Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

Health & Wellbeing Practitioner - HMP Aylesbury
Location: Buckinghamshire
Salary: £24,000 per annum
Vacancy Type: Permanent
About The Role
We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Substance Misuse Practitioner to join our integrated healthcare team, delivering vital support to adults experiencing drug and alcohol challenges within a criminal justice setting. Working within a holistic Health and Wellbeing framework, you will provide psychosocial substance misuse interventions and accredited treatment programmes to individuals entering prison who are identified as having alcohol or drug-related needs. The service adopts a person-centred approach, offering both harm reduction and abstinence-based treatment pathways tailored to individual recovery goals.
In this role, you will manage a diverse caseload and be responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments, developing SMART care plans, and delivering structured 1:1 and group interventions. This includes facilitating therapeutic group work and delivering structured treatment programmes where appropriate.
A key aspect of the role is supporting individuals through their recovery journey and preparing them for release. You will work collaboratively with a range of internal and external partners, including housing, employment services, healthcare teams, probation, gym services, and external drug intervention teams to ensure continuity of care.
You will also contribute to service performance targets set by commissioners, with a strong focus on outcomes and recovery progress. Additional responsibilities may include second signatory duties and oral swab testing to complement clinical provision.
Flexibility is essential, as the role may involve evening and weekend work, as well as occasional travel across sites within your service cluster to maintain consistent service delivery.
About You
You are a motivated and empathetic professional with a strong understanding of substance misuse and the complexities faced by individuals within the criminal justice system. You are committed to supporting recovery and empowering individuals to make positive, sustainable changes in their lives.
Essential knowledge and qualifications:
A good understanding of the criminal justice sector
Knowledge of the challenges facing individuals with substance misuse issues
Awareness of recovery-focused approaches and interventions
Level 3 Counselling qualification
Relevant counselling experience, ideally within a criminal justice or similar setting
Skills and experience:
Proven experience working within substance misuse services
Experience conducting comprehensive assessments and developing SMART care plans
Ability to deliver structured interventions in both 1:1 and group settings
Experience facilitating therapeutic group work
Skilled in motivational interviewing techniques
Working knowledge of CBT and motivational counselling approaches
Strong IT and case management skills
Qualifications:
Diploma in Health & Social Care (or equivalent)
Recognised counselling qualification (or currently working towards one)
Desirable:
Knowledge of and commitment to 12-step recovery approaches
Experience delivering counselling to individuals in prison or those affected by substance misuse
Lived experience of addiction or the criminal justice system (with appropriate recovery timeframes)
Previous experience working within prison settings or 12-step programmes
Experience engaging in and utilising clinical supervision
About Us
We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.
We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits -
Flexible working
Training and development opportunities
Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
Season Ticket Loan Scheme
Cycle to work scheme
Crisis Loan Scheme
Electric Car Scheme
3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
Access to Blue Light Card
25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application