Job responsibilities
ABL Health have recently expanded the Gloucestershire integrated healthy lifestyle service with a new Tobacco Dependency Outreach Service, commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council. This transformative service seeks to work collaboratively with communities to transform the lives of the local population. The service will support residents to help them stop smoking and improve their wellbeing - all embedded in sustainable behaviour change.
The Specialist Stop Smoking Practitioner will play a key role in delivering a targeted, evidence-based tobacco dependency outreach service to priority communities across Gloucestershire. Working within one of our specialist pathways, substance misuse, homelessness & temporary accommodation, LGBTQIA+ community and other priority groups, or social housing & the polish community, the postholder will generate new referrals into the service through outreach working and events, provide personalised one-to-one behavioural support and recommend appropriate nicotine replacement therapy to support people to stop smoking.
Grounded in the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) programme, the practitioner will be provided training by ABL Health to attain and maintain relevant NCSCT qualifications to ensure the delivery of high-quality consistent support to people who want to quit smoking. The role is central to delivering equitable, accessible, and culturally competent stop smoking services that reduce health inequalities across the county. This includes working in areas of high health need and supporting individuals who may face additional barriers to accessing health services, such as people working in routine and manual occupations, those not in paid employment, residents of social housing, people supported by adult social care, and other at-risk groups.
The postholder will work closely with local partners, including substance misuse services, housing providers, LGBTQIA+ community organisations, Gloucestershire County Council and stop smoking clients to support the co-production of specifically tailored tobacco dependency outreach services for priority groups.
The postholder must be flexible, proactive, and able to work both independently and as part of a wider multidisciplinary team, contributing to service targets and ensuring that every individual can move towards a smoke-free future. This role operates under the line management of the Project Service Lead and will evolve as the service becomes embedded across local communities.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Specialism, Client Support & Service Delivery
Have experience of working with one of the following key priority groups substance misuse, homelessness, living in temporary accommodation or permanent social housing, the Polish community and the LGBTQIA + community.
Be competent in motivational interviewing / health coaching and behaviour change practice to motivate, empower, and support clients from priority communities to make positive behavioural changes to address their smoking addiction and reduce health Inequalities.
Deliver evidence-based stop smoking interventions (one-to-ones in community settings, community groups, telephone and online support), behaviour change and ongoing motivational support in line with the NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme.
Have effective communication and people skills and the ability to engage with Service Users and support them to make sustainable quits.
Be competent in delivering personalised care, ensuring interventions are tailored to the needs and preferences of the individual.
Maintain current knowledge of evidence-based practice and integrate new research into service delivery.
Engage and recruit potential clients at promotional and community events.
Manage an active client caseload ensuring continuity of care by providing administrative support for appointment scheduling, confirmations, cancellations and follow-ups.
Lead peer support groups to increase peoples confidence and motivation to quit smoking and to prevent relapse for successful quitters.
Work collaboratively with other professionals to embed smoking cessation within routine client care.
Attend regular Stop Smoking Service meetings and relevant training (internal and external).
Analyse health and equalities data to identify local needs to inform service delivery.
Identify opportunities for service development and continuous improvement.
Provide high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective support across diverse community settings.
Support and contribute to ABL Health corporate initiatives as needed.
Work flexibly within the organisation to undertake such other reasonable duties and responsibilities, at any location within reasonable daily travel from your main place of work including weekends and evenings when required.
2. Professional Standards, Records, & Monitoring,
Demonstrate commitment to ABLs Mission, Vision, Values, and strategic goals, ensuring these guide service planning and delivery.
Always maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality
Maintain professional knowledge, development, and reflective practice.
Ensure all service users and visitors have a positive experience and address inappropriate behaviour promptly.
Ensure effective risk management and safeguarding practices, escalating concerns appropriately.
Support the Project Service Lead in performance management through reporting and service monitoring.
Record, monitor and maintain accurate, up-to-date client and service records using the ABL Health data system in line with ABL Health documentation policies.
Ensure all records are accurate and compliant with organisational policies.
Attend required meetings, maintain accurate documentation, and meet key deadlines.
Contribute effectively to team meetings, supervision, and service planning.
3. Personal Qualities
You will be a motivated, passionate, organised, and proactive individual with significant experience in smoking cessation or addiction services. This is a demanding and rewarding role within a developing service, requiring strong judgement, prioritisation skills, and the ability to manage competing demands effectively.
Uphold a professional appearance, maintain an organised working environment, and model ABLs values.
Skills and Competencies Required
Experience delivering services within community settings and to priority groups
Experience of working with evolving and developing services
Positive and proactive outlook with the ability to motivate, engage and support others to achieve the highest standards and outcomes.
Adept in communication; a strong communicator who adapts the message to fit the needs of the audience including clients, staff, and volunteers at all levels.
Build strong relationships, foster trust and co-operation among colleagues, stakeholders throughout community settings.
Quality driven; you naturally seek high standards and actively seek to improve them.
Value and remain open to new ideas and perspectives.
Standard Information
Information Governance
Employees of ABL Health must comply with the provisions of GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. The postholder must not; either during the course of their employment, or following termination of their employment, disclose any information relating to service users or employees, or of the lawful business practices, of the organisation.
The postholder will be required, when and where appropriate to the role, to comply with the processing of requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The postholder must comply with ABLs policies that protect the information assets of the organisation from unauthorised disclosure, modification, destruction, inappropriate access or use. The postholder will be responsible for maintaining the clinical and/or corporate records that fall within the remit of this role to the standards in ABLs records management policies, and data quality processes and standards.
Health & Safety
Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 the postholder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
Safeguarding is Everyones Business
ABL has a responsibility to ensure that all children / young people and adults are adequately safeguarded and protected. As a consequence, all ABLs employees, temporary staff and volunteers are required to adhere to ABLs safeguarding policies / procedures in addition to local and national safeguarding policies and to act upon any concerns in accordance with them.
Smoke Free
ABL is Smoke - Free. Smoking is not permitted on any of our premises or the surrounding land including car parking facilities.
Training
The postholder must attend any training that is identified as mandatory to their role.
The range of duties and responsibilities outlined above are indicative only and are intended to give an overview of the range and type of duties that will be allocated. They are subject to modification in the light of changing service demands and the development requirements of the postholder.
Equality, Diversity & Human Rights
It is the responsibility of every person to act in ways to support equality and diversity and to respect human rights, working within the spirit and detail of legislation including the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998. ABL is an equal opportunities employer and aims to challenge discrimination, promote equality and respect human rights.
