Tobacco Dependency Advisor

Role

Tobacco Dependency Advisor

Closing date: 04 November 2025

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.

Overview

We are looking for a passionate public health professional to support a new project to enhance the delivery of the NHS long-term plan for tobacco dependency and provide smoking cessation support to service users during their admission in the hospital. You will work in a small team within the inpatient and community setting to support service users in setting a quit date and provide ongoing support.

The tobacco dependency team is excited to offer a position to applicants who are passionate about promoting public health and supporting our patients to stop smoking. The service enables us to continue to assist patients beyond their discharge from the hospital, maintaining support throughout their quit smoking journey.

We are looking for candidates who are enthusiastic about providing continuity of care, tailoring personalised support to a variety of needs and have experience in establishing excellent therapeutic relationships. We aim to reduce current smoking rates in Southampton at the point of admission. The service is led by a clinical lead and delivered in both the Trust and in the community. We work closely with other teams to offer individualised support for each patient.

About us

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 are 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.

We proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We are 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.

Responsibilities

• As a new team, we currently care for about 120 patients a month; as the service develops, patient numbers will grow. The population is complex and vulnerable with high levels of social deprivation, so support must be tailored to these needs.
• Work with the Tobacco Dependency team to identify service users at the point of referral and provide information about smoking during admission and how to quit with support.
• Accurately record discussions using an electronic proforma.
• Work with MDT teams to identify inpatients who smoke and provide them with advice and guidance on how to quit smoking.
• Complete referrals to other agencies.
• Provide smoking cessation support and undertake regular support upon discharge.
• Be competent with Excel and using spreadsheets to record the data required.
• Stay up to date with any training needs.
• Offer behavioural change support and medication to aid the patient in commencing their smoking journey.
• Assist with data collection and audits; assist with staff training.

What we are looking for

• You will need to be passionate about improving public health outcomes for service users who smoke.
• Deliver individualised advice and support both in person and over the telephone.
• You need to be dynamic and be able to liaise with various teams.
• Have great communication skills and be able to prioritise your workload.
• The role can be flexible across the working week.

Person Specification

Aptitudes and skills required

• Essential: Ability to demonstrate enthusiasm for and an understanding of the role; ability to prioritise own workload; accuracy and attention to detail.
• Additional skills: Ability to successfully undertake required training to achieve competency; basic IT skills.

Qualifications / training

• Essential: 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.
• Essential: Previous or relevant experience in a clinical environment.
• Desirable: Experience of providing direct patient care; experience of working within a team.

Trust Values

• Always Improving
• Working Together

Other information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a disclosure check will be required.

Salary: £27,485 to £30,162 per year (PA)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working