Health Improvement Advisor

Job Title: Health Improvement Advisor
Starting Salary: £32,578 progressing to £35,570 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37
Location: Stevenage - Hybrid
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract
Directorate: Public Health

About the team

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to join the successful and highly regarded Hertfordshire Health Improvement Service (HHIS) and Public Health team in Hertfordshire.

As a Health Improvement Advisor, you will be contributing to the Council’s ambition for a happy and healthy Hertfordshire, and in particular support several smoking cessation, NHS Health Check and other adult health improvement initiatives.

You will report to a Health Improvement Specialist in HHIS and contribute to the development and delivery of the service’s key performance indicators.

HHIS are a well-established, successful frontline team who specialise in the commissioning and delivery of NHS Health Checks and Stop Smoking Services across the county. As an integral part of the Public Health and Community Protection directorate, HHIS work internally and externally across all teams and key partners to ensure that residents have an opportunity to improve their health, with a focus on addressing health inequalities across the county. A fast-paced, proactive and passionate team that is driven by health outcomes, our vision is to engage with the community to prevent long term health inequalities, leading to happier, healthier lifestyles through positive behaviour change.

We are looking for Health Improvement Advisors to join our existing team, who will contribute by delivering HHIS frontline adult health improvement interventions including Stop Smoking clinics via telephone and in community settings, public facing NHS Health Checks and associated outreach events across Hertfordshire.

You will be responsible for managing and monitoring client caseloads that support and encourage residents to stop smoking through a national standard treatment programme. The role involves face-to-face interventions which could be in one of our community clinics, as well as supporting and guiding residents via telephone or digital support. These roles will also support delivery across some of our focused areas of work that address health inequalities, such as pregnancy and mental health.

You will also be responsible for the front-line delivery of NHS Health Checks, either on the Public Health Better Health Bus, or in a community setting. You will follow the NHS Health Check programme best practice guidance, delivering NHS Health Checks to clinical standards and following localised training. The role involves face-to-face appointment delivery across Hertfordshire, helping to address health inequalities and contributing to the wider cardiovascular disease prevention agenda.

The Health Improvement Advisor roles will work within HHIS to develop and deliver frontline services, working alongside national, regional and local policies and procedures.

Working as part of the wider HHIS team, you will ensure our services are promoted, delivered, and monitored. You will communicate with colleagues, partners and residents to work towards our Smokefree Hertfordshire and NHS Health Check agenda.

Led by a HHIS Health Improvement Manager and line managed by a Health Improvement Specialist, the HI Advisor roles will sit within a strongly established team, progressing objectives within this portfolio of work which contributes towards wider HHIS aims and objectives.

For more information about our Stop Smoking and NHS Health Check Services, please visit:

• Stop Smoking Service | Hertfordshire County Council
• Health checks | Hertfordshire County Council

About the role

HHIS are recruiting Health Improvement (HI) Advisor roles to lead on the promotion and delivery of public facing NHS Health Checks and Stop Smoking clinics within the community or via telephone. Full training will be provided for both the Stop Smoking and Health Check aspects of the role.

As part of a proactive, passionate team whose combined knowledge, skills and determination supports reducing health inequalities in Hertfordshire residents, this role is to provide high quality, evidence-based advice, and support to clients to improve health. The post holder will lead on and contribute to the development of our local service plan that focusses on the ambition to reduce smoking prevalence to below 5% across Hertfordshire, and deliver NHS Health Checks to all residents, with a specific focus on engaging with identified high-risk groups.

The HI Advisor’s, role will include working intensively to engage, encourage and support healthier lifestyles and behaviour change through effective and sensitive communication with residents and professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds and socio-economic groups. The HI Advisor, will attend community settings to promote HHIS services, deliver stop smoking clinics, distribute promotional resources and network with the public and professionals to increase awareness and uptake.

Supporting Hertfordshire’s Public Health Better Health Bus as required, the HI Advisors will travel to deliver and promote NHS Health Check and Stop Smoking services across Hertfordshire, maintaining resources and following the national and local initiatives. The role will support the Public Health Better Health Bus agenda by following policies and procedures to ensure clinical and quality standards are met and adhered to, and risk assessments are followed.

HI Advisors, may also be required to contribute to communication and marketing strategies, developing resources to support service delivery, engaging with primary or secondary care NHS organisations, promoting tobacco control and workplace health, or other projects to improve health and wellbeing.

About you

Essential:

• Health, Health Promotion, Social Care, Counselling, Education or Pharmacy qualification and educated to diploma or equivalent level, or with considerable experience in a relevant community setting
• Experience and understanding of working with patients, community groups, and providing 1-1 advice through behaviour change techniques
• Demonstrate up to date knowledge and understanding of local, regional and national Stop Smoking objectives, including work practices, systems, processes and procedures
• Demonstrate up to date knowledge and understanding of local, regional and national NHS Health Check delivery and objectives, including components of an NHS Health Check, work practice