Dual Diagnosis Nurse
The Dual Diagnosis Nurse will work as part of the Low Secure inpatient service, providing specialist nursing care to individuals with severe and enduring mental illness alongside co‑existing substance use difficulties. Service users may present with complex needs, including formal mental health diagnoses combined with current or historical use of substances where each of these issues negatively impacts upon the other.
The post holder will manage a defined caseload, deliver specialist assessments and interventions, and contribute to the development of care pathways for dual‑diagnosis service users. They will act as a clinical resource for colleagues, offering expert advice, joint working, and training across the service.
See Job Description and Person Spec for full description
Clinical
- To undertake comprehensive assessments for clients with mental health and drug and alcohol issues.
- To agree and deliver these intervention / packages for a defined caseload of
people with complex multiple needs. This will include people with and without a
formal mental health diagnosis alongside current or historically use of substances
where each of these issues negatively impacts upon the other.
- To formulate and implement treatment / care plans with clients and other staff.
- To manage a defined caseload using evidence-based practice.
- Effectively monitor the progress of service users both individually and collectively through care plans and multi-disciplinary review ensuring effective case
management.
- To advocate and encourage health promotion in all aspects of work.
- To utilise regular clinical supervision.
Development / Liaison
- To work with a defined caseload, provide specialist advice and be a point of reference for other professionals to enhance and disseminate good practice for this client group.
- To attend and participate in team meetings and clinical team meetings where appropriate.
- To establish links with Housing, Drug and Alcohol Services and other agencies.
Education
- To develop and facilitate training for staff coming into contact with mental health and drug and alcohol clients who are rough sleeping or at risk of increasing confidence and competency with this client group.
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust is excited to advertise a permanent 37.5 Hour post for a Senior Mental Health Practitioner to work in the local Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Network (PCN). This role supports the wider transformation of community mental health services for adults and older adults that seeks to bridge the divide between primary care and secondary mental health care, and physical health services.
The Senior Mental Health Practitioner will be employed by Pennine Care but based within the HMR Primary Care Network, within GP surgeries and will be accessible and responsive to GPs and service users within the Primary Care network. The Senior Mental Health Practitioner role promotes and provides early assessment, treatment and improved access to evidence-based interventions for people with mental health needs. The role will help people to focus on achievable goals, access local community resources and promote self-management. The service will be for people over 18 years old with a specific focus on:
Those with mental health needs that exceed the access criteria for IAPT and do not meet the access criteria for secondary care
People with serious or significant mental illness (SMI) who are in recovery and relatively stable in secondary care mental health services who could be cared for within primary care
People with SMI who are eligible for an annual health check and medication review and improved access to physical health interventions
See JD and PS
Clinical
- Complete comprehensive nursing assessments for individuals with dual diagnosis needs, including mental health and substance use.
- Plan, deliver, and evaluate tailored interventions for a defined caseload of service users with complex presentations.
- Formulate and implement collaborative care plans with service users, carers, and the wider MDT.
- Provide evidence-based nursing care and maintain effective case management.
- Monitor service user progress through structured reviews and multidisciplinary meetings.
- Promote physical health, wellbeing, and harm-reduction principles in all aspects of care.
- Participate in regular clinical supervision and reflective practice.
Development / Liaison
Development / Liaison
- Provide specialist dual-diagnosis advice to colleagues and act as a point of reference for complex cases.
- Contribute to MDT meetings, clinical reviews, and service development discussions.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with Drug and Alcohol Services, community teams, and partner agencies to support continuity of care.
Education
- Deliver training sessions to staff to improve confidence and competence when working with dual-diagnosis service users.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the Mental Health Act, NICE guidance, and national policy relating to dual diagnosis.
- Support the supervision and learning of students and junior staff.
- Meet NMC revalidation and PREP requirements through ongoing professional development.
