Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity available for you to join our dedicated team.

Alcohol consumption is a key single modifiable driver of demand for acute health services.  It accounts for up to 20% of emergency hospital admission, results in prolonged stays in hospital and sees patients frequently readmitted to hospital. Alcohol dependent patients often receive sub-optimal care and can pose significant challenges for non-specialist teams caring for them.

 The aim of the Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Alcohol Care Team is to :

·   Reduce avoidable alcohol related hospital admissions by reducing health risk among patients who are alcohol dependent.

·   Reduce the length of stay for inpatients by improving the management of patients undergoing withdrawal treatments.

·   Provide appropriate, timely, meaningful education and support for those individuals who are presenting with alcohol related problems and for health professionals who are providing care to this cohort of patients.

·   Facilitate integrated alcohol related care across the patients’ journey.

·   Provide / signpost psychosocial intervention to support dependent drinkers to sustain abstinence following discharge.

Main duties of the job

·       Deputise the Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist in the management of the service.

·       Collect data for analysis and interpret in order to maintain the service in-accordance with locally and nationally agreed parameters. Liaise with Public Health England, local CCG and NHSE/I

·       Provide clinical expertise in the management of alcohol withdrawal programmes liaising with clinical colleagues within the team and to the wider organisation, under indirect supervision of the Clinical Lead.

·       To provide case identification, comprehensive alcohol assessments, specialist nursing and medical care planning, psychosocial interventions, and discharge planning

·       Provide trust-wide education in relation to alcohol related health disorders, advice and treatments to patients and professionals

·       To develop and maintain excellent working relationships with the link Consultant, other specialist nurses such as the Liver team, social workers, allied health professionals, mental health services and the wider team

·       To work within local trust policies and standards of practice, national policies and guidance, and NMC codes of practice

·       To assist the lead clinical Nurse Specialist with an aim to provide a 7-day service

·       Deputise for the lead Clinical Nurse Specialist in attending meetings pertaining to the development / planning of the Alcohol Care Team in their absence.

Working for our organisation

This is an exciting opportunity to join and continue to develop a service within Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.

The Alcohol Care Team works within a friendly and well-established Gastroenterology Department that provides seamless multi-speciality care, with an ethos in facilitating the right care, at the right time, in the right place.