Band 6 health visitor

Job details

• Branch: Belfast HSCT
• Location: Belfast HSCT
• Salary: Band 6 (£38,682 - £46,580)
• Contract Type: To create a waiting list
• Opening Date: 02/06/26
• Closes: Tue, 16 June 2026 @ 6:00 PM
• Interview Dates: TBC

Notes

We accept online applications only. “A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026”. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week.” Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST: Health Visitor

LOCATION: Trustwide

BAND: 6

REPORTS TO: Team Leader

RESPONSIBLE TO: Health Visiting Lead

Job Summary / Main Purpose

The Health Visitor has a lead role in promoting, enhancing and maintaining the health and well- being of families and communities, and carries professional responsibility for the continuing family health assessment and the development and implementation of health plans to address identified need in families with pre-school children. The Health Visitor works in partnership with the client, and has continuing management responsibility for a defined caseload, including liaison with other agencies as appropriate, and ensuring resources are prioritised and targeted at those identified as most in need.

The Health Visitor assists in the development and implementation of public health initiatives aimed at promoting the uptake of services to ensure the health status of the community is maintained and improved by targeting issues such as, home safety, immunisations and accident prevention.

The Health Visitor has responsibility, as lead Nurse in individual child protection cases, to proactively participate in the prevention and early detection of abuse in all age groups. The Health Visitor adheres to all Trust policies, procedures, guidelines and regional policies and procedures as laid down by the SBNI and fulfills the legislative requirements of the Children (NI) Order 1995. The Health Visitor works co-operatively with the Trust Safeguarding team to ensure standards in safeguarding children are developed and maintained.

Main Duties / Responsibilities

For each of the following, the post holder will;

Carry out screening programmes and child health surveillance in line with the Healthy Child Healthy Future programme, including the completion of Family Health Assessment and the development of Health Plans to meet identified need, in partnership with the family.

Manage, delegate and supervise the work of a skill mix team to ensure efficient delivery of the Health Visiting Service, as requested by line manager.

Maintain an up to date profile of the dependency levels in the caseload and adhere to professional guidelines on minimum contact with these clients.

Complete caseload weighting pro forma/analysis (eCAT) monthly identifying health visiting objectives and outcomes for caseload management.

Promote the full health benefits of breastfeeding to parents enabling an informed decision on infant feeding, and provide effective advice and support for breastfeeding mothers in line with UNICEF Baby Friendly.

Provide information, advice and support to families with children on a wide range of issues relevant to family health and well-being e.g. behaviour, sleep management, weight management (List is not exhaustive).

Provide support advice and early intervention to families undergoing difficult/crises due to issues such as domestic violence, drug/alcohol/substance abuse, relationship breakdown, mental health problems, and ethnicity issues.

Identify children with behavioural problems and use behavioural management techniques to support families or make appropriate referrals for services.

Nurse prescribing, as per policy guidelines, as appropriate within the caseload.

Participate in Neonatal screening programmes.

Safeguarding

Participate in the prevention and early detection and subsequent referral of all categories of abuse in all age groups. Adhere to both Trust and Regional Child Protection Procedures (SBNI 2017). Contribute to the development of protection plans and decision-making processes, within the multidisciplinary/multiagency setting including attendance at case conferences, strategy meetings, core group meetings and Court as directed. Preparation of case conference and Court reports as deemed necessary and within the UNOCINI framework.

Provide support and advice to families and children with identified health needs, where safeguarding concerns have been identified, whilst working in partnership with families and other agencies.

Provide support and advice to families, children and carers where children are reviewed within Looked After Children (LAC) Procedures.

Maintain continuing appropriate responsibility as the Family Health Visitor for children at school and young people registered on the Child Protection Register or who have identified health needs.

Seek professional advice and support from the Safeguarding Children’s Nurse Specialists in the management of all complex cases where safeguarding needs are identified.

Adhere to the Regional Safeguarding Children Supervision Policy.

Public Health

Work collaboratively with all relevant agencies to influence/develop policies, which will enhance public health.

Initiate and lead community development initiatives to target health needs.

Develop models of practice, which will contribute to the delivery of current public health strategies and community development initiatives to enhance the health and wellbeing of children, communities and families.

When required, participate in the control of communicable diseases and prevention of infection by providing health education to control and minimise risks e.g. head lice, meningitis outbreaks and enteric infections.

As required, undertake contact tracing in relation to communicable disease control and management.

Promote immunisation programmes in partnership with families and other health professionals in order to achieve immunisation targets.

Assist in meeting public health targets e.g. teenage sexual health, accident prevention, breast feeding, immunisation, smoking cessation, obesity.

Participate in individual performance and development review annually with line manager and contribute to own personal development.

Attend all designated mandatory training.

Participate in the orientation and induction of new staff and promote good interpersonal relationships within the team as per Trust Policy.

Contribute to the pre and post registration learning opportunities made available to students within the Trust, which may include the supervision of Health Visiting students on supervised practice placements.

Participate actively in continuing education programmes and accept responsibility for professional self-development including requirements for revalidation, and facilitate learning for other colleagues including students.

Participate in nursing research and other activities, such as standard setting and audit on a uni and multi professional basis.

