Tobacco Dependency Advisor

Job summary

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, social inequality and premature death in the UK (ASH 2023). Supporting people to quit smoking is one of the most important interventions, that health care professionals can offer. Not only is quitting a positive behaviour change to improve a person's health, but it is also an effective method to reduce the demand on NHS services and reduce rates of re-admissions at Hospitals.

Royal Derby Hospital has a Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service aligned to the requirements set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. This includes access to specialist behavioural support from trained tobacco dependency advisors (TDA's), Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and a referral to local stop smoking services.

The acute model offers inpatient smokers a choice of products, which are significantly less harmful than smoking, inpatients are also supported to maintain a temporary abstinence and increase the likelihood of successful quit attempts. This treatment plan will now expand into the Emergency Department, where an opportunistic approach will be taken to engage all adults who are attending the Emergency Department who smoke whether they are admitted to hospital or are being discharged, to offer the same best practice service as inpatient smokers.

The new treatment programme is named SCOPED: Smoking Cessation Outreach Programme in the Emergency Department.

Main duties of the job

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The post holder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed.

The Tobacco Dependency programme recognises smoking as an addiction and that it is a chronic, relapsing clinical condition that prematurely kills at least half of people who smoke. Tobacco Dependency is a medical condition that can be treated.

This post will contribute to supporting the delivery of the smoke free agenda.

The post holder will provide tobacco treatment advice and support to individuals who want to stop smoking. Specifically, the post holder will:

• Act as a smoke free champion promoting the smoke free message through their day-to-day work to patients, relatives and staff.
• Promote the general health and wellbeing of people who use the service through offering healthy lifestyle advice and support.
• Work with people to change their behaviour to improve their health, to include patients and relatives.
• Coordinate transition from ED to the community stop smoking services.

Supports the wider team on:

• Developing smoke free sites within the Trust, promoting the smoke free message across the grounds.
• Providing support and potential training to staff on tobacco dependency.

Closing date of applications: 11 March 2026

Interview date: 25 March 2026

This position is offered as a secondment. Accordingly, you are required to consult with your manager and obtain approval prior to submitting your application.

About us

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Derby Hospital

Uttoxeter Road

Derby

DE22 3NE

Employer's website

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

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Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Derby Hospital

Uttoxeter Road

Derby

DE22 3NE

Employer's website

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

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