Smoking Cessation Adviser

About the role

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a new project delivering a bespoke smoking cessation service for the homeless and multiple disadvantage population across Cambridgeshire

This pilot service is being grant funded by Public Health on an annual basis with the pilot stage expected to last three years.

Smoking rates are incredibly high among adults experiencing homelessness, with rates of 76-85% being reported. However at least 50% of those who smoke and are experiencing homelessness want to quit but face barriers to quitting, including accessing information about quitting and support, peer group pressure, and use of smoking to relieve boredom and/or stress. Poor mental health, a higher use of alcohol and illicit drugs, along with the challenges of being homeless make effective smoking cessation support harder to access and quitting harder to sustain. This service is part of the government’s ambition to make England smokefree by 2030 (smoking rates of 5% or less).

This service is being overseen by Changing Futures and Housing First, two services within Cambridgeshire County Council who have extensive experience working with people facing multiple disadvantage. You will be working with the Smoking Cessation Team Leader and one other Adviser to set up and deliver the service.

What will you be doing?

The approach of the service is innovative and bespoke, meeting individuals “where they are”. You may be meeting individuals on the streets, in hostels, homeless day centres, temporary accommodation, across drug and alcohol support settings and anywhere else where they can be reached.

Lead by the Specialist Team Lead you will work with partner agencies across the county to raise awareness of the service and what it has to offer. The role will be providing 1:1 smoking cessation advice working using a flexible and trauma informed, assertive outreach approach.

The focus will be on harm reduction – recognising an individual’s dependence on nicotine and their readiness to reduce this over time.

Those individuals that decide to reduce and smoking tobacco will be offered vapes and other Nicotine Replacement Therapies. In line with NCSCT guidelines, follow up consultations will be agreed with the individual and will include smoking status validation using a Carbon Monoxide readings.

You will maintain accurate up to date records on the relevant case management systems and collect and provide information in line with service requirements.

For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact: amy.watling-cash@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

About you

About you

You will be passionate about working face-to-face with individuals to improve their health outcomes. As such you will have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in health and social care and preferably have experience as a NCSCT Practitioner. You will have a high level of interpersonal skills, undertaking multi-agency work with partner organisations, providers, individuals, families and carers.

You must:

• Have a relevant health or social work qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience in the field of smoking cessation or health coaching in the community.
• Have an interest in working with people facing multiple disadvantage, such as homelessness, mental health, drug and alcohol, criminal justice or domestic abuse.
• Able to work from a variety of locations and travel countywide independently.

For a full list of the requirements of the role, please check out the Job Description and Person Specification.

Please apply with a personal statement ensuring you explain how you meet the personal specification, what interests you about the role and what you can bring to it.

This is a full time, fixed term post for 1 year. Continuation beyond this is dependent on securing further funding, however, there is a likelihood of an extension if successful.

For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact: amy.watling-cash@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Our benefits

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes

Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.