About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen at Gateshead Health NHS Trust for a highly motivated and compassionate individual to join the Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service (QUIT Team). The QUIT Team plays a vital role in delivering the NHS Long Term Plan commitments to reduce health inequalities and prevent avoidable illness and death caused by tobacco use. Tobacco dependency is recognised as a chronic, relapsing medical condition rather than a lifestyle choice, and requires evidence-based treatment and ongoing support.
A key focus of this role is supporting pregnant people who smoke, recognising the unique clinical, social, and emotional factors that influence smoking during pregnancy. The post holder will provide non-judgmental, person-centered support to pregnant individuals and their families, helping them to achieve a smoke-free pregnancy and improve outcomes for both parent and baby. The post holder will work across a range of settings including acute inpatient wards, maternity services, outpatient clinics, and community environments, ensuring all individuals who smoke are identified early and offered timely, effective support.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Promote the Trust Smoke Free Policy and act as a smoke-free champion, supporting patients, visitors and staff to maintain smoke-free environments. Provide specialist, evidence-based tobacco dependency support, with a particular emphasis on pregnant people across antenatal and postnatal pathways. Deliver personalised quit plans using behavioural support (including motivational interviewing) and pharmacotherapy (e.g. Nicotine Replacement Therapy), tailored to individual need. Proactively identify and engage patients who smoke at the earliest opportunity, ensuring all pregnant people are offered support in line with national guidance. Offer daily inpatient support, including ward visits, to initiate and maintain quit attempts during hospital admission. Ensure robust discharge planning and continuity of care, providing ongoing support for up to 12 weeks or longer as required, including throughout pregnancy and referral to appropriate services. Work in partnership with midwives, obstetric teams, health visitors and the wider multidisciplinary team to embed tobacco dependency treatment into routine care. Provide advice and support to ward and maternity staff to enable delivery of smoke-free care in line with the NHS NENC ICB smoking cessation model.
About us
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.
Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.
Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.
We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.
Job description Job responsibilities
An exciting opportunity has arisen at Gateshead Health NHS Trust for a highly motivated and compassionate individual to join the Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service (QUIT Team). The QUIT Team plays a vital role in delivering the NHS Long Term Plan commitments to reduce health inequalities and prevent avoidable illness and death caused by tobacco use. Tobacco dependency is recognised as a chronic, relapsing medical condition rather than a lifestyle choice, and requires evidence-based treatment and ongoing support.
A key focus of this role is supporting pregnant people who smoke, recognising the unique clinical, social, and emotional factors that influence smoking during pregnancy. The post holder will provide non-judgmental, person-centered support to pregnant individuals and their families, helping them to achieve a smoke-free pregnancy and improve outcomes for both parent and baby. The post holder will work across a range of settings including acute inpatient wards, maternity services, outpatient clinics, and community environments, ensuring all individuals who smoke are identified early and offered timely, effective support.
Person Specification
Essential Essential
Level 2 Functional Skills (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle Experience of working with and communicating effectively with a wide range of people Experience of supporting health promotion or behaviour change.
Desirable
Level 2 Smoking Cessation Training (or willingness to work towards). Training in motivational interviewing or behaviour change techniques. Knowledge of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Experience of using IT systems for documentation and data entry Understanding of the impact of smoking in pregnancy and health inequalities
Essential Essential
oFull UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
Desirable
Level 2 Smoking Cessation Training (or willingness to work towards).
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Gateshead
NE9 6SX
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)