Ensure all practice is evidence based.

Discuss and agree annual/study/other leave arrangements with the Health Visiting team to ensure on-going provision of the service, in particular that appropriate cover is provided on a prioritised basis within all Health Visiting caseloads.

Contribute to the management of vacant caseloads and work as required at any of the Trust bases in line with Health Visiting service needs.

Communicate effectively with the Team Leader on all professional matters.

Attend all meetings as appropriate, read, and action all minutes and information circulated.

Review and maintain standards and practice in relation to professional records and record keeping within NMC standards.

Act in accordance with NMC code of professional conduct.

Make prompt and accurate verbal/written reports, contribute to appropriate information systems and provide statistical reports and information on activity and targets for BHSCT as required.

Have knowledge of and adhere to all professional, clinical policies and codes of practice within the Trust.

Participate in clinical and social care governance/risk management activities to ensure the highest quality of practice is maintained.

Adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.

Action roles as delegated by Team Leader to ensure delivery of an effective Health Visiting service.

Deputise for the Team Leader as requested / appropriate.

General Responsibilities

Employees of the Trust are required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:

At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner.

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with Belfast Trust’s Whistleblowing Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them.

Comply with the Trust’s Smoke Free Policy.

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with the Health and Safety Policies and Statutory Regulations.

Adhere to Equality and Good Relations duties throughout the course of their employment.

Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in-service provision.

Maintain high standards of personal accountability.

Comply with the HPSS Code of Conduct.

Information Governance

All employees of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant and to comply with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust policies on Information Governance including for example the ICT Security Policy, Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and to seek advice if in doubt.

For further information on how we use your personal data within HR, please refer to the Privacy Notice available on the HUB or Your HR

Environmental Cleaning Strategy

The Trusts Environmental Cleaning Strategy recognises the key principle that “Cleanliness matters is everyone’s responsibility, not just the cleaners” Whilst there are staff employed who are responsible for cleaning services, all Trust staff have a responsibility to ensure a clean, comfortable, safe environment for patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and members of the general public.

Infection Prevention and Control

The Belfast Trust is committed to reducing Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and all staff have a part to play in making this happen. Staff must comply with all policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control and with ongoing reduction strategies. Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions must be used at all times to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

This includes:-

Cleaning hands either with soap and water or a hand sanitiser at the appropriate times (WHO ‘5 moments’);

Using the correct ‘7 step’ hand hygiene technique;

Being ‘bare below the elbows’ when in a clinical environment;

Following Trust policies and the Regional Infection Control Manual (found on intranet);

Wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);

Ensuring correct handling and disposal of waste (including sharps) and laundry;

Ensuring all medical devices (equipment) are decontaminated appropriately i.e. cleaned, disinfected and/or sterilised;

Ensuring compliance with High Impact Interventions.

Personal Public Involvement

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community were relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/PPI_leaflet.pdf

Clause: This job description is not meant to be definitive and may be amended to meet the changing needs of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE / BAND: Health Visitor / Band 6

DEPT / DIRECTORATE: Health Visiting / Community Children’s Services

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined below at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage.

You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Employment

Currently employed within BHSCT

Application Form

Qualifications

Registration

Experience

Registered Nurse on Part 1 or 2 of the NMC register.

AND

Registered on Part 3 of the NMC register - Health Visiting Certificate/Diploma/BSc Hons/PG Diploma/MSc in Specialist Community and Public Health Nursing - Health Visiting Option.

OR

SCPHN student due to register in September 2026.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other (e.g. Driving etc.)

Hold a current full driving license valid in the UK with access to a car.

‘Where disability prohibits driving, this criteria will be waived if the applicant is able to organise suitable alternative arrangements’

Shortlisting by Application Form

Knowledge

Skills

Abilities

Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate as an integral team member collaboratively working with multidisciplinary/ agency teams in partnership with families.

Demonstrate the ability to plan, prioritise and manage a defined caseload.

Demonstrate the ability to delegate and supervise the work of a skill mix team to ensure efficient delivery of the Health Visiting service.

Demonstrate the ability to contribute to service improvement.

Demonstrate the ability to promote, monitor and maintain the health and safety of self and others.

Have knowledge in all aspects of the Healthy Child, Healthy Future Programme for NI.

Interview

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Desirable criteria will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Qualifications

Registration

Experience

Have undertaken a recognised behaviour management course.

Shortlisting by Application Form

NOTE

Where educational/professional qualifications form part of the criteria you will be required, if shortlisted for interview, to produce original certificates and one photocopy of same issued by the appropriate authority. Only those certificates relevant to the shortlisting criteria should be produced. If educational certificates are not available an original letter and photocopy of same detailing examination results from your school or college will be accepted as an alternative.

If successful you will be required to produce documentary evidence that you are legally entitled to live and work in the United Kingdom. This documentation can be a P45, Payslip, National Insurance Card or a Birth Certificate confirming birth in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. Failure to produce evidence will result in a non-appointment.

Where a post involves working in regulated activity with vulnerable groups, post holders will be required to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

HSC Values

Whilst employees will be expected to portray all the values, particular attention is drawn to the following values for this role