Brief Treatment and Advice Practitioner

Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service (GDAS)

Caerphilly

St Fagans House, St Fagans Street, Caerphilly, CF83 1FZ

22 hours per week.

£24,347 - £26,512 pro rata

GDAS Team Leader

No direct reports

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Permanent, in line with funding.

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The Gwent Drug and Alcohol service provides support to individuals and families affected by substance use across all 5 local authorities. As part of our service re-launch, we are recruiting for new roles across the service that align with the vision of the Gwent APB Substance Misuse Commissioning Team.

We are seeking empathetic and dedicated individuals with experiences from a range of sectors to join us in establishing a new, innovative drug and alcohol treatment service. We welcome people with experience of working not just in substance misuse - but in housing, mental health, primary care, secondary care, youth services, probation and other sectors that have transferable skills. We welcome individuals with their own lived experience of drug and alcohol use and/or mental health and from those who have supported others with lived experience.

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• Provide Brief Treatment for service users for low need and/or motivation to change.
• Form part of the Contact Team providing advice and assessment.

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• Via 1:1 or group setting, provide the following for the Brief Treatment cohort:

• Deliver a range of Brief Treatment holistic interventions, suitable for those requiring short term support.
• Create and deliver Brief Treatment packages suitable for a range of treatment needs and substance type.
• Link with community services (i.e. for Education, Employment and Training), Mutual Aid and the GDAS Wellbeing College, to co-ordinate a holistic package of care.
• Comprehensive exit planning, signposting and onwards referral.
• Provide structured group work programmes and sessions.

• Deliver courses on the Wellbeing College that enhance the provision of Brief Treatment services.
• Undertake risk assessment and development of risk management plans.
• Inspire and enthuse individuals to achieve and maintain positive lifestyles changes.Information, Assessment & Advice
• Form part of the Single Point of Contact Information, Assessment and Advice Team by delivering virtual/phone and assessment as part of the SPOC rota. Harm Reduction Provision
• Deliver harm reduction services and advice, including provision of Prenoxad Training, Needle Exchange Programme (NEX) and Dry Blood Spot Testing (DBST).
• Provide duty cover. Compliance and Information Management
• Ensure compliance with internal case management systems and client records.
• Undertake appropriate monitoring, review and evaluation procedures.
• Adhere to host organisation and GDAS policies and procedures including safeguarding and boundaries.
• Undertake appropriate administrative tasks.

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  Networking and Awareness Raising
• Foster and sustain good working relationships with stakeholders, including local partners within the local authorities and the health board.
• Represent host organisation or GDAS in appropriate forums and groups.
• Deliver talks, workshops, presentations, and provide training where appropriate.

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  Development & Training
• Provide a lead role in an area related to the role i.e. safeguarding, needle exchange (full training will be provided)
• Engage in a range of tools and methods designed to support further development in practice, including, but not limited to, the GDAS Worker Development Tool, Supervision, Reflective Practice, and Group Supervisions.
• Commitment to Learning and Practice Plans, ensuring knowledge and training remain up to date.

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  Other
• Ensure sound joint working practice to deliver an integrated holistic care pathway by working as required with other GDAS disciplines and teams.
• Communicate host organisation and GDAS vision and deliver upon mission, corporate strategy and business plans.
• Take up arrangements for support and participate in all relevant internal meetings.
• Undertake other reasonable duties as requested but which may not be specified within the job description.

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Ideally all these requirements must be met by the candidate on appointment. However, in certain circumstances, a candidate may be appointed who does not meet a particular requirement. This is providing that the shortfall can be made good in a reasonable time, and the candidate brings other skills, knowledge or experience which are valuable to the role and the Organisation.

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Expected to meet basic skills in numeracy and literacy.

Completed accredited training in structured psychosocial interventions.

NVQ Level 3 or above in a health and social care qualification or equivalent

Counselling qualifications

Experience of giving advice and support concerning housing, benefits, education and employment.

Knowledge of the harmful effects associated with drug and alcohol use, in relation to health, social welfare, housing, employability and relationships

Knowledge of ACE informed practice

Knowledge of safeguarding procedures.

Ability to develop relationships with strategic partners and other external parties/ organisations

Record Keeping and report writing

Familiarity with Microsoft 365

Experience of working within the field of substance use

Demonstrable experience of providing manualised interventions

Trained in:Relapse Prevention, Breaking Free

Knowledge of ITEP, TCU

Knowledge of sexual health, mental health awareness, and harm reduction initiatives.

Experienced Palbase user

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Empathic

Credible

Positive Attitude

Unconditional positive regard

Ability to work in partnership with those who use our services

Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team

Ability to strengthen self-efficacy in others

Supports a Recovery and Harm Reduction ethos

Effective Communication skills

Personal drive and resilience

Quality and Compliance Focus

Initiative and creativity

Organised & structured approach to work

Ability to manage time effectively

The post holder will be required to work flexibly around the needs of the people who use our services. This may include work at multiple locations and flexible working hours outside of the normal working week and may include weekends.

This role involves travel across Gwent to offices and community settings (with occasional possibility of transporting volunteers/clients). Therefore the post holder is required to have a full current driving licence, permitting them to drive their vehicle in the UK, and have fullaccess to their own personal mode of transportwhich is insured for business use.

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Commitment to uphold theGDAS values (above)

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