Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Substance Misuse Nurse
The closing date is 29 November 2026

Job summary
Are you a compassionate and motivated Registered Nurse looking to develop your career within substance misuse services?

We are seeking an enthusiastic Band 5 Community Drug and Alcohol Nurse to join our dynamic multidisciplinary team. This is an exciting opportunity to support individuals affected by drug and alcohol use, helping them achieve and sustain recovery while improving their physical and mental wellbeing.

Working within a community-based service, you will provide high-quality, evidence-based nursing care to service users with a range of complex needs. You will work alongside experienced nurses, recovery practitioners, doctors, psychologists, social workers, and partner agencies to deliver holistic, person-centred care.

Main duties of the job
You will work as a member of Essex STaRS in providing high quality, evidence-based, holistic care to service users in line with your NMC professional code of conduct and trust policies. You will assess, plan, implement and evaluate packages of care based upon individual service user's needs, under the guidance of the Senior Nurse as per NICE guidance.

As required by your manager, you will have responsibility for the day-to-day supervision and management of lower banded staff within your professional group and team locality. This may include the management of these staff in line with agreed Trust HR processes as required.

You will be expected to work collaboratively with key partner organisations, service users, carers, clinicians and other practitioners within the service in delivering services

In delivering your duties you are expected to display behaviours that are aligned with the Trust values and in accordance with the NHS Constitution at all times.

About us
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
• Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs
Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Job responsibilities

• Participate in the planning, implementation / evaluation and ongoing review of recovery plans
• Responsible for the recording of all service users related activity information onto Theseus
• Attend multi-disciplinary meetings i.e. referral / review / business
• Act as a named nurse.
• Provide education around the medication prescribed, side effects, actions and aids to compliance
• Provide education and support to develop service users understanding of mental illness
• With relevant expertise and experience and support, provide psycho-social intervention, education and support to develop service users understanding of mental illness with aim to prevent relapse and admission
• Undertake physical health checks of service users including the administration of vaccines and dry blood spot testing and act on the findings appropriately
• Be competent in use of relevant screening and assessment tools
• Provide comprehensive assessment, care planning, treatment and review.
• Provide formulation, delivery and review of individualised evidence based care / care packages according to NICE guidance including non-medication strategies
• Participate in audit and research

Person Specification

• Essential: Registered Nurse / Years experience
• Essential: Experience of working in a community setting
• Desirable: Experience of working in Substance misuse
• Desirable: Experience of working with complex needs

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see the NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Essex STaRS - East, Open Road, 5a Queen Street, Colchester, CO1 2PG, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://eput.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Team Manager/Independant Non-Medical Prescriber, Gareth Thomason, gareth.thomason@nhs.net, 07583125114

Details
Date posted: 09 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year, per annum, pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 364-B-575
Job locations: Essex STaRS - East, Open Road, 5a Queen Street, Colchester, CO1 2PG, United Kingdom

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