The Drug and Alcohol Liaison Practitioner will be an integral member of the Drug and Alcohol Care Team, which provides care and treatment for patients with drug and alcohol misuse issues in an acute hospital environment.
The post holder will work collaboratively within the Drug and Alcohol Team across wider multidisciplinary teams within the hospital and community in order to support and assist the patients' health care journey. The Drug and Alcohol Liaison Practitioner will assess the needs of the individual client and facilitate the appropriate channels of support whilst in the hospital and be pivotal on engaging them in community drug and alcohol teams.
Main duties of the job
The Drug and Alcohol Liaison Practitioner will provide support to care teams across both Bedford and Luton and Dunstable hospital sites (each post will be based primarily at one hospital). Working in conjunction with colleagues, service users and stakeholders to provide an efficient service.
They will assess and treat patients on site at the hospital and facilitate timely referral into community drug and alcohol services, reducing attrition and ensuring joined up care between the hospital and community services across Bedfordshire (including Luton).
The Drug and Alcohol Liaison Practitioner will provide training to hospital staff on screening and brief interventions and support the Drug and Alcohol hospital Care Team in developing and delivering education to Trust employees in the specialist of drug and alcohol misuse.
The post holder will exercise initiative and judgement using acquired skills and knowledge, always maintaining confidentiality. The post holder will provide an empathic and sensitive point of contact for service users and to signpost into other services and integrate care with other providers of health services. It is essential for the post holder to develop strong professional relationships with colleagues, acute hospital trust staff, and staff from external agencies.
Job responsibilities
1. Build partnerships and therapeutic relationships through safe, effective and non-discriminatory communication taking account of differences, capability and needs of individuals.
2. Maintain a high standard of professional behaviour and ensure effective and timely communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team, patients, carers and relatives.
3. Communicate with patients and their relatives/carers, making reports and liaising as required with medical staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team both verbally and in writing. Ensure instructions/information is understood and if required acted upon. Be mindful of own and others body language and barriers which may affect communication.
4. Provide support, reassurance and guidance to patients and their relatives.
5. Obtain verbal consent from the patient before any referral or intervention takes place.
6. Apply the principles of information governance and patient confidentiality to all aspects of your role.
7. Provide a point of contact for service users.
8. Accurately record telephone messages and action appropriately.
9. Provide effective communication and problem solving both face to face and via telephone.
10. Be sympathetic and sensitive to the requirements of staff, service users when communicating by telephone or face to face, including dealing with a difficult situation and attend departmental meetings on a regular basis.
11. Contribute to building effective teamwork in exchanging views, ideas and communicating effectively.
12. Attend multidisciplinary meetings to discuss referrals, frequent attendees or patients in treatment.
13. Lead in management of intoxicated patients and patients in acute alcohol withdrawal.
14. Escalate any concerns to the Lead Specialist Nurse in a timely manner.
15. Develop strong professional relationships with colleagues, Trust employees, Trust volunteers and staff from external agencies.
16. Work collaboratively as part of an integrated team.
Person Specification
Experience
* Significant experience of dealing with matters of a sensitive and confidential nature.
* Relevant experience of and exposure to performance monitoring.
* Can communicate effectively both verbally and written, with key stakeholders at all levels.
* Good organisational skills.
* Can demonstrate effective management of conflict.
* Ability to deliver a high level of accuracy and consistency in all work undertaken.
* Knowledge of project monitoring, acquired through degree or equivalent experience.
* Able to use own initiative and deal with the unpredictable.
Education/ Qualification/ Training
* Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by a post-graduate qualification or specialist training in addiction to experience or short course.
* Extensive experience in alcohol/addiction role.
* Evidence of continuing professional development.
Knowledge and Skills
* Knowledge of dealing with nonroutine issues such as problem solving for an area of work.
* Good communication skills both written and verbal demonstrating sympathy and compassion.
* Good organisational skills and ability to multitask.
* Ability to deal professionally with enquiries from staff, patients and visitors.
* Understand confidentiality and apply the principles in everyday working practice.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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