Job Description
Service
Southend Treatment and Recovery Service (STARS)
Job Title
Hospital Liaison Nurse
Base
Southend-on-Sea
Hours
37.5 hours per week
Reports to
Clinical Lead Nurse
Purpose of Job
As directed by the Clinical Lead Nurse and pathways development of drug and
alcohol interventions including detoxification to reduce the number of drug and
alcohol related presentations to A&E and related hospital admissions.
The post holder will ensure embedded liaison pathways in Southend University
Hospital A&E department & conduct in-reach onto wards working closely with
the Hospital based A&E Nurse specialist.
The post-holder will further develop joint & integrated working within hospital
settings which will reduce cost implications & impact drug and alcohol
admissions have on A&E & hospital services by: Using existing referral data &
new data collated from Hospitals, and partners from a range of key Southend
Multi-Agency and Risk Management Group stakeholders including Police,
Ambulance Service, Social Care Services & Mental Health Services, identify
individuals that form the drug and alcohol repeat attendees cohort & ensure
that these individuals are proactively provided with in-reach services upon
admission into Hospital.
The post holder will Implement a repeat attendees investigation system that
enables the outreach teams and the wider service to critically evaluate the
circumstances around an individual’s Hospital admission & therefore establish
exactly how this occurred, thus allowing for analysis of trends among this
cohort to take place & to enable future service development to fully reflect the
borough’s needs.
The post holder will coordinate regular multi-agency professionals meetings
with representatives from A&E, Ambulance Service, mental health,
safeguarding & other involved agencies in order to further identify & implement
personalised strategies for supporting particularly vulnerable service users into
treatment whilst also reducing the overall rate of hospital admission.
Aligned with CRI Southend Treatment and Recovery Service, The Hospital
Liaison Nurse will provide hospital coverage within Southend hospitals, with
particular focus being given to agreed ‘peak’ times. The Hospital Liaison Nurse
along with identified CRI colleagues will attend the following locations:
Gastroenterology/Hepatology Wards, Orthopaedic–Falls Prevention services,
specialist clinics (i.e. Hypertensive Disease), Observation Ward & A&E.
Hours of delivery will be reflective of local needs & respond flexibly this will
include evening & weekends
They will undertake relevant drug and alcohol screening to enable onward
referral to specialist service as needed, and provide brief interventions and
harm reduction advice, information as required by each individual following
initial assessment using validated drug and alcohol screening tools. GP liaison
will be intrinsic to the role.
To work within the CRI Southend Treatment and Recovery Service Clinical
Team to set up drug and alcohol detoxification pathways, including hospital to
home detoxes, in line with CRI best practice protocols, in a variety of different
settings including pharmacies, primary care, clients home, etc.
To provide formal and informal training packages to other staff, professionals
and service users on health related topics including Information and Brief
Advice.
The post-holder will contribute to the service to ensure that substance users
consistently receive high quality services that adhere to the best practice
guidelines and achieve high professional standards. You will be responsible for
contributing to the overall performance of the service to ensure that contractual
output targets are achieved. You will have responsibility for your own
caseload, and will be required to record and input client data and information in
order that the service operates within contractual, administrative and financial
requirements.
You will be required to work flexibly across a number of operational sites as
required and work flexibly within an agreed number of hours to maintain the
most appropriate level of service provision. This will include evening and
weekend working.
You will be expected to take responsibility for personal development,
identifying personal training needs and participate in regular supervision and
appraisal.
Role Profile:

Take the lead role in developing systems which support the effective management and care of
individuals who present to General hospital with either primary or secondary issues relating to
drug and alcohol misuse.

Work with the service outreach team to ensure assertive and effective follow up of both repeat
presentations and discharges from the hospital.

Be specifically responsible in providing consultation/liaison and training to hospital staff
regarding issues of drug and alcohol misuse and ensure the safe and timely introduction of
effective evidence based clinical interventions.

As an autonomous practitioner the post holder will act in accordance with his/her Code of
Professional Practice and other relevant legislation, guidance and standards.

The post-holder will contribute to the management/service development and evaluation of the
drug and alcohol misuse issues.

He/she will be responsible for ensuring Impact of Alcohol Portfolio targets are met.
Key Duties/Responsibilities:

Be responsible for the provision of a direct and specialist service for patients who present to
hospital with issues relating to the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

To improve the identification and management of patients who misuse substances.

To undertake screening for drug and alcohol misuse using validated screening tools.

As an autonomous practitioner providing advanced assessment, planning, implementation and
evaluation of care to a small complex specialist caseload of patients who misuse drugs and
alcohol while they remain in the hospital setting.

