About this role
Job summary
This role provides expert clinical leadership in the assessment, treatment, and ongoing management of individuals experiencing alcohol or drug-related difficulties.
The role combines advanced clinical practice with service development, staff supervision, and partnership working to ensure high-quality, evidence-based care across the treatment pathway.
This senior clinician leads on complex case management, risk assessment, detoxification planning, harm-reduction interventions, and relapse-prevention strategies. They act as a specialist resource for multidisciplinary colleagues, offering consultation, training, and clinical oversight to enhance the team's competence and confidence in delivering substance misuse care.
A key part of the role involves developing and implementing clinical protocols, ensuring compliance with national and local guidance, maintaining standards and improvements in patient outcomes.
The Band 7 works closely with internal and external partners--including primary care, mental health services, social care, safeguarding teams, and voluntary sector organisations--to promote integrated, person-centred support.
Main duties of the job
Main tasks and responsibilities
Provide specialist assessment, care planning, and treatment for people with complex alcohol or drug related needs.
Lead clinical decision making for detoxification, harm reduction interventions, and relapse-prevention work.
Hold a specialist caseload while offering expert guidance on high-risk or complex cases.
Deliver clinical supervision, mentorship, and training to staff across the service.
Ensure safe, evidence-based practice in line with NICE guidance and local protocols.
Coordinate multi-agency care with mental health, primary care, social care, community substance teams, and criminal justice partners.
Lead on safeguarding, risk assessment, and risk-management processes.
Support service development, audits, quality-improvement projects, and policy implementation.
Promote a recovery-focused, trauma-informed, and person-centred approach across the team.
Contribute to operational tasks such as rota planning, incident reporting, and workforce development.
About us
Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM). They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation
Our mission is to be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other
Our vision is to be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn
Our approach to healthcare is founded on our four core values:
Kind - we are caring, supporting and respectful to everyone
Open - we are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working
Fair - we listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all
One team - we work well together and with our communities
We employ almost 6,500 people from more than 80 nationalities and are fully committed to being an equal, diverse and inclusive employer. Our culture and values ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and that no job applicant or employee is disadvantaged at any stage of their journey.
We are also proud to be an Armed Forces Friendly organisation and welcome applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists and families.
Working at NCM means becoming part of a dedicated team of clinical and support staff who are passionate about keeping people well and supporting wellbeing. If you share our values and are motivated by making a difference for our patients, we'd be delighted to receive your application
Job description Job responsibilities
For a full list of duties and main responsibilities please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Knowledge Essential
Basic understanding of NICE guidance, NHS Long Term Plan priorities, and national alcohol care standards relating to prevention, identification, assessment and treatment of alcohol misuse. Basic Knowledge of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for alcohol withdrawal and relapse prevention. Experience of developing and implementing alcohol care pathways to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital admissions.
Desirable
Extensive Understanding of NICE guidance, NHS Long Term Plan priorities, and national alcohol care standards relating to prevention, identification, assessment and treatment of alcohol misuse. Extensive Knowledge of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for alcohol withdrawal and relapse prevention. Experience of developing and implementing alcohol care pathways to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital admissions.
Skills Essential
Skilled in the use of alcohol screening and assessment tools including AUDIT-C, AUDIT and CIWA-Ar. Risk assessment and management of vulnerable patients. Decision-making in complex clinical situations.
Desirable
Extensive Understanding of NICE guidance, NHS Long Term Plan priorities, and national alcohol care standards relating to prevention, identification, assessment and treatment of alcohol misuse. Assessment and management of alcohol dependence and withdrawal. Care planning for patients with complex alcohol-related needs. Clinical leadership and role modelling service improvement
Partnership working Essential
Collaborative working with acute, community and mental health services. Liaison with safeguarding teams, social care and third-sector organisations.
Desirable
Developing integrated care pathways. Influencing across organisational boundaries.
Communcation Essential
excellent communication skills - verbal and written Ability to engage with patients displaying challenging behaviours
Desirable
Building relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Policy and guideline development.
Education and Training Essential
Designing and delivering staff training programmes. Developing clinical competencies.
Desirable
Data analysis and performance monitoring. Understanding of clinical governance and risk management.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (WHH)
Address Warrington
Lovely Lane, Warrington, Cheshire
Warrington
WA5 1QG
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://northcheshireandmersey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)