Tobacco Dependence Advisor Mental Health

Job Overview
Our inpatient mental health services are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people with severe mental illness.
As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, we are embedding tobacco dependence treatment as a routine part of inpatient care. By joining our team, you will play a vital role in helping patients to live smoke-free, improving both their physical and mental health.

The Tobacco Dependence Advisor will deliver specialist support to patients admitted to mental health inpatient wards who smoke or use tobacco. The postholder will provide behavioural support and, where appropriate, pharmacological treatment to help patients manage withdrawal and work towards a smoke-free future.

The Advisor will also support ward staff by providing training, guidance, and resources to embed tobacco dependence treatment as part of routine care, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan.

Main duties of the job
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:

• Deliver 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 ward staff, psychiatrists, pharmacists, and nurses to embed tobacco treatment into care.
• Provide 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.

Working for our organisation
The Addictions Directorate with CNWL Foundation Trust is a large, well-established provider which offers a wide range of specialist NHS drug and alcohol treatment interventions to the diverse and multicultural populations in Central and North West London. Our Drug and Alcohol services include community services, and the National Gambling Service and a Club Drug Clinic. In addition, we provide smoking cessation services in Hillingdon and Camden & Islington.

Please note: This vacancy does not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship, unless you meet the criteria by temporary exemption from current changes to immigration rules put in force on 22/07/2025. “Separate provisions are applied to workers who have been sponsored and held continuously Skilled Worker visa since prior to 04/04/2024."

As such, if you don’t meet the Transitional Provision (above) we are unable to consider your application unless you can provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the United Kingdom. If you believe you are eligible for sponsorship or already hold a valid right to work in the UK, please ensure you provide full details of your immigration status in the Pre-Screening Immigration section of your application form.

Please note role eligibility also depends on whether the role meets the salary threshold for the relevant occupational code (SOC CODE).

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Our substance misuse services are dedicated to helping reduce the harm caused by smoking cessation; helping people overcome their dependency and helping clients and their families rebuild their lives and enable recovery. We are committed to working in partnership with other providers and service users in local systems of treatment and recovery.

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:

• Deliver 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 ward staff, psychiatrists, pharmacists, and nurses to embed tobacco treatment into care.
• Provide 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.

Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria

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

Desirable criteria

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

Experience, Skills & Knowledge
Essential criteria

• Experienced in providing a range of evidenced based behavioural change interventions with clients in Mental Health Settings.
• Experience of and knowledge of Nicotine Replacement Therapy and mental health settings.
• Experience of promoting health & wellbeing sessions.
• Ability to develop a therapeutic rapport with service users.
• Experience of working with Mental health and partner agencies and communicating clinical information to ensure positive outcomes for service users.
• Knowledge of the NHS Tobacco Care Bundles in Mental Health and the implementation of these bundles in practice.
• Compassion for Service Users experiencing mental health and addiction and associated physical and psychological health problems.
• Able to work autonomously and within a team.
• Knowledge of local and national policies in Tobacco Dependence & Mental Health and the smokefree agenda.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in Mental Health /addictions services and working with this 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.
• Good understanding of local and national policies relating to Stop Smoking Service provision – NHS Long Term Plan.