Dual Diagnosis Worker

Role Overview

The Dual Diagnosis and Outreach Team (DDOT) was established in 2021 using Community Mental Health Transformation funding. Its purpose is to make mental health support easier to access for people living with serious mental illness and multiple complex needs, especially those who have difficulty reaching services through standard referral pathways.

DDOT is a small outreach-focused team made up of a Team Lead, a senior nurse, and two support workers. It operates as part of the Primary Care Mental Health Service and works closely with GPs to help people receive the right mental health support at the right time.

The team is based at Peterborough Town Hall, although most work takes place in the community across Peterborough. This includes joining the Rough Sleeper Outreach team on street-based shifts, working alongside staff and clients at the Garden House drop-in centre for rough sleepers, and collaborating at Aspire’s headquarters, which supports people affected by drug and alcohol addiction.

Why This Role Matters

This post offers the chance to join a connected network of services that work collaboratively and are strongly committed to supporting people with severe and multiple disadvantages. Services in this area are growing, with plans already in place for an outreach psychological service in Primary Care, a new mobile unit for the Garden House, expansion of outreach teams, and investment in a dedicated GP role for this client group.

The wider stepped care model in Peterborough is also creating a range of career development opportunities, including several senior nursing positions. The aim is to build a strong base of clinical experience across CPFT so that care quality continues to improve throughout the area.

Support and Development

Regular clinical supervision will be provided by the DDOT Team Lead. The postholder will also gain learning opportunities through MDT meetings with the Primary Care Mental Health Service, along with training and case discussion sessions led by the Senior Lead Nurse Specialist for Personality Disorder and the Lead Primary Care Psychologist.

About the Employer

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation focused on delivering compassionate, high-quality care that improves wellbeing and supports people to live fulfilling lives.

The trust provides a broad range of NHS services across inpatient, primary care, and community settings, including services for children, adults, and older people, as well as forensic and specialist mental health, learning disability, primary care, liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, and research and development.

Equality, Recruitment, and Sponsorship

CPFT aims to recruit exceptional candidates who align with its vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, it welcomes applicants from all parts of the community, with particular encouragement for people from under-represented groups, including those with long-term conditions and people from ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

The trust may close the advert before the published deadline if enough suitable applications are received. Please note that sponsorship is not available for all roles; where sponsorship cannot be provided, applications will be withdrawn from the process.

Contact for Informal Enquiries

For further details or an informal discussion, contact Simon Threlfall, PCMHS North Team Manager, by email at simon.threlfall@cpft.nhs.uk or by telephone on 01733 748777.