Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service Advisor (QUIT Team) in Gateshead

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-judgemental, person-centred 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:

• 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.

Person Specification:

• 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.
• 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.

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.