Health Trainer Services
Across the East Midlands Health Trainers are primarily commissioned and supported by Primary Care Trusts. Some PCTs host the HT service in-house, others have commissioned to local authorities or the third sector.
The service may recruit Health Trainers or Health Champions or a combination of both roles. The Health Trainer role is paid role and the Health Champion role is a volunteer role.
The nature of the Health Trainer Service enables it self to be established from a variety of settings. So far within the East Midlands these include voluntary sector, community settings, prisons, probation, acute sector, GP practices and workplace.
Currently Health Trainer Service are available in:
- Derbyshire County
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Nottingham City
- Nottinghamshire County and Bassetlaw
- Nottinghamshire Probation
Health Trainers
Health Trainers (HTs) have completed training and been assessed as competent against the following national competences (national occupational standards):
- HT1 Make relationships with communities
- HT2 Communicate with individuals about promoting their health
- HT3 Enable individuals to change their behaviour to improve their own health and wellbeing
- HT4 Manage and organise your own time and activities
The nationally recognised training for HTs is the Health Trainer Certificate accredited by City and Guilds. Trainee Health Trainers (THTs) are studying for the nationally recognised City and Guilds Certificate. Once they have completed this qualification, they will be able to work as a Health Trainer.
Health Trainers are either drawn from their local communities, or are knowledgeable about those communities. They will identify, or have referred to them, appropriate “clients” drawn from hard to reach, disadvantaged groups. In addition, clients can self-refer. Health Trainers will work with these clients on a one-to-one basis to assess their lifestyles and well being, to set goals, agree action plans and provide individual support focussing on behaviour change.
Across the East Midlands, Health Trainers are recruited at NHS Agenda for Change Band 2 while training and Band 3 when qualified (or the nearest equivalent for non NHS organisations commissioned).
Trainee Health Trainer
Trainee Health Trainers (THTs) are studying for the nationally recognised City and Guilds Certificate. Once they have completed this qualification, they will be able to work as a Health Trainer.
Health Champions
Health Champions (HCs) enable the Health Trainer Service to ‘extend its reach’ into communities, they too are drawn from their local communities, or knowledgeable about the communities within which they work. They facilitate uptake of Health Trainer Services and other interventions as appropriate, this is often referred to as ‘signposting and improving access to services’, achieved by peer support and information giving. Across the East Midlands Health Champions are recruited as volunteers.
HCs have undertaken the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) Level 2 Understanding Health Improvement Award and are part of a Health Trainer Service for support, access to resources, data collection and governance.
Please note that Health Champions are nationally referred to as Health Trainer Champions (HTC).
It is recognised that a number of people within these roles may have a different title and enhanced duties.