Job Title:                                  Project Worker

Service                                     Medically Supervised Injecting Facility, Riverbank, Dublin

Report to:                                       Clinical Nurse Manager

Objective:                                To effectively deliver services for addiction and co-existing Mental Health issues while the client is experiencing homelessness. 

Type of Contract:                      18-month fixed-term contract

A MSIF is a hygienic, safe, medically supervised healthcare environment where people can inject drugs, obtained elsewhere, under the supervision of trained health professionals. It offers a compassionate, person-centred service which reduces the harms associated with drug injecting. A MSIF can help health service staff to reach and support vulnerable and marginalised people, who often do not, cannot, or no longer engage with existing health services. 

There are now approximately 90 of these facilities worldwide, in Europe, Canada, and Australia. There is significant evidence gathered from these facilities of their benefits to people who use drugs and the wider society. 

This makes the role an extremely exciting and rare opportunity to be part of the growth of MSIF services and part of a global community in enabling a safe space for those with addiction. 

You can find more info on MSIF by clicking here > MSIF FAQ

Clinical processes:

• Observe and monitor client’s wellbeing throughout their visit to MSIF. 
• Provide opportunistic interventions for safer injecting and health promotion.
• Engage with clients to identify health needs and refer them to relevant members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Follow the Clinical Nurse Managers' direction and assist as required during client emergencies.
• Use observation and communication skills to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment

Operational processes

• Undertake clinical role in accordance with MSIF’s Internal Management protocol, clinical policies and procedures.
• Record all client observations and/or interactions in the MSIF database.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and managers to achieve MSIF’s objectives.
• Develop and maintain skills in overdose management, incident de-escalation and management, infection control, vein care and safer injecting practices, and health promotion.
• Management of infection prevention and control, actively cleaning booth between client use, and following all IPC protocols.

Client relationship:

• Foster social inclusion and client participation in the operation of MSIF
• Maintain a high standard of conduct and work performance to promote our reputation with key internal and external stakeholders.

People Leadership

• Actively engage and participate in MSIC’s performance management framework and review processes.
• Attend MSIF meetings and training activities. 
• Always take care of the safety of yourself and others and safely undertake work by policies, procedures and instructions (written or verbal).
• Take responsibility for actively skilling up colleagues +/- being prepared to act as a mentor for new/less experienced staff.
• Provide a range of rehabilitation and aftercare supports targeting service users including those exiting drug and/or alcohol treatment programmes, psychiatric hospital care or exiting prison. To establish and develop links between services that ensure service users access the full range of care and treatment services to meet their needs.
• Provide education, information, advocacy and treatment support to service users 
• Refer the client to the appropriate agencies I.e. mental health teams, drug treatment services 
• Assess the needs of service users and match their needs with the appropriate evidence-based interventions and arrange input from other relevant agencies where necessary
• Have an individual integrated care plan which is based on a comprehensive assessment of their needs, with appropriate treatment, rehabilitation and recovery goals, agreed upon with the service user.  Ensure service users are case-managed and tracked as they move through the continuum of care. 
• Provide a range of therapies including brief interventions, motivational interviewing.
• Provide care and support that offer both a harm reduction and recovery ethos reflecting a person-centred approach to care 
• Support service users through the process of regaining their capacity for daily life from the impact of problem drug/alcohol use, mental health challenges and reintegrating into their communities.

Reporting

• Produce standard monthly and quarterly reports for the Clinical Nurse Manager.
• Compile and report on complaints and compliments received as required. Ensure that any incidents are reported on the relevant system. 
• Responsible for ensuring that statistics/data are kept always updated on the CRM system 
• Responsible for maintaining a complete, accurate and up-to-date record for each treatment episode on the HRB on-line web-based system

General Responsibilities

• To support and participate in all audits and/or evaluations
• To comply with all requirements to all the appropriate documentation for the service such as client files, accident reports, service user complaints, minutes of meetings etc.
• To communicate effectively and to maintain appropriate accountability to the Clinical Nurse Manager
• In conjunction with the Clinical Nurse Manager to continuously develop the role to ensure that all aspects of the service are managed effectively and in line with service requirements
• To become familiar with and ensure that all MQI’s policies and procedures are being adhered to particularly those relating to Health & Safety, HR, Confidentiality, Boundaries and staff code of conduct etc.
• Undertake any other duties as assigned by the Clinical Nurse Manager

Training

Below is an outline of training MQI will provide to successful candidates to ensure their success and equipped for the role within MSIF. This is not an exhaustive list of training provided but an overview of key areas:

Qualifications & Experience

• Have a relevant qualification (minimum QQI Third Level 7 or equivalent) e.g. social care, addiction, community or youth work together with qualification/training in a mental health course, Motivational Interviewing (MI) and/or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Relapse Prevention. 
• Have a minimum of 2 years relevant employed work experience in addiction, community development, health & social care, mental health services, education or related fields including experience in crisis support, key working, and case management.

• Understand the current National Drugs Strategy, Substance Misuse Strategy, National Drug Rehabilitation Framework, logic model reporting, QUADS and/or Safer Better Healthcare (SBHC) Standards, Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone and Mental Health Act 2001)

   

Salary:                €33,860 - €37,980 per annum (part time is pro rata)

Hours:                Full-time (39 hours) and Part-time (28.5 hours) available

Days:                  Monday to Sunday 

Location:            Riverbank, Dublin 8

Some benefits include:

• Sick Pay Scheme
• Flexible Working Arrangements
• Minimum 23 days Annual Leave
• Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (after 6 months)
• Death In Service (from the commencement of employment)
• Learning and Development Programme
• Group VHI Scheme
• Paid Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity, Parental, Adoptive, Force Majeure and Compassionate Leave)
• Scholarship Foundation)
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Educational Assistance (Study and Examination Leave,