Job Description and Person Specification
Service
West Sussex Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service
Job Title
Recovery Worker
Pay Scale
23 - 28
Hours
Permanent
Base
Crawley and mid-Sussex
Reports to
Team Leader or Senior Recovery Worker
Purpose of Job
Holistically supporting adult service users to enter and move through
integrated, recovery oriented, substance misuse services and increase
opportunities for service users to achieve sustainable recovery.
The Recovery Worker is an integral member of a multi-disciplinary team
delivering comprehensive interventions to support service users
through engagement, detoxification, stabilisation and rehabilitation.
These include outreach, low threshold, structured 1:1 and groupwork
psychosocial interventions and care co-ordination, the support of clients
in medically assisted recovery, criminal justice and recovery support
interventions.
The Recovery Worker is responsible for providing a full range of
services across an operational site in West Sussex as well as outreach
and in-reach provision in the locality area.
The focus of all interventions will be:

To reduce substance-related harm to the individual and the wider
community, including reducing re-offending

To promote healthier life styles and increase service user choice

To promote and support individuals into both abstinence-based and
medically-assisted forms of recovery

To provide effective case management and co-ordination of the
individual’s recovery plan

To promote carer and service user involvement
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
To work in an integrated way with local providers who may be
involved in an individual’s treatment and care.
In fulfilling these aims the post-holder will use recognised, up-to-date
evidenced-based interventions, ensuring that people with drug and
alcohol use disorders consistently receive high quality services that
adhere to best practice guidelines and achieve high professional
standards.
The post-holder will be responsible for contributing to the overall
performance of the service to ensure that contractual outcomes and
targets are achieved and will be required to record and input client data
and information, in order that the service operates within contractual,
administrative and financial requirements.
The post-holder will be required to work flexibly across operational sites
as required and within an agreed number of hours to maintain the most
appropriate level of service provision. This will include evening and
weekend working.
The post-holder will be expected to take responsibility for personal
development, identifying personal training needs and participate in
regular supervision and appraisal.
Key Activities:

Engage people who have drug and/or alcohol use disorders, and provide
them with advice, brief interventions and psychosocial interventions to
address their substance misuse issues, primary health care concerns
including blood borne viruses and offending behaviours.

Carry out screening, assessment, risk and parenting needs assessments and
risk management plans, in addition to on-going assessments, and to
contribute to the development of individual community recovery plans with
service users.

Utilise motivational interviewing, ITEP, cognitive behavioural techniques and
brief interventions in both one-to-one and group settings to promote
engagement in treatment services, encourage self-esteem, well-being, selfresponsibility and enhanced motivation.

In conjunction with clinical staff, support substitute prescribing regimes to
improve social functioning and recovery.
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
Assist and carry out appropriate testing processes, including dried blood
testing and breathalysing clients.

Manage a client caseload and maintain care co-ordination responsibility for
these clients throughout their recovery journey.

Work within a wider pod/team to ensure continuity of service delivery and
support for service users.

Review on-going care and treatment at least every three months, liaising
closely with the full range of specialist workers within the multi-disciplinary
team.

Work in partnership with GPs, Health Visitors, Midwives, Children’s Centres,
SEETEC KSSCRC, National Probation Service, Sussex Police, the Courts
and other agencies ensuring clients access the full range of recovery support
available.

Provide services in an outreach and in-reach capacity across West Sussex.

Provide out of hours telephone support on a rota basis (enhanced payment)

Provide health education; especially in regard to harm minimisation, blood
borne viruses and overdose prevention.

Work
in
partnership
with
community
Pharmacists
ensuring
clear
communication pathways in relation to supervised consumption and missed
pick-ups.

Promote sexual health awareness and offer screening and materials to
service users.

Promote smoking cessation support.

Ensure onward referral in relation to housing, parenting, family and carer
needs, employment, education, training and other identified needs.

Engage in regular clinical supervision and maintain a current knowledge of
appropriate interventions with regard to clients with drug or alcohol use
disorders.

Actively participate in regular management supervision, be willing to
personally
reflect
on
interpersonal
dynamics
within
the
therapeutic
relationship and provide evidence of achieving performance targets alongside
other supervision requirements as detailed in CRI policy.

Work within CRI’s professional development framework participating in active
learning and developing professionally, in accordance with service and
organisational requirements and current skills and abilities.

Recognise personal and professional boundaries and work within CRI clinical
governance framework at all times.
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
Present a professional image and actively promote the service at all times to
service users, other stakeholders, partnership organisations and the general
public.

Ensure that all data requirements are met within defined deadlines and work
with the CRI management team to ensure that outcomes are being achieved.

Uphold data protection legislation and only share client information as per
CRI policy, local and formally agreed information sharing protocols and client
confidentiality agreements.

To ensure that risk and parenting needs assessments and management
plans are carried out and that safeguarding policies and procedures are
implemented at all times.

