Public Health PractitionerNHS
Job summary
Are you passionate about reducing health inequalities, improving lives and helping people in prison build healthier futures? This is an exciting opportunity to join Spectrum in a new and influential role, leading the development of a whole-prison public health and recovery-oriented approach across three male Category C prisons in the NorthEast and HMP Low Newton, a women's prison.
You can make a real difference by embedding health promotion, social prescribing, digital inclusion and peer support into prison healthcare. You will help create healthier, more hopeful environments where people are supported to make informed choices, improve wellbeing, access meaningful activity and prepare for successful resettlement.
Working at the heart of Spectrum's public health ambitions, you will contribute to trauma-informed, strength-based and recovery-focused models of care. The post aligns with national HMPPS strategies, the Chief Medical Officer's report, Spectrum's healthcare peer support model at HMP Low Newton, the North of England Recovery in Prisons Project and local place-based public health priorities.
A pivotal role in widening access to public health interventions across the Spectrum North East prison cluster. Building on existing social prescribing work, you will co-design referral pathways that connect people to non-clinical support such as creative arts, physical activity, nature-based opportunities including Green Outside of Prisons, peer support and community services.
Main duties of the job
What you'll be doing Develop, implement and review multi-year public health and health promotion plans across the North East prison cluster.
Work collaboratively with prison, healthcare, public health, voluntary sector and community partners to improve access to support and continuity of care.
Use population health data, evidence and lived experience insight to identify priority groups and design targeted interventions.
Support trauma-informed, health-promoting environments that encourage purposeful activity, peer learning and recovery.
Plan and coordinate public health interventions across multiple prison sites, adapting plans in response to operational pressures, emerging needs and new evidence.
Job description
About you Were looking for someone who is motivated by the opportunity to improve health equity for people in contact with the justice system. You will be confident working across complex systems, able to build trusted relationships, and committed to inclusive, person-centred and recovery-focused practice.
Significant experience in prisons, criminal justice, inclusion health or public health practice.
A strong understanding of prison systems, organisational culture, security requirements and healthcare delivery.
Experience of delivering or leading public health work, ideally in complex or underserved communities.
Highly developed specialist public health knowledge, underpinned by theory, evidence and practical experience.
A public health qualification such as an MPH, UKPHR practitioner registration, SCPHN qualification or equivalent experience would be highly desirable.
Why join Spectrum? At Spectrum, you will be part of an organisation committed to improving health, reducing inequalities and delivering compassionate, high-quality care for people who often experience significant barriers to support. This is a role where your ideas, leadership and public health expertise can directly shape services, influence culture and create lasting impact.
If you are ready to lead innovative public health work in a unique and meaningful setting, we would love to hear from you.
Interviews are likely to be held on 14 September 2026.
About us
BE THE DIFFERENCE IN HEALTHCARE
Join our team
We're looking for passionate individuals to join our diverse and innovative team.
Whether you are starting out in your healthcare journey or are an experienced healthcare professional looking for a new challenge we've got a role for you!
- Access to NHS Pension
- Time for you day (additional day off)
- Welcome payment for some posts
- Refer a friend scheme
- Training and Development opportunities
- Flexible Working
- Access to Employee Assistance and Health and Wellbeing programmes
- Up to 33 days annual leave
We have an ambition to become a truly lived experience inclusive employer, changing how we approach staff experience and value personal stories our colleagues bring with them.
We welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who belong to LGBTQIA+ Community and are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and Asexual, people with a disability, neurodivergent applicants and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Spectrum Community Health CIC provides a range of award-winning healthcare services on behalf of the NHS, Local Authority Public Health services, and other partners across substance misuse, sexual health, and health and justice settings. As a not-for-profit social enterprise and Community Interest Company our focus is centred on people - our patients, service users, staff and partners.