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Public health nurse

Public health nurses are qualified and registered nurses or midwives who have then chosen to gain experience or undertake training to specialise in areas such as health protection or sexual health. 

Working life

Their additional training in public health means that public health nurses play a vital role in promoting and protecting the public’s health. This might be by promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing the likelihood of ill-health, supporting people who have long-term illness, or preventing illness through immunisations or screening interventions. They are employed in a variety of settings including the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities [1], local authorities and the NHS.

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Public health nurse roles

The following list doesn't include all of the roles available for public health nurses, but provides examples of the types of roles available.

  • Health promotion nurse
  • Health protection nurse
  • Tuberculosis (TB) nurse
  • Infection control nurse

Health promotion nurse

Health promotion nurses work with groups in the community and organisations (primary healthcare teams, voluntary and statutory organisations) to identify the health needs of the community and the most appropriate ways of intervening to improve their health. They plan their interventions on a firm evidence-base and then work with their clients in a variety of community settings to meet their needs. Such interventions may include, for example:

  • physical activity
  • tackling obesity
  • promoting self-care for people with long-term conditions
  • finding and supporting those most at risk of cardiovascular [5] disease

They also provide information and support to promote and optimise positive health.

The managerial aspects of their role include:

  • maintaining