Student Health Visitor (SCPHN)

Job overview

Student Health Visitor (Specialist Community Public Health Nurse -Health Visitor) with guaranteed ongoing employment subject to successful completion of the course.

Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health visiting) - Northumbria University. Coach Lane Campus.

Are you a Registered Nurse or Midwife with a special interest and commitment to improving the Health and Social outcomes for children and families? Harrogate District Foundation Trust is currently recruiting to full and part time Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visitor  student posts), to commence training in September for 52 weeks. At the end of the training and on successful SCPHN registration with NMC, you will be guaranteed a health visiting post in one of our Trust’s Health Visiting teams in the North East.

Placements will be in Northumberland, Gateshead and Sunderland.

**Interview will be on 13th and 14th May 2026**

Main duties of the job

As a Health Visitor you can make a real difference to children, families and communities. You will play a fundamental role in the development of the Healthy Child Programme, promoting child development, safeguarding children, preventing social exclusion and deprivation and tackling important public health issues. Every day working as a Health Visitor is different, with responsibilities including home visits, running support groups for parents and working with a range of local children’s agencies and professionals.

Health Visitors have the opportunity to work flexibly in the community and are a crucial part of the healthcare team. It is a diverse role which involves being part of a wider team that provides you with support as you work to improve the health of local families.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Training

To be eligible to apply you will need to be an NMC Registered Nurse or Midwife (Level1) and have a BSc 2:2 or above.

(Applicants who do not hold BSc at 2:2 and have experience of working in the 0-19 Service can complete a RPEL portfolio at level 6. Successful achievement will permit application for SCPHN (This does not guarantee entry and achievement must be confirmed prior to application).

The training is 37.5 hours full time or 18.75 hours part time, with fixed annual leave dates. The course is 50% theory and 50% practice, with the academic element led by Northumbria University. You will be expected to apply to the University once successful, and sponsorship is dependent on achieving a University place.

Successful candidates will be paid Band 5 (mid point) during the 52 week programme and will move to band 6 on completion of the course and SCPHN registration with the NMC.

What our practitioners say

"As a Health Visitor I see part of my role as ensuring children and young people have the best start in life working with a range of other agencies to support this makes the role interesting and rewarding." (Karen, Health Visitor)

"Health visiting can be a challenging but rewarding career especially working with many families with complex needs. COVID has developed digital resources which is a positive but does not substitute the school required to complete a holistic assessment on a child and family." (Lucy, Health Visitor)

"As a Health Visitor, enhanced communication skills are essential, not only to successfully work with families but also to address identified risk factors and work within multi agency teams to address safeguarding." (Kati, Health Visitor)

Students will be aligned to a practice assessor in one of the footprint areas in the North East.

**Start Date 21-Sep-2026**

Internal applicants will need to discuss with service manager and have agreement regarding secondment; otherwise this will be a fixed term contract, however there is guaranteed employment as a Health Visitor on completion of course and SCPHN registration with NMC

For further advice and information please contact Rachel Rispin  07812 396064.