Senior Health Advisor

The Methodist Church in Britain; High Wycombe; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking a senior health adviser to lead the health advising team within the Level 3 bSHaW service. The postholder will oversee clinical care, follow-up, partner notification and safeguarding.

You will supervise junior staff and students, travel between sites, and work a flexible rota including evenings and weekends. Current NMC registration or equivalent qualification is required.

Qualifications

• Degree level 6 or higher required.
• Post-registration sexual health development accreditation or equivalent.
• Management/leadership qualification or training required.
• Specialist safeguarding training beyond baseline required.
• Current NMC registration or equivalent qualification required.
• Experience in direct patient care in an integrated sexual health service.
• Experience with PGDs to treat STIs and provide contraception.
• Experience supervising and developing junior staff.
• Experience leading NHS teams.
• Experience safeguarding vulnerable children and adults.
• Experience leading staff appraisals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the health advising team across the Level 3 bSHaW service, collaborating with the multidisciplinary team.
• Deliver specialist care management in an integrated sexual health model.
• Interpret and manage positive results and arrange treatment promptly.
• Ensure follow-up, partner notification and contact tracing, applying public health principles.
• Contribute to developing partner notification and contact tracing processes to reduce STI/HIV transmission.
• Manage the patient recall system with the health advising team.
• Participate in contraception advice and care delivery.
• Provide telephone advice and support to the public and professionals.
• Operate within a clinical governance and performance management framework.
• Drive service modernisation and promote integrated working across sites and with stakeholders.
• Be part of the safeguarding team, reviewing and following up young and vulnerable people.
• Supervise and develop junior staff and students in all aspects of care.

Skills

Health team leadership

Clinical governance

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Education

Degree (level 6) or above

Post-registration sexual health development: STIF/NDFSRH or level 6

Management/leadership qualification or training

Specialist safeguarding training for children and vulnerable adults

Current NMC registration or equivalent qualification

Job description

This senior post leads the health advising team within the integrated sexual health service run by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. The postholder manages clinical care, including interpreting positive results, arranging follow-up and partner notification, and providing health promotion and psychological support. Safeguarding is a strong focus, and the role includes supervising junior staff and students. It involves travel between sites and a flexible rota with evenings and weekends, and candidates need current NMC registration or another role-appropriate qualification.

What the job involves

• Lead the health advising team across the level 3 bSHaW service, working with the multidisciplinary team
• Deliver specialist care management in an integrated sexual health model, combining psycho-social support and health promotion with clinical management
• Interpret and manage positive results and arrange treatment in a timely manner
• Ensure appropriate follow-up, including partner notification and contact tracing, applying public health principles
• Take part in developing partner notification and contact tracing processes to reduce transmission of STIs and HIV
• Manage the patient recall system with the health advising team
• Take part in delivering contraception advice and care
• Give telephone advice and support to the public and professionals
• Work within a clinical governance and performance management framework
• Drive service modernisation, promoting integrated working across sites and with stakeholders
• Be part of the safeguarding team, reviewing and following up young and vulnerable people
• Supervise and develop junior staff and students in all aspects of care

What’s required

Qualifications

• Degree (level 6) or above
• Post-registration sexual health development: accredited STIF integrated or health advising theory and competency, NDFSRH, or level 6 degree studies
• Management and leadership qualification or training
• Specialist safeguarding training for children and vulnerable adults, beyond baseline

Registration & licences

• Current NMC registration as a level 1 registered nurse, or another role-appropriate qualification such as psychology or teaching

Experience

• Current or very recent direct patient care as a health advisor in an integrated sexual health service
• Working with patient group directions (PGDs) to treat STIs and provide contraception
• Supervising and developing junior nursing or health advising colleagues and students
• Leading a team in the NHS
• Safeguarding vulnerable children and adults
• Leading staff appraisals, including objective setting and PDPs

Skills & knowledge

• Working collaboratively with other teams and agencies
• Clinical audit, implementing actions and sharing learning
• Multidisciplinary team working to achieve service improvement and change

Other

• Ability to travel between service sites, working a minimum of two days a week at each
• Flexible rota including evening and weekend working

Nice to have

• Counselling qualification or experience
• Teaching and assessing qualification, such as 997/8 or City & Guilds
• Non-medical prescriber (V300) qualification, with current V300 practice and post-qualification education to maintain competency
• Motivational interviewing qualification and experience
• Experience implementing or updating policies and guidelines
• Experience in health care research and evaluating service improvement options
• Budget management experience
• Leading clinical supervision sessions, individually or as a group

What’s offered

• Learning and development opportunities to support career progression
• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• NHS pension
• Access to NHS discount schemes
• Health and wellbeing services
• Secondment option for internal applicants, with line manager endorsement