Job Advert
The Role
Prevention programmes are tasked with reducing inequalities in oral health and ensuring access to dental services across Lanarkshire. The post holder will be responsible for delivery of oral health improvement programmes identified by the Scottish Government. These programmes adopt a multi-agency approach to improving the oral health of priority groups and target children from birth through to elderly people either living in care homes or at home.
‘The Childsmile’ programme combines targeted and universal approaches to tackling children’s oral health: Oral Health Educators (OHEs): Work in partnership with Dental Health Support Workers to initiate, establish & maintain the Nursery and Primary School Toothbrushing programmes based on national standards.
‘The Caring for Smiles’ programme within Lanarkshire supports care home staff to ensure they have the skills to deliver effective care: OHEs deliver the national accredited training to staff working within care homes as well as providing care and support for resident’s who find oral care challenging
‘The Open Wide’ initiative provides care, support and training for carers of younger adults who are dependent on care: OHEs will be responsible for supporting patients with complex needs in a wide variety of NHS and non NHS settings across Lanarkshire. Training and support will be developed and delivered according to the needs of the patients.
‘Smile for Life’ intervention supports people experiencing homelessness: OHEs will provide training to internal and external agencies as well as helping service users’ access appropriate dental services.
‘Mouth Matters’ programme supports offenders within HMP Shotts. OHEs will help prisoners to maintain their oral health as well as supporting them on their liberation to access dental services.
Childsmile combines targeted and universal approaches to tackling children’s oral health improvement through the four programme components (Core, Practice, Nursery and School). This combination will provide a comprehensive pathway of care that is tailored to the needs of individual children. This post is primarily focused on Childsmile Core, the Nursery and School Toothbrushing Programme.
Childsmile Core is a Scotland-wide initiative to help improve the health of our children's teeth, through the distribution of free dental packs and supervised toothbrushing programmes in all nurseries and in priority schools.
The postholder will be involved in delivering the Childsmile Core programme in a variety of nurseries and primary schools across Lanarkshire.
A key role is to educate and promote awareness of oral health issues amongst children, parents, teachers, care homes residents and their carers and staff who work in care home to deliver new initiatives in compliance with national required or as directed by the Head of Oral Health Education
NHS Lanarkshire
Have you always wanted to work with NHS Lanarkshire? Then this might be the opportunity for you to join Team Lanarkshire!
Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.
We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.
What we'll need you to bring
- Have knowledge and understanding of the impact of oral disease on general health underpinned by theoretical knowledge gained through expanded formal training, continuous professional development and relevant practical experience
- Experience gained through previous working in the areas of dental health or health promotion
- Good communication & interpersonal skills in a range of settings
- Self-motivated
- A flexible and adaptable approach to work.
- Good organisational and administration skills
- Must be a Qualified Dental Nurse and have chairside experience as a Dental Nurse
- Must be currently working as a Dental Nurse or Oral Health Educator
- Must be registered with the GDC
- Possession of a relevant qualification (Certificate in OHE)
- Must have a valid full driving license.
Contract type
- Permanent
- Working hours will be varied
- Full and Part Time
- Please note part time post, the salary for this position will be pro-rata.
Location and Working Pattern
- This role will be based Lanarkshire Wide
- The working pattern for this role will be varied
Looking to find out more?
If you’re looking to find out a bit more, then we would love to hear from you!
Please contact Elaine Sharp, Senior Oral Health Educator on elaine.sharp@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk OR 01236 707711
For enquiries regarding the application form or recruitment process, please contact Pauline Fleming, Recruitment Administrator on pauline.fleming@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk (Please remember to include the job title and reference number in your email)
Why NHS Lanarkshire?
Join us and you will discover a supportive environment where you will have the chance to add to your skills and further your career.
Some of NHS Lanarkshire’s benefits include:
A minimum of 27 days annual leave increasing with length of service
A minimum of 8 days of public holidays
Membership of NHS Pension Scheme, with life insurance benefits (for more information on the NHS Pension Scheme visit the Scottish Public Pension)
Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
Occupational health services
Employee Counselling services
Work-life Balance policies and procedures
NHS Lanarkshire have a range of support services on topics that can impact both on your working and personal life including occupational health, spiritual care and independent counselling. This support can be accessed using the links on this page.
Further Information
For more information on the role, please refer to the Job Description. If you’re looking for more information on the recruitment process, organisation or the services we provide, please refer to our information pack, or our recruitment webpage.
Additional Information for Applicants
- Posts close at midnight on the indicated date
- For help to complete an application on JobTrain please follow this link: https://www.careers.nhs.scot/how-to-apply/application-process/
- Please note that our correspondence method is by e-mail, therefore please ensure you enter your email address accurately
- Please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders) and also your Jobtrain account for updates
- Please contact Jobtrain Candidate Support Hub - https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home for advice and support with any system issues
- We recommend using the Internet Browser "Google Chrome" or "Microsoft Edge" when using Jobtrain
- Once you have submitted your application form you will be unable to make any amendments
In NHS Lanarkshire we are committed to recruiting a workforce that fully reflects the diverse make-up of our society. A place where every individual can thrive, develop and succeed based on skill, knowledge and talent, regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, care experienced* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.
We anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the advert once sufficient applications are received. Please complete and submit your application early.
*Care experienced applicants are people who live/have lived with foster parents/kinship carers or who live/have lived in a residential children’s setting/secure unit.
Whilst this advertisement may be for a specific post(s) in a particular location, applicants who are shortlisted for interview may be considered for similar vacancies in alternative locations.
Please note for all vacancies where a driving licence is required this, must be a full UK/EU/EEA licence.
NHS Lanarkshire has a legal obligation to ensure that it does not employ any Worker who has not been granted the relevant permission to work in the UK. This permission is without exception granted by UK Visas and Immigrations. We are required to check the entitlement to work in the UK of all prospective employees, regardless of nationality or job category. Candidates who require a Certificate of Sponsorship can access further information at www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk Skilled worker Visa and all current immigration rules are available at www.gov.uk