In conjunction with the General hospital staff, liaison psychiatry staff and Southend Treatment
and Recovery Service, be responsible for reviewing and agreeing protocols for screening,
assessment, referral and sharing information.

Provide expert advice and guidance to clinical staff on the appropriate management of
identified drug and alcohol misusers in order to prevent further complications from their
conditions both in the short term and long term.

Liaise with child care services in respect of any perceived issues relating to patients or their
children’s welfare.

Use best practise and evidence based practise to offer interventions and advice others of the
appropriate interventions for drug and alcohol misusers.

Provide expert advice clinical staff on the appropriate medicines management for drug and
alcohol misusers in order to prevent both short term and long term complications from their
conditions.

Provide on-going guidance, support, and teaching of staff within the general hospital on issues
relating to drug and alcohol misuse.

Lead in developing care pathways within the General Hospital setting, in liaison with other
professionals, which outline roles, responsibilities and therapeutic approaches for patient /
clients with drug and alcohol misuse problems.

Take a lead role in developing innovative clinical practices, policies and procedures which can
be disseminated to multi-disciplinary members General Hospital clinical staff and Southend
Treatment and Recovery Service in support of, improved care delivery.

As lead nurse within the hospital setting for drug and alcohol misuse, participate in case
reviews in a multi-disciplinary setting.

To manage own workload and participate in clinical supervision as appropriate.

To maintain professional standards of conduct as per Professional Codes of Practice and
maintain and update knowledge in area of expertise.

To educate and support carers and contribute to the assessment of carers needs.

Network, collaborate and co-work with Primary care/ secondary care services and Community
and Voluntary Organisations as appropriate.

To organise and participate in promoting well-being programmes and act as a resource on
addiction issues for patients, relatives and appropriate other carers.

To maintain and develop a specialised knowledge of current drug and alcohol misuse
interventions with an awareness of current research and clinical innovation relating to the
specialty, particularly in the area of substitute medication.
Professional:

Take a lead role in the development of written standards, guidelines and policies, pathways
within specialist area in the hospital setting.

Contribute to service development through quality and audit initiatives.

Maintain and participate in continual professional development including keeping abreast of
changes and developments in psychiatry and attend in-service training and courses as
required.

Ensure mechanisms are in place to routinely monitor the quality and cost effectiveness of
service provision and take immediate action when shortfalls in performance are identified.
Education, Training, Research and Development:

Appraise research and new evidence findings and advise relevant staff on impact of evidence
based practice and implementation.

In conjunction with General Hospital Medical staff undertake specific research/audit related to
the advancement of practices in the care of drug and alcohol misusers.
Organisational & Management Responsibilities:

To provide clear and accurate clinical correspondence to referring agents and relevant others
when appropriate.

Promote and participate in Quality Assurance initiatives.
General terms of reference:
In carrying out the above duties the post holder will:

Work flexibly across operational sites within an agreed number of hours of work to maintain
the most appropriate level of service provision.

Regular Evening and weekend working

Seek to improve personal performance, contribution, knowledge and skills and be responsible
for maintaining own professional registration

Participate in appraisal, supervision and Learning & Development processes.

Ensure the implementation of the all CRI policies.

Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post.
Person Specification
Essential criteria:

First level registered nurse with at least three years post qualification experience and a current
PIN

Recent experience of working within substance misuse treatment

A clear understanding of the need for and ability to deliver quality services

Sound and demonstrable knowledge of clinical prescribing issues.

Sound and demonstrable knowledge of harm reduction and health promotion interventions.

Knowledge of the issues facing substance misusers including appropriate medical
interventions, social care and health issues.

Ability to assess and recovery plan service users and formulate written reports as necessary.

Community based support practices.

Maintain professional boundaries and work effectively with partnership agencies.

Demonstrate skills to undertake administrative duties.

Experience of contributing to project development.

Clinical auditing skills to inform evaluation of the service and identify areas for development.
And the ability to:

Communicate confidently and effectively, verbally and in writing.

Respond flexibly to the demands of the post.

Work as a member of a team.

Show a capacity to work alone and the ability to keep calm under pressure.

Understand and have a commitment to the principles of equal opportunity and diversity.

Employ a professional, empathetic and non-judgmental attitude towards service users.

Show commitment to facilitating positive outcomes for service users.
Desirable criteria:

Access to own transport (non-essential).

Knowledge of local services and geography.

Motivational interviewing techniques.

Qualification(s) in substance misuse.
This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.
Amendments: This description accurately reflects the present position; it may be amended and
reviewed.
Any change will be made following a proper period of consultation.