Alcohol Specialist Nurse | Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Posting date:	18 February 2026
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£38,682 - £46,580 Per Annum
Hours:	Part time
Closing date:	20 March 2026
Location:	Southport, PR8 6PN
Company:	St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7782393/409-7782393

Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic nurse to join the Alcohol Care Team -7-day service, within Southport Hospital.

We are looking for a motivated Band 6 individual who can demonstrate a commitment to the provision of high-quality patient centred care.

To be successful, the post holder will need substantial experience of working in acute care.

Working with this complex patient group will require good clinical skills and a positive and caring attitude. Evidence of working autonomously is essential.

This is an exciting and rewarding post for the right person and you are encouraged to arrange an informal visit with the Hospital Alcohol Lead.

Further information concerning the role can be gained from the Job Description.
• Provide programmes of extended brief interventions to patients drinking at increasing or high risk, whilst demonstrating the ability to establish a therapeutic relationship with the patient, carers and families
• Effectively manage own caseload with the supervision of the lead nurse.
• Promote the screening of patients attending the A&E or admitted to hospital for alcohol related ill health.
• Use validated screening tools to identify levels of health risk in relation to patients' alcohol use and to identify levels of dependency and treatment plan require.
• Complete comprehensive assessments, provide treatment plans and liaise with all partnership agencies in and out of the Southport area.
• Management of patients requiring Medically assisted alcohol withdrawal support
• Support the lead nurse in delivering staff education programmes, providing ongoing advice and supervision to other health care professionals.
• The ASN will accept referrals from other Health Care Professionals, and following a period of supervision/induction using a competency framework will be able to work unsupervised and manage their own work-load/clinics, with regular supervision from the Lead Nurse and Lead Consultant.

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:
• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.

CLINICAL PRACTICE
• Provide programmes of extended brief interventions to patients drinking at increasing or high risk and to effectively manage own caseload with the supervision of the lead nurse.
• Promote the screening of patients attending the A&E or admitted to hospital for alcohol related ill health.
• Use validated screening tools to identify levels of health risk in relation to patients’ alcohol use and to identify levels of dependency and treatment plan required.
• Provide a timely response to referrals in keeping with Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
• Ensure interventions undertaken are evidenced based, in line with best practice and following guidelines and pathways.
• Provide a visible clinical profile around the hospital, delivering specialist advice, information and support to all Trust staff caring for our patients.
• Participate in Multi-Disciplinary Meetings for patients attending A&E inappropriately, working across organisational boundaries to ensure that our patients receive a seamless individualised care plan.
• Participate in Consultant ward rounds when necessary and initiate further investigations and treatment.
• Liaise with Community Alcohol Services, in both Southport and West Lancashire, making appropriate referrals to community providers.
• Be a member of the wider MDT and assist in the establishment of protocols of care for patients with alcohol related illness.
• Evaluate patient’s response to medication and treatment; prescribe medication independently as per Nursing & Midwifery Council Code of Conduct.
• Detect and recognise potential problems in the patient’s condition and take appropriate action to rectify. Advise other healthcare professionals of the plan of care/treatment.
• Act as the patients advocate when relevant and be able to educate on treatment options available to enable the patient to make an informed choice, negotiating with the medical team to agree a pathway of care.
• Be accountable for all aspects of care, advice and treatment offered to our patients and their carer’s.
• Provide clinical advice and support to HCP within the trust and across organisational boundaries.
• Support and teach all grades of medical and nursing staff in all aspects of alcohol related illness in order to promote optimum care standards.
• Maintain accurate patient’s records and ensure all relevant information is documented in medical and nursing notes.
• Plan and manage own workload in a flexible manner, ensuring that service provision meets the needs of the patient.
• Promote a positive relationship with all stakeholders within the service.
• Facilitate a safe discharge for patients ensuring they are offered follow on care in either the HALT clinic or referral to community alcohol service.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
• Provide clinical supervision, support and mentorship to junior team members and junior nurses, as required.
• Identify the educational needs of staff and initiate and develop ward-based educational programmes.
• Provide up to date training and development for a variety of health and non-health care professionals in alcohol-related illness, in conjunction with the Alcohol Team Lead.
• Identify, assess and meet the educational and training needs of patients and carers to enhance the quality of life for patients with alcohol-related illness.
• Maintain own professional development and update specialist skills as required.
• Maintain and update highly specialist knowledge in alcohol-related illness and promote evidence-based knowledge and skills.
• Represent the Trust in external and internal forums, in relation to specific educational initiatives.
• Identify own professional development needs.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
• Assist in development of changes to clinical practice within the service
• Develop and implement protocols/ guidelines and policies relating to alcohol-related illness, in conjunction with the Alcohol Team Lead.
• Work with patients and service users to develop services
• Work in close collaboration with consultants across all specialities to ensure services meet patient’s needs, by using prioritisation and delegation skills to plan own workload and that of the team
• Complete appraisals for junior team members and ensure their mandatory training is completed as per Trust policy.
• Act as a positive role model in the delivery of care to patients with alcohol -related illness.
• Promote a positive attitude towards patients with alcohol related ill health and challenge negative attitudes at all levels.
• Undertake daily complex assessments and review/follow up of patients and supervise the assessment of junior staff
• Facilitate team working, innovation and practice development
• Be a member of a relevant professional association and attend regional/national meetings and conferences

RESEARCH AND AUDIT
• Undertake evidence-based practice and ensure dissemination of relevant research and best practice.
• Participate in and undertake clinical audit and contribute to development of knowledge within specialist field of practice.

LEAGAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
• Adhere to Trust and departmental policies and procedures
• Maintain a safe environment for own self and others, taking reasonable care to avoid injury. Cooperate with the Trust to meet statutory requirements.
• Provide statements regarding untoward incidents, as requested by line manager.
• Maintain registration and nursing competencies and comply with NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Investigate, evaluate and inform self and others of National and local changes that influence service delivery, business planning and strategic reviews.
• Keep up to date with legal matters that may arise during course of duty.

NON-MEDICAL PRESCRIBING
• Maintain and utilise relevant clinical and pharmacological knowledge, critically appraise and apply information in practice.
• Consult with patients, diagnose, generate treatment options and follow-up plans, where applicable, within clinical management plans.
• Prescribe safely and effectively, acknowledging own limitations and scope of practice.
• Work within Trust policies that impact on prescribing practice.
• Participate in, and use National Prescribing Centre competency framework, to undertake regular audit and review, of prescribing practice and medicine management.
• Access continuing professional development opportunities relating to Nurse Prescribing role.


This advert closes on Wednesday 11 Mar 2026

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