Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen to develop a Substance Misuse service within the Alcohol Specialist Nurse Service (ASNS) at PHU. This role will be focusing on the development of pathways, policies and guidelines with the key focus being to improve patient care. 

The substance misuse service will work conjunctively with the ASNS. The ASNS was established in 2010 as a 7-day week service supporting patients attending the Emergency Department, inpatients, outpatients and external referrals (GP, community teams). The ASNS run a 7 day outpatient clinic supporting outpatient assessments and outpatient detox management for alcohol withdrawal. The Substance Misuse Service will work in combination with the ASNS.

The suitable candidate should have a drive for improving patient care and ideally have experience with substance misuse services (prescribing, policies, therapies, guidelines etc.) The service are open to appointing a Band 5 nurse under the preceptorship programme. Please contact for more information.

For further information or for a tour of the service, please do not hesitate to contact Senior Sister Sue Atkins on 02392 286000 x5403 or email [email protected].

Job Summary:

• To be responsible for co-ordinating, delivering and maintaining a high standard of day-to-day clinical care for all patients in the designated clinical area. 
• Provide support to the senior nurse (modern matron) and clinical leadership to the ward team. 
• To support the development of the Nurse –led substance misuse service. To help the service better respond to the needs of individuals with substance misuse related problems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Capital and Revenue Budgets – to assist the Substance Misuse Nurse specialist in effective use and monitoring of budget
• Other Statistics – Acting as an expert practitioner and professional role model, demonstrate advanced clinical skills, promote clinical excellence and ensure an optimum standard of nursing care is delivered from admission to discharge.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Current RN and/or RMN Adult / RGN registration with NMC
• Post Registration qualifications.
• Relevant Management / Leadership Course E.g. LEO, NEBS
• Significant experience with evidence of CPD.

Desirable

• Previous experience of staff development and performance management
• Evidence of ward management/teaching (formal and informal) experience and change management.
• Non-Medical prescriber

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of substance misuse.
• Knowledge of community teams.
• Knowledge of prescribing pathways for managing substance misuse.
• Critical appraisal skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Effective leadership and team building skills.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and nonverbal)
• Articulate and knowledgeable in current health care issues.
• Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.
• Ability to develop, plan, and implement short- and long-range goals
• Ability to develop and maintain record keeping systems and procedures.
• Ability to make clinical decisions and judgments.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to work under a supervision model.

Desirable

• Ability to serve on task forces and/or committees.
• Motivational Interviewing
• Trauma Informed

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Effective communicator both orally and on paper
• Skills in motivating
• Skill in working with cross-functional teams
• Project management skills
• Well-developed influencing skills across hierarchies and disciplines
• Good management skills
• Ability to act and ensure delivery
• Responsive and flexible attitude and approach

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.