Community Detox Nurse

Job summary

37.5 hours per week. An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] community detox team working alongside Harbour partners across the Plymouth Alliance. The role will be an opportunity to support the development of the service with the service manager, and harbour colleagues. Working as part of the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] Community substance use service within Harbour Alcohol and Drug Service, the post holder will be an experienced nurse with Independent Non Medical Prescribing or willing to work towards this, who, acting within their professional boundaries and competencies, will be responsible for the development and delivery of the community detoxification service including the independent non-medical prescribing for service users with both drug and alcohol problems who require community detoxification interventions. The post holder will provide a nurse led detoxification service open to Harbour clients engaged in a structured care planned Tier 3 treatment episode. This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility. Please note that [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity. All [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

Main duties of the job

The post holder must be committed to providing high quality evidence based nurse led substance misuse detoxification interventions to a clearly defined group of service users and carers in line with Models of Care, DoH Guidelines on the Management of Substance Misuse, and locally ratified prescribing policy, which include SOP for controlled drugs. The post holder will undertake all professional duties with respect to meeting service users health and social care needs such as risk assessment, safeguarding children, safeguarding adults, and all mandatory requirements with NDTMS. The post holder will be responsible for the assessment of clients referred to the service with a view to establishing the suitability of the client for pharmacological interventions, including community alcohol/opiate detoxification programmes and abstinence support regimes as part of their care and recovery plan. The post holder will also be responsible for the management of detoxification waiting lists and will make a contribution to the teaching of nurses, doctors and other health care professionals. The post holder will provide clinical leadership and supervision to other detoxification nurses and allied health professionals, ensuring that service users consistently receive high quality services that adhere to best practice guidelines and high professional standards, ensuring that prescribing to all patients is appropriate, evidence based, safe and cost effective.

About us

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs. As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve. We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives. We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation. [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Details

• Date posted: 06 May 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pa, pro-rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
• Reference number: B9832-2026-NM-10292
• Job locations: Harbour Centre (plymouth) Ltd, Mutley Plain, Plymouth, PL46LF

Job responsibilities

To be responsible for the day-to-day management of a nursing team without direct supervision. To create, promote and maintain an environment conducive to team building, working and development. Providing support and promoting clinical supervision for all team members. To participate in the recruitment and selection of staff within the service. Take responsibility for own learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision and acting as a positive role model. Actively promote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice. To act up in the absence of clinical manger and / or clinical lead over clinical issues. To demonstrate sound decision making and problem solving skills. The participation in the development of innovative ideas and methods to bring about service improvements. To act as a resource and support staff, mentors and students within Harbour and other Services as appropriate. To constructively participate in clinical or managerial meetings as required. To maintain own clinical/professional registration as appropriate and keep abreast of developing clinical practice and formulate policies accordingly within the sphere of substance misuse. To maintain all patient confidential information in line with both [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] CIC, Harbour policies and relevant legislation. Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records and inform other professionals about changes in prescriptions or treatment options. To manage own time effectively to ensure balance between clinical and administrative activities. Please see attached full JD and Spec in Supporting Documents.

Person Specification

Specific skills

Essential

• Non medical prescriber
• High levels of communication skills, ( verbal and written) managing staff feedback in an environment where things are pressured.
• High standard of report writing.
• Good time management
• Delegation skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills, leadership, co-ordination and management skills
• Able to respond to urgent calls across Plymouth
• Prioritisation
• Flexibility
• Adaptability
• IT Literate

Desirable

• Skills in assessment, management and treatment of detoxification regimes in the community of adults with a range of substance dependence including alcohol.
• Route Cause analysis training and ability to carry out investigations within the organisation as well as at local service level

Experience

Essential

• Relevant nursing experience at band 5.
• Relevant and significant working in substance misuse treatment services.
• Experience of clinical and line management supervision
• Evidence of understanding of working with people with dependence.
• Knowledge of alcohol and opiate withdrawal programmes/ evidence based.
• Experience of managing clinical risk.
• Knowledge of complex comorbidities/ vulnerabilities (Dual Diagnosis).
• Supervision and management of community detox and advising GP of safe community detoxification regimes

Desirable

• Experience of Community/ inpatient detox .
• Evidence and understanding of community and inpatient detoxification services.
• Experience of conducting Audit
• Experience of conducting research and analysing research.
• Core management study days

Knowledge

Essential

• Working knowledge of CQC
• Understanding of community networks and MDT working
• Evidence of recent study
• Competent to the minimum level in each dimensions of the KSF
• Knowledge of local and national statutory and non-statutory frameworks including child and adult safeguarding.
• Working knowledge of models of care.
• Knowledge of safe lone working procedures

Desirable

• Knowledge of psychological frameworks to understand why people use substances.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse,
• District Nurse Certificate, Diploma or Degree level

Desirable

• Line management and supervision skills
• Non-Medical Prescriber

Additional information

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. Guidance can be found here. UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]. Address: Harbour Centre (plymouth) Ltd, Mutley Plain, Plymouth, PL46LF. Employer's website: https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/.