Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our passionate and committed team of Band 4 Health Improvement Advisors for Tobacco Dependency. You’ll be part of a small, friendly, and motivated team delivering Inpatient and Maternity Tobacco Dependency Services across our hospitals.
In this rewarding role, you’ll work directly with pregnant people and acute inpatients, providing compassionate, evidence‑based support to help them quit smoking. This includes delivering personalised behavioural support and ensuring timely access to Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) through face‑to‑face and telephone consultations.
You’ll also contribute to training clinical staff, promoting the delivery of Very Brief Advice (VBA) and accurate recording of smoking status, while leading by example to embed a strong Smoke Free culture.
We’re looking for enthusiastic individuals with a passion for health promotion and behaviour change, excellent communication skills, strong attention to detail, and confidence using complex IT systems. This service plays a vital role in delivering the NHS Long Term Plan and Saving Babies Lives, offering the chance to make a meaningful difference to patient care
Main duties of the job
This role supports the delivery of the core aims of the Tobacco Dependency Programme, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan and the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, by providing Tobacco Dependency treatment in Maternity and Acute Inpatient settings. Working as part of a Trust‑wide team across all University Hospitals Sussex sites, you will work directly with patients and their families in Brighton, delivering support through face‑to‑face, virtual, and telephone consultations and follow‑ups.
You will have strong record‑keeping and IT skills, enabling you to work confidently across multiple clinical systems and maintain accurate databases for national outcomes reporting. Excellent communication and rapport‑building skills are essential, including the ability to use Motivational Interviewing techniques. You will work both collaboratively within a cross‑site team and independently, managing patient consultations with minimal direct supervision.
The role also includes delivering training to clinical staff on the importance of providing Very Brief Advice to support smoking cessation. You will lead by example, helping to embed and sustain a Smoke Free culture across the Trust.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the Job Description for a detailed outline of the main responsibilities for the role of Health Improvement Advisor for Tobacco Dependency
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you do not meet the sponsorship requirements, and you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Person specification
Experience/qualifications
Essential criteria
1. required education level NVQ3/GCSE
2. Health Promotion work experience utilising Behaviour Change and/or Motivational Interviewing skills
Desirable criteria
3. NCSCT Level 2 Smoking Cessation Practitioner Training
4. Knowledge of NHS systems and processes
Skills
Essential criteria
5. computer skills
6. confidentiality
7. Team work
8. Communication skills
9. Customer service/telephone/patient skills
10. Non-judgemental
Desirable criteria
11. knowledge of TDP programme and criteria
People Management and Development
Essential criteria
12. able to work independently
13. complex workloads and patient caseloads
14. works to deadlines
15. staff training
equality, diversity & Inclusion
Essential criteria
16. An understanding of the relationship between smoking and health inequalities
Specific
Essential criteria
17. Non smoker
18. Ability & willingness to travel between hospital sites and community bases 3.Team worker
19. A high level of accuracy in data input and patient record keeping
Desirable criteria
20. Experience working with patients and/or vulnerable people in a caring environment.
21. Experience working with pregnant people.
22. Experience of working within a hospital environment
23. Lived experience of quitting smoking or experience of the health impact of smoking
Freedom to act
Essential criteria
24. problem solving
25. prioritisation
26. time management
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
27. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
28. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications