initiatives, driving service quality and innovation.
Desirable criteria
13. Clinical experience working within a dedicated dual diagnosis or substance misuse team.
14. Active involvement in quality improvement initiatives related to dual diagnosis, contributing to service development and best practice implementation.
Knowledge / Skills and abilities
Essential criteria
15. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of healthcare provision, current policy agendas, and the challenges faced by individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance misuse.
16. Show a strong understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of equality, fair access, and service user empowerment in relation to cooccurring conditions
17. Possess theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for treatment options available for people with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions.
Desirable criteria
18. Thorough understanding of the legal frameworks and statutory provisions that safeguard and support individuals with co-occurring conditions/compliance and advocacy in practice.