To conduct a home visit (observing children) to all clients in structured
treatment who have significant contact with children in their home, or are
pregnant / their partner is pregnant, ideally within five working days of
assessment, and re-visit as necessary.

To promote and enhance service user and Recovery Mentor involvement
within the service.

To attend operational meetings, providing feedback and progress reports as
required.

To ensure the targets and aims of the project are met, and that the highest
possible professional standards underpin the work.
General terms of reference:
In carrying out the above duties the post holder will:

Work flexibly across
outreach/satellite sites.

Work flexibly within an agreed number of hours of work to maintain the
most appropriate level of service provision, including evenings and
weekends, and ‘Warrior Down’ on-call shifts on a rota basis.

Seek to improve personal performance, contribution, knowledge and skills.

Reflect on own practice through supervision and peer support.

Demonstrate an understanding and commitment to CRI’s values and core
messages.

Participate in appraisal, supervision and Learning & Development
processes.
operational
sites
as
required,
including
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
Keep abreast of relevant developments in service provision, legislation and
practice relevant to the organisation and service.

Ensure the implementation of the all CRI policies.

Contribute to maintaining safe systems of work and a safe environment.

Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post.
This is a standards based job description that incorporates the National Occupational
Standards relevant to the job, as well as DANOS and other occupational standards such as
CJNTO.
Specific standards (DANOS related where appropriate) for this role include:
Unit Number and Title
HSC35
Promote choice, well being and the protection of all individuals
AA1
Recognise indications of substance misuse and refer individuals to
specialists
HSC233
Relate to, and interact with, individuals
HSC330
Support individuals to access and use services and facilities
HSC3111
Promote the equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities of individuals
HSC226
Support individuals who are distressed
AB2
Support individuals who are substance users
AH10
Employ techniques to help individuals to adopt sensible drinking
behaviour
AB3
Contribute to the prevention and management of abusive and aggressive
behaviour
HSC335
Contribute to the protection of individuals from harm and abuse
HSC395
Contribute to assessing and act upon risk of danger, harm and abuse
HSC33
Reflect on and develop your practice
GEN36
Make use of supervision
AC3
Contribute to the development of the knowledge and practice of others
GEN33
Enable other individuals to reflect on their own values, priorities, interests
and effectiveness
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M&L D1
Develop productive working relationships with colleagues
AD1
Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects
AD2
Facilitate learning through presentations and activities
AD4
Develop and disseminate information and advice about substance use,
health and social well-being
AF1
Carry out screening and referral assessment
AG1
Develop, implement and review care plans for individuals
AG2
Contribute to care planning and review
HSC388
Relate to families, parents and carers
AG3
Assist in the transfer of individuals between agencies and services
AI2
Help individuals address their substance use through an action plan
AJ1
Help individuals address their offending behaviour
BE4
Supplying information for management control
BE6
Preparing reports and returns
HSC31
Promote effective communication for and about individuals
CJAD2
Develop, sustain and evaluate joint work between agencies
HSC3100
Participate in inter-disciplinary team working to support individuals
GEN48
Promote your organisation and its services to stakeholders
M&L E6
Ensure health and safety requirements are met in your area of
responsibility
HSC22
Support the health and safety of yourself and individuals
HSC32
Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the working
environment
CJAD 3
Represent one’s own agency at other agencies’ meetings
Go to: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk for more information on DANOS
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Person Specification – Essential Criteria
 Experience of working within recovery or offender management services.
 Good knowledge of drug and alcohol use disorders.
 Experience of delivering a range of psychosocial interventions and methods used to
enable people to achieve sustained recovery.
 Relevant professional qualification or qualified to NVQ/QCF Level 3 in Health and
Social Care or equivalent.
 Understanding of the need for and ability to deliver quality services.
 Experience of working in partnership with specialist and non specialist support
providers.
 Understanding and experience of carrying out administrative duties including data
entry.
 Demonstrable understanding of safeguarding legislation and processes relating to
the safeguarding of children and adults at risk.
 Ability to maintain a practical, positive and considered approach when dealing with
challenging behaviour.
 Commitment to continued professional development including participation in internal
and external training programmes
 Ability to work under pressure and prioritise conflicting demands.
 Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
 Ability to travel extensively across the County
(Crawley and mid-Sussex and Bognor post-holders are required to be car drivers with a
full UK Driving Licence – mileage will be reimbursed)
 Be computer literate and have the ability to use data bases.
 A commitment to maintaining professional boundaries.
 Communicate confidently and effectively, verbally and in writing.
 Understand and have a commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, and
diversity and ability to engage with people of diverse backgrounds
 Employ a empathetic and non-judgmental attitude towards service users.
 Show commitment to facilitating positive outcomes for service users.
Desirable criteria:

Qualification in substance misuse.
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 Knowledge of local services and geography.
 Foundations of Recovery trained.
 Trained to undertake dried blood spot testing.
This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check at an enhanced level
and will be subject to future Independent Safeguarding Authority Registration
Requirements.
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.
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