Specialist Advisor - Drug and Alcohol Services

Specialist Advisor (SpA) – Drug and Alcohol Services

Daily Rate: £300 per day (£268 day rate plus holiday pay)

Location: National

Contract Type: Casual Worker

Working Pattern: Ad hoc, as and when required

Closing Date: Sunday4th October 2026 m

Are you committed to helping us regulate drug and alcohol services in England?

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is looking for experienced clinical professionals towork with us as Specialist Advisors (SpAs) and support our assessment teams through their expert knowledge and experience of drug and alcohol services.

We make surehealth and social care services provide people with safe, effective,compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage services to improve. We are looking for people who demonstrate integrity, professional credibility and acommitment to excellence to join us and help make a positive difference topeople who access drug and alcohol services.

As aSpecialist Advisor, you will work alongside CQC inspectors and experts byexperience, contributing specialist expertise to our regulatory work and helping us reach fair, balanced and evidence-based judgements.

This is an opportunity to contribute directly to the assessment and improvement of drugand alcohol treatment and recovery services across England.

You will:

• Support CQC inspection activitythrough your specialist expertise.
• Gain valuable insight into awide range of services and models of care.
• Share your professionalknowledge and experience with multidisciplinary assessment teams.
• Observe examples of outstandingpractice and innovation across the sector.
• Help ensure people accessingservices receive safe, effective, responsive and person-centred care.
• Contribute to the reduction ofhealth inequalities experienced by people affected by substance use.

This role is flexible and designed to complement your existing professional commitments.

As aSpecialist Advisor, you will be invited to support specific assessments and inspections on an ad hoc basis. Assignments are typically linked to individualassessment activities and may involve single days or short periods of work throughout the year, depending on service need and your availability.

Applicants must be actively working within drug and alcohol services and able to demonstrate current, hands-on clinical experience. We are seeking professionals who understand the realities of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery service delivery today and can bring contemporary clinical expertise and insight to CQCassessment activity. This is an essential requirement of the role.

Althoughthis is a national role, we recognise that applicants may wish to limit travelor avoid working in areas where there may be conflicts of interest. We will discuss your geographical preferences and availability as part of the recruitment process.

Travel to provider locations will sometimes be required, and occasional overnight staysmay be necessary.

Specialist Advisors support CQC by providing expert advice and professional judgementthroughout assessment, inspection and regulatory activity.

Activities may include:

• Participating in assessment and inspection visits.
• Reviewing evidence and documentation.
• Observing care delivery and clinical practice.
• Speaking with staff, leaders andpeople using services.
• Identifying examples of good practice and areas for improvement.
• Contributing specialist insightto assessment findings.
• Providing verbal and written feedback to CQC colleagues.
• Supporting evidence-basedjudgements regarding the quality and safety of care.

We are seeking highly experienced clinical professionals with extensive expertise in drugand alcohol treatment and recovery services.

Applicants should have current clinical experience and be recognised as knowledgeable and credible practitioners within the field.

We are particularly interested in applications from:

• Consultant Psychiatristsspecialising in Addiction Psychiatry
• Consultant Nurses
• Advanced Clinical Practitioners
• Non-Medical Prescribers
• Specialist Substance Misuse Nurses
• Consultant Clinical Psychologists
• Senior Social Workers
• Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs)
• Specialist Pharmacists working within drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services
• Senior clinicians with expertise in detoxification, opioid substitution treatment, prescribing governance and medicines management
• Clinicians with expertise inco-occurring mental health and substance use conditions

You will beable to demonstrate:

• Extensive…