Trainee Health Visitor

This is an exciting opportunity for individuals with strong leadership skills who are keen to pursue a career in health visiting and make a difference to children’s lives.

About the role

We are offering the opportunity to undertake the MSc/PGDip Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visiting), at SCQF level 11, with the University of Stirling. The programme enables you to achieve the Standards of Proficiency for the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SPCHN) qualification. There is the opportunity to exit following completion of 120 credits with a PG Dip and entry to the register as a SCPNH HV. This will be fully funded by NHS Tayside.

If you want to gain the award of Masters/MSc, you will be required to complete and fund the dissertation module and, on successful completion, entry to the register as a SCPHN-HV. The programme leads to both an academic award and a professional qualification, with practice integrated throughout. It includes six core modules designed to develop your knowledge and understanding of public health nursing, enabling you to deliver and lead culturally competent, strengths-based, and person-centred care.

All successful candidates will be provided with a practice placement within one area of Tayside and the support of a Health Visitor Practice Assessor and Health Visitor Practice Supervisor.

Requirements

• Be a qualified Nurse (Level 1) or Midwife with extensive experience and currently on the UK NMC register
• Have a first degree or evidence of recent study at SCQF level 9
• Be free to undertake full-time study commencing September 2026
• Be required to work 36 hours per week over the course of the year

Pay

On appointment to the programme, NHS Tayside will offer successful applicants a contract as a Trainee Health Visitor for the duration of the programme, paid at AfC Band 7 under Annex 21 para 2(i). On successful completion of the programme and registration on the SCPHN Part of the UK NMC register, you will progress to a substantive Health Visiting post (AfC Band 7).

Schedule

Full-time study and work, commencing September 2026, with a requirement to work 36 hours per week over the course of the year.

Additional Information

Interviews will be held jointly with the University of Stirling and NHS Tayside on 13 & 14 August 2026. Appointments will be subject to satisfactory references, PVG, and Occupational Health checks.

Graduates will be expected to take up a Health Visiting post within NHS Tayside to consolidate learning and practice. New Graduate SCPHN Health Visitors will complete a period of preceptorship in their first post as part of UK NMC requirements.

Informal Enquiries

Regarding health visiting and/or the trainee posts:

• Karen McGarva, Senior Nurse, Health Visiting: Mobile 07773 202563
• Dianne Conway, Health Visiting Team Leader: Mobile 07484 964284
• Denise Colvin, Health Visiting Team Leader: Mobile 07812 484288

Regarding the University course:

• Dr Alison Hackett, Senior Lecturer/Programme Director, University of Stirling
• Megan Scott, Senior Lecturer/Programme Director, University of Stirling