Specialist Practitioner Student – Health Visitor

Job overview

Train with us to become a fully qualified Health Visitor!

Our Health Visiting service is delighted to offer an exciting, paid and fully funded opportunity to train as a Health Visitor through the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) Course, in partnership with Bucks New University.

Starting in Sept 2025, this full-time program provides both academic study and hands-on learning through placements across Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Reading, and West Berkshire.

You will divide your time between university, supervised community practice and study days.The course is well structured with interesting and relevant modules that link directly to the practical aspects of the role and you’ll be supported in placements by Berkshire Healthcare’s Health Visiting team and a Community Practice Assessor (CPA).

You’ll gain a postgraduate diploma and the in-depth grounding and required skills to support children’s development and give them the best start in life.

Upon qualifying, you’ll join us at BHFT as a Band 6 Health Visitor for a minimum of two years (subject to vacancy availability). You’ll work with children from birth to five years old and their families, providing essential support, assessing health needs, and monitoring growth and development.

Learn more about the program on the Bucks New University website.

Applications for this role will be reviewed at the end of March.

Main duties of the job

To complete the required further education at level 7 in order to provide and maintain a high standard of skilled Health Visiting practice for individuals, groups and communities in a variety of settings in accordance with the accredited faculty syllabus.

The specialist practice student Health Visitor works under the direction of the Community Practice Assessor (CPA), who is a member of the locality Health Visiting Team. The student will work with the CPA’s or Supervisor’s client group under supervision.

To work with CPA and university lecturers to reflect on academic learning and practice, contribute to assessment of progress, plan learning objectives and submit academic coursework according to university deadlines.

To assess and re-assess care needs, develop, implement, and evaluate packages of care in liaison with and under the direct tutelage of the CPA / Supervisor.

If you've previously started but not completed this course, please let us know in your application.

Working for our organisation

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The “must haves” for you to be considered for this role:

• Meet the university entrance requirements and be able to evidence the academic ability to study at a minimum of level 6.
• Current NMC Qualification as a nurse or midwife at time of application.
• Evidence of a period of completed preceptorship.
• A comprehensive understanding of Health Visiting and passion for working in the service.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: Fiona Howell on 07768 987992 who’ll be delighted to help.

Applications must be made using NHS jobs website. By submitting your application via NHS Jobs, you consent to BHFT sharing your application form with Academic Colleagues at Bucks New University.

Interviews are held jointly with the university, will be held on Friday 29th November 2024 and will be face to face. All arrangements will be communicated by email.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person specification

Education / Qualifications/ Training

• Current NMC Qualification as a nurse or midwife.
• Meet the university entrance requirements – Level 6 qualification(or above) or evidence of previous education and learning to this level
• The applicant must be registered with a PIN at time of application.
• Evidence of completed preceptorship or equivalent post qualification.

• Educated to degree level
• Mentoring qualification or equivalent.

Knowledge and Expertise

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the role of a HV in the context of the wider health team in community settings.
• Knowledge of current legislation and national policies which influence the provision of Health Visiting practice
• Awareness of principles of Safeguarding and identification and management of risk within context of Health Visitor role
• Awareness of current issues and knowledge of developments for the Health Visitor specialist practice pathway
• Demonstrate the ability to support children and families to make informed decisions in relation to their health and well- being
• Understanding of structure and functions of the NHS.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate excellent and effective communication skills both written and verbal.
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise work.
• Demonstrate ability to adapt to working within a changing environment
• Evidence of appropriate understanding of knowledge and skills required to undertake role
• Enthusiastic and motivated to undertake Health Visiting and take substantive employment within BHFT (2 years post course)
• Ability to withstand pressures of undertaking demanding academic study and able to balance with personal commitments
• Demonstrate understanding of Equality and Diversity and implications for service delivery.
• Evidence of effective teamwork.
• Numeracy and Literacy skills

Experience

• Evidence of a continuous professional development (CPD) within the last 5 years

• Paediatric experience
• Community Nursing experience
• Demonstration of effective leadership qualities
• Evidence of being a proactive and innovative/reflective practitioner

Analytical and judgmental skills

• Knowledge of quality issues, the audit process and clinical governance
• Academic ability to study independently at degree or postgraduate level
• Competent to use a range of IT systems and databases

• Ability to research/present relevant topics to a range of audiences

Personal skills

• Evidence of effective team working
• Ability to work without direct supervision
• Ability to work flexibly in order to respond to service needs
• Willingness to teach students and colleagues
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to form strong professional working relationships
• Car Driver who holds full driving licence with access to a vehicle.
• Ability and willingness to travel across the BHFT footprint of HV services.
• The post requires a degree of agility and the ability to carry/manoeuvre light to moderate loads

These are the values that we live by at Berkshire Healthcare:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

We welcome people who share these values to come and work for us.

Please find attached the behaviour framework that underpins these values for this job role.

At Berkshire Healthcare, we foster an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs.

Watch our careers video to learn more.

We welcome talent from all backgrounds and offer guaranteed interviews to disabled applicants and armed forces community members who meet the minimum criteria.

Please note we may close positions before the advertised date.

If you need help with your application, please contact us on [email protected]

Once you have applied, please check your email regularly for updates. All appointments are subject to NHS Employment Checks, and false information may result in withdrawal of offers. For information on how we store your information, please review our privacy statement.

No agencies, please.