Health promotion specialist: Job description. Health promotion specialists, sometimes called health education specialists, help people to improve their health and increase their control over it. Roles may vary from giving face-to-face advice to individuals to producing strategic policies for health promotion. They may set up schemes promoting a healthy lifestyle, run campaigns and implement government initiatives relating to public health. Health promotion specialists work in a wide range of settings, including: hospitals; schools; prisons; workplaces; neighbourhoods; cultural communities.
They educate on a number of different health-related issues, such as: drug misuse; the dangers of smoking; excessive alcohol consumption; healthy eating; sexual health. Their work may be focused on a specific section of the community, such as elderly or disabled people or an ethnic minority group. Many health promotion specialists work at a local level, but others have more strategic roles with national organisations. Typical work activities. Health promotion specialist: job description. Health promotion specialists may work in the community, promoting good health, or in strategic work, developing health policies.
What does a health promotion specialist do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills The NHS employs most health promotion specialists. Other employers include local authorities, voluntary/charitable organisations, health boards and national health/voluntary sector agencies. Vacancies attract moderate competition. Qualifications and training required A good degree in any biological, psychological or social science is acceptable for entry into the profession, although employers prefer graduates with additional qualifications in health promotion, health studies, nursing, public/environmental health or education. Key skills for health promotion specialists Candidates should have a mature, non-judgemental, confident and caring manner.
Health promotion specialist Job Information. Page Content Health promotion specialist Hours30-40 per weekStarting salary£21,692 + per year Health promotion specialists (also known as health improvement specialists) aim to improve the health of the population through education. In this job you will need to be persuasive and tactful, so that you can inspire and motivate people. You will also need good project management skills. To get into this work you would usually need experience of working with community groups, plus a degree in a relevant subject such as biological, social or behavioural sciences.
If you can communicate well with a wide variety of people and you want to raise awareness of health issues, this could be the job for you. WorkDesc Work activities As a health promotion specialist, you would raise awareness of issues such as: the importance of a balanced diet, and taking regular exercisethe dangers of smoking or excessive drinkingthe risk of coronary heart disease and cancersmental health, sexual health, and drug misuse. News. Public health practitioner. Public health practitioners can have a huge influence on the health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, communities and populations. Working life The term “public health practitioner” is used to describe about 10,000 members of the core public health workforce who work in various areas of public health, including health improvement, health protection, and health and wellbeing.
Although they work in different areas, what public health practitioners have in common is the level of public health skill and knowledge that they possess. Public health practitioners work in many places and in many specialty areas of public health. Public health practitioners work with people from a range of organisations in the public sector, voluntary sector, and private sector to promote and support the health of the public.
Public health practitioner roles Public health practitioner roles differ greatly in the work they focus on and in their specific job titles. Teenage pregnancy co-ordinator. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion- Home. C6 guide for world class commissioners. Health promotion. Welcome | Action on Smoking and Health. Big Issue | Journalism worth paying for. British Heart Foundation - Home. Centre of the Cell. Gay Times, Gay Magazine, Gay News, Travel Guides, Saunas & Chat. A- Z List of All NHS Acute (Hospital) Trusts in England. Health Promotion / Lifestyle | Directory. Patient.co.uk resources of information on health promotion issues Patient.co.uk has an extensive section of leaflets on health promotion and lifestyle issues.
Health promotion is about keeping healthy, living a healthy lifestyle, preventing illness, and preventing any existing illness from becoming worse. The health promotion and lifestyle leaflets section includes leaflets on diet, obesity, smoking, exercise, alcohol, preventing heart disease, cervical screening, breast screening, sun and health, etc.
Immunisation is also an important aspect of health promotion and Patient.co.uk includes information leaflets about the common immunisations. Some screening tests and investigations are relevant to health promotion. Other UK sources of information on health promotion issues General health promotion websites These first few UK sites are comprehensive covering many aspects of health promotion and a healthy lifestyle. Change 4 Life NHS LifeCheck Prevention package for older people NHS Health Scotland. Welcome | HSC Public Health Agency. Public Health England. The Royal Society for Public Health. WHO | World Health Organization.