We are seeking a compassionate and proactive Dual Diagnosis Recovery Worker to join our community mental health service. This role focuses on supporting adults with co-existing mental health and substance use needs, who may present with complex challenges and require consistent, engagement-focused interventions.
You will provide regular, practical and relational support to service users, building meaningful therapeutic relationships and maintaining consistent contact-particularly with those at risk of disengagement. Working alongside the Dual Diagnosis Clinical Lead and wider multidisciplinary teams, you will play a key role in improving service user engagement, ensuring continuity of care, and supporting recovery-focused outcomes.
The post offers an opportunity to make a tangible difference by helping individuals navigate services, reduce risks, and achieve more stable and independent lives.
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Provide regular, practical, and relational support to service users, building engagement and maintaining consistent contact.
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Develop and sustain therapeutic relationships with individuals who may present with complex, high-risk or challenging behaviours.
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Support coordination between mental health and substance-use services, ensuring seamless care and reducing the risk of disengagement or loss to follow-up.
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Deliver structured, recovery-focused interventions including motivational work, relapse prevention, and practical support with daily living.
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Monitor and assess risks proactively, taking early action and escalating concerns in line with Trust policies and safeguarding procedures.
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Assist in assessment, care planning, and the implementation and review of individualised care plans.
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Work collaboratively with the Clinical Lead, care coordinators, and partner agencies to support effective service delivery and improved outcomes.
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Promote joint working practices with drug and alcohol services and other relevant external organisations.
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Maintain accurate clinical records and contribute to service evaluation, audit, and reporting requirements.
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
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Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
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NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
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Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
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A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
As a Dual Diagnosis Recovery Worker, you will form part of a specialist team embedded within community mental health services, providing targeted support to adults experiencing both mental health difficulties and substance misuse. The role requires a highly person-centred approach, focusing on engagement, trust-building, and delivering tailored interventions.
You will actively engage a defined caseload of service users, many of whom have historically struggled to access or remain involved in services. Through consistent outreach, empathetic communication, and practical support, you will help individuals remain connected to treatment and improve their overall wellbeing.
A key function of the role is to provide structured, recovery-orientated support. This includes motivational engagement, relapse-prevention planning, and assisting individuals with daily living skills, social inclusion, and accessing community resources. You will contribute to psychological formulation-led interventions and ensure that care is both integrated and tailored to the individual's needs.
You will play a vital role in bridging gaps between services by coordinating care across mental health teams, substance misuse services, and partner agencies. This integrated approach ensures service users receive timely, appropriate interventions and reduces the risk of disengagement.
Risk management is central to the role. You will be responsible for monitoring and responding to changing levels of risk, including recognising early warning signs and taking timely action in line with safeguarding and clinical governance frameworks. The role involves working in a variety of settings, including community venues and service users' homes, sometimes independently and in potentially challenging environments.
Working closely with the Dual Diagnosis Clinical Lead, you will support service delivery by maintaining engagement with service users, contributing to care planning, and assisting with service development activities, audits, and reporting of unmet needs. You will also collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, demonstrating strong communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
The successful candidate will bring experience in mental health, substance misuse, or a related field, along with excellent relationship-building abilities, resilience, and a commitment to supporting individuals with complex needs. A proactive approach, the ability to manage competing demands, and a passion for improving outcomes for people with dual diagnosis are essential.
A care related HNC/HND equivalent e.g. NVQ level 3 (or 2 and working to 3).
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Additional care related qualifications
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Assistant Practitioner Level 5
A minimum 12 months experience working with people in either the mental health or addictions sector with a specialist knowledge of mental health issues
To have knowledge of underpinning policy with regard to the clinical assessment and management of risk.
Extensive experience of working with people and / or dual diagnosis
Excellent communication skills
Ability to prioritise & plan workload
Effective time management
Driving licence and access to car
Patience, resilience and an empathetic understanding of the needs of people with dual diagnosis
There is occasional exposure to hazardous/ highly unpleasant environmental conditions when home visiting, and DDRW's may come across service users, who become verbally aggressive so resilience and conflict resolution training is needed
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
