Job Overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking a highly motivated individual with excellent communication skills to join our Acute Tobacco Dependency Team at UHS.
This is an exciting opportunity to support patients in their journey to stop smoking and provide ongoing, personalised care to maintain long-term abstinence. In this role, you will assist patients in reframing their approach to smoking behaviours, managing cravings, and developing personalised support plans that incorporate nicotine replacement therapy. You will play a crucial role in supporting hospital discharge planning and helping patients achieve the longer-term goal of becoming smoke-free.
Initially, the service will run Monday to Friday, with plans to expand to 7 days. Working hours will be between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, with flexibility required to meet the needs of the service and service users. Therefore, working hours may be adjusted as needed.
This post has been created to support the NHS Long-Term Plan, reduce health inequalities, and promote healthy living among our patients.
Working for our organisation
University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.
Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.
We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalizing your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.
At UHS we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.
At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.
Key Responsibilities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Undertake tobacco dependence assessments.
Educate service users on options for managing their tobacco dependence.
Provide support to patients during their quit attempt.
Create personalised quit plans and assist service users in accessing the support they need both during their inpatient stay and after hospital discharge.
Collect data in accordance with the service-level agreement, quality metrics, and national NHSE reporting.
Build rapport with patients and serve as a support mechanism for ward staff in relation to stop-smoking assistance for inpatients.
Collaborate closely with external teams, including pharmacists, GPs, and other tobacco dependency services, to ensure patients receive cohesive and integrated support throughout their quit journey.
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria
- Patient First
- Always Improving
- Working Together
Qualifications / Training Required
Essential criteria
- Educated to GCSE (or equivalent) standard, with a pass in English and Maths
- Evidence of recent learning or development in health care.
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification or experience is essential
Previous or relevant experience necessary
Essential criteria
- Previous experience in a clinical environment
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing direct patient care
- Experience of working within a team
Aptitudes And Skills Required
Essential criteria
- Ability to demonstrate enthusiasm for and an understanding of the role
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Ability to prioritise own workload
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to interact appropriately with patients, relatives, team members and other staff groups
- Ability to adapt to different situations
- Ability to work under pressure in often stressful/emotional circumstances
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Additional skills e.g. ability to successfully undertake the required training to achieve competency
- Basic IT skills