Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment Specialist
4 days ago
Hereford
The Role Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment Specialist Herefordshire Council are seeking an experienced and analytically minded Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment Specialist to support a critical piece of public health work for 8 weeks. This work can be undertaken fully remotely. This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of drug and alcohol services across the county. You will lead the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based needs assessment that will directly inform recommissioning decisions, service design and improved outcomes for residents. We are looking for a professional who combines strong analytical capability with deep subject matter expertise in substance misuse and public health systems. What will you be doing? Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment Specialist You will deliver a robust Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment that provides a clear, epidemiological understanding of local need, service performance and future priorities. Working closely with commissioners and partners, you will: • Analyse local, regional and national datasets (including treatment and population data) to identify trends, patterns and emerging risks, • Assess the size, scale and nature of drug and alcohol misuse across Herefordshire, including high-risk and underserved populations, • Review current service provision, identifying strengths, gaps and opportunities for improvement, • Explore key issues such as relapse, continuity of care, and drug and alcohol-related deaths, drawing out actionable insights, • Examine inequalities in access and outcomes across geography and demographic groups, • Incorporate qualitative insight, including lived experience, to complement quantitative analysis, • Benchmark performance against comparable areas and national indicators, • Produce a clear, evidence-based report with practical recommendations to inform future service design and commissioning, • Present findings to key stakeholders and partnership forums This work will directly influence strategic decision-making around prevention, treatment and recovery services across the system. About You Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment Specialist We are looking for a specialist who can bring both technical analytical expertise and strong subject knowledge of drug and alcohol systems. You will have: • Demonstrable experience delivering public health needs assessments, ideally within substance misuse or a closely related field, • Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex datasets and translate them into meaningful insight, • In-depth knowledge of drug and alcohol treatment systems, policy context and current best practice, • Experience working with datasets such as NDTMS, OHID Fingertips or similar population health intelligence sources, • A proven ability to identify unmet need, inequalities, and service gaps, and make evidence-based recommendations, • Experience of engaging stakeholders and incorporating lived experience into analysis, • Excellent written and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex findings clearly to a range of audiences, • The ability to work independently, manage timelines, and respond to feedback in a collaborative environment You will bring a balanced approach, combining analytical rigour with a practical understanding of what works in prevention, treatment and recovery systems. Why this role matters Drugs and Alcohol Needs Assessment Specialist This work will provide the evidence base for future commissioning and service redesign, helping to ensure services are responsive, effective and aligned to local need. Your work will help identify how we can improve outcomes, reduce harm, and better support individuals and communities affected by substance misuse.