We have two exciting Band 4 Health Advisor opportunities available within the Health Inequalities team at Royal Papworth Hospital.
Do you have an interest in public health, health improvement, health education and health promotion?
Do you have a caring, positive and non-judgemental approach and strive to make patients feel listened to and valued?
Are you a confident communicator who can motivate and support people to make positive changes to their health?
Would you like to make a meaningful difference to the lives of patients receiving specialist heart and lung care?
If the answer is yes, we would like to hear from you.
The Health Advisor will provide personalised health information, advice and behaviour-change support to patients. You will work with patients, clinical teams and external services to help individuals make informed decisions and access appropriate support.
As this is a developing service, the exact requirements of the role may evolve. Flexibility, initiative and adaptability will therefore be important.
The positions are fixed term for two years one full-time post at 37.5 hours per week and one part-time post at 10 hours per week. Please include in the supporting information the role you are interested in.
As part of the Health Inequalities team, you will visit wards across the hospital and work directly with patients who may benefit from support with smoking, alcohol use, weight management and other lifestyle risks. You will complete basic health checks, explore what matters to each person and help them agree realistic goals that fit their circumstances.
You will provide practical advice, brief interventions and follow-up support, including guidance on stop smoking treatments and referrals to community or specialist services. Where appropriate, you may also support household members to help create a healthier home environment and reduce the patient's future risk.
The role includes organising your own daily workload, keeping clear and confidential electronic records, and contributing to service data, audit, patient information and health promotion activities. You will work closely with ward teams and external partners, using empathy and motivational skills while recognising when a patient needs advice or escalation from a senior colleague.
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state-of-the-art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.
Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day-to-day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.
The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.
For a street view tour: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/virtual-tour
On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please ensure you evidence in the Essential Criteria how you uphold the Trust Values Compassion Excellence Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.
Education to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Nutrition, Dietetics, Sport Science, Weight Management, or similar.
Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certification
Certificate/Professional qualification in a related area e.g. NVQ 3 or equivalent
Stop Smoking Practitioner qualification
IT software acquired through NVQ3 level or equivalent.
Advanced course in Exercise, Obesity, and Diabetes.
Knowledge of health improvement procedures
Experience of working as a practitioner, therapies or rehabilitation assistant or in a behaviour change context e.g. smoking service or equivalent.
Knowledge of basic medical terminology, cardiothoracic conditions.
Experience in weight management, nutrition, or physical activity promotion, or smoking cessation (e.g., working in a healthcare, community, or public health setting
Demonstrate organisational skills, Ability to prioritise workload and work independently, but recognise when to seek qualified advice.
Knowledge of basic nutrition principles and dietary guidelines relevant to weight management and long-term health.
Experience delivering health education sessions on topics such as smoking, nutrition, exercise, and weight management in one-on-one or group settings.
Understanding of behaviour change techniques to support patients in making sustainable lifestyle changes.
Experience of delivering patient programmes or training virtually
Knowledge of exercise prescription principles for different populations, including those with comorbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions).
As well as being able to demonstrate examples of how they work in a way that is consistent with our values of compassion, excellence and collaboration the successful candidate will be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to driving culture change through equality, diversity and inclusion.
Ability to be flexible in working hours and environments to meet the needs of the service.
Strong commitment to Royal Papworth Hospital working ethos, quality standards and personal and professional development.
A professional yet approachable manner when working with clients.
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.
