Tobacco Dependence Advisor

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are looking for a dedicated and compassionate Tobacco Dependence Advisor to join our inpatient mental health team. This role is central to supporting patients admitted to our wards who smoke or vape, by providing specialist behavioural support and treatment to help them manage nicotine withdrawal and work towards quitting.

You will: Co-ordinate and support the delivery of one-to-one and group-based stop smoking interventions to patients. Assess tobacco use and create personalised quit plans. Support safe prescribing and use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and other stop smoking medications. Work alongside junior Tobacco advisors and ward staff, psychiatrists, pharmacists, and nurses to embed tobacco treatment into care. Lead on providing training and guidance to staff on supporting patients with tobacco dependence. Ensure patients are referred to community stop smoking services on discharge for ongoing support. Lead and coordinate the junior Tobacco Advisors ensuring all aspect of the model and documentation on the NHS digital platform for timely quarterly submissions.

Supporting Staff & Service Integration Provide training and support to ward staff on delivering brief advice and reinforcing smoke-free policies. Function as a resource for staff on managing tobacco dependence within the inpatient setting. Collaborate with the wider multidisciplinary team (psychiatrists, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, occupational therapists) to ensure tobacco treatment is embedded in care planning.

Service Delivery & Reporting Maintain accurate records on patient support provided, treatment outcomes, and follow-up. Use clinical data systems (e.g., SystmOne) to record activity and outcomes. Support patients with referrals to community stop smoking services on discharge to ensure continuity of care. Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for commissioners and service managers. Support in the documentation of the NHS Patient Level Digital Submissions.

Governance & Safeguarding Ensure all care is delivered in line with NICE guidance, Trust smoke-free policy, and safeguarding requirements. Manage patient information sensitively and confidentially, adhering to GDPR and information governance policies.

The postholder will provide evidenced based, specialist behavioural support and advice to smokers who want to quit when admitted to the mental health wards and support and ensure ongoing support post discharge and engagement with local stop smoking services in the community. The postholder will be expected to deliver support through established.

The postholder will undertake local promotion of the service focussed on CNWL Mental Health In-Patient Services. The postholder will be responsible for the accurate recording of client information organisational values and behaviours to improve health and deliver excellent care. Learn and innovate, Communicate openly and honestly. Ensure timely input onto the bespoke stop smoking database.

The service will be operational Monday to Friday, 9.00am- 5.00pm with a late evening clinic for those who may be employed or cannot make daytime appointments.

Clinical Duties.

The post holder will:

To provide smoking cessation interventions in line with the evidence base and to agreed National standards Utilise motivational techniques, assess clients motivation to quit smoking and maintain relationships with the client group to support smoking cessation. Develop an action plan with the client and discuss the use of appropriate pharmacological support suitable to them. Attend bespoke training events as required for career and continuous professional development.* Extensive knowledge of health-related behaviour change evidence Responsible for continuous learning knowledge of smoking cessation using the NCSCT online training packages. Comply with statutory and mandatory requirements in line with CNWL policy.Review own practice in comparison to others to ensure continual improvement is developed and maintained within the team. Assess clients motivation to quit to determine best course of action in their quit attempt. Review personal objectives to ensure that they are effectively met in accordance with service work-plan. Ensure that service delivery is maintained and suggest contingency plans for clinic delivery for any planned absence. Participate in regular reviews of service provision including venues, frequency and timing to ensure the needs of the clients needs are met. Ability to work autonomously. Use of keyboard and IT equipment for communication; report preparation etc. Use of carbon monoxide monitor to assess clients levels. Ensure that agreed policies and procedures are implemented and adhered to Responsible for the care, maintenance, and use of relevant service equipment, including CO monitors. Responsible for the handling, transportation and safe use of display equipment, audio-visual aids etc. Supervise junior band 4 Tobacco Dependence Advisors in Mental Health

Participate in self-development to continually improve performance and undertake development activities that are identified.

Communications and Relationships

The post holder will provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information. They will manage the barriers to the understanding of this information across different organisations, service types, professional staff disciplines, clients, and relatives/carers where the use of different language sets contributes to misunderstandings.

The post holder will attend and contribute to all appropriate management/business and clinical meetings, supervision groups and staff support groups deemed within their sphere of responsibility.

The post holder will participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings and case discussions both in the hospital and with community treatment services, promoting awareness and understanding of alcohol issues.

The post holder will liaise and communicate clinical information with partner agencies within the protocol for sharing confidential information between substance misuse services, the hospital and other partner agencies.

The post holder will develop and maintain effective communication links with key operational and strategic partners, as listed above.

The post holder will work collaboratively and undertake multi-agency planning to ensure patients services are well-co-ordinated, patients are supported to access community-based services, and formal three-way handovers take place at the point of referral.

The post holder will maintain accurate, up to date documentation of all service clients records, ensuring the confidentiality of such records of information are in line with the Data Protection Act and Information-Sharing Protocol.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Completed the National Centre for Smoking Cessation Training (NCSCT) or level 2 Smoking Cessation training.
• Completed NCSCT mental health module for smoking cessation.
• A satisfactory level of general education to include O Level or GCSE standard for English and Math's or equivalent.

Desirable

• Additional modules of smoking cessation training via NCSCT for specialist priority groups.

Skills & knowledge

Essential

• Ability to be work flexibly within this setting.
• Ability to develop a therapeutic rapport with SUs particularly with clients experiencing mental health problems.
• Experience of working with partner agencies and communicating clinical information to ensure positive outcomes for service users.

Desirable

• Good understanding of local and national policies relating to Stop Smoking Service provision - NHS Long Term Plan
• Knowledge of interactions between tobacco use and psychiatric medications.

Other

Essential

• Been a non-smoker (at least for the last 12 months)

Experience

Essential

• Experience providing support in a healthcare, mental health, or community setting.
• Knowledge of smoking cessation and evidence-based interventions
• Experienced in providing a range of evidenced based behavioral change interventions.
• Substantial experience or working as a Tobacco Advisor
• Experience of and knowledge of Nicotine Replacement Therapy.
• Experience of providing Motivational Enhancement Therapy.
• Experience of promoting health & wellbeing sessions.
• Experience of providing training & wellbeing sessions/VBA for other professional groups.
• Experience of supervising and line managing junior staff.

Desirable

• Experience of working in addictions services and collaborating with client group.
• Experience of audit and service user satisfaction feedback and analysis.
• Experience and an understanding of the role of service users and promoting the 'experts by experience 'model of service provision
• Experience using clinical or performance systems (e.g., QuitManager, SystmOne

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Old Bank House

64 High Street

Uxbridge

UB8 1JP

Employer's website

https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)