Hi has anyone got a job description for a worker designated with a specific remit for providing PSI’s rather than that of a generic drugs worker or a nurse with an interest. We are hoping to expand our service in primary care using IAPT workers but would like to have a SMU slant to their knowledge and didn’t want to have to rewrite the whole document if someone else has already been there.

Yours working smarter not harder (not as some of you are thinking lazy) Andy P

Hi Andy

I presume PSI's are psychological interventions. I have an interest in this having set up an IAPT service. My take is that IAPT servicves should be available for all substance misuse patients who need this. My understanding is that IAPT workers have a pretty much pre set job description as it is a national programme. I also feel in order to mainstream this service as it should be we should not be seperating out some people who have specific knowledge og substance misuse. Their job is to give psychological therapies irresepective of substance misuse. If there is a perceived training need, they should all get some, otherwise it'll be the same old story of 'I can't deal with drugs its too specialist'. In cases requiring an IAPT intervention the drugs will usually be somewhat irrelevant to the issues they want to deal with.
I think there is a great opportunity here and to take advantage of it we need to ensure IAPT services see drug and alcohol users as part of their mainstream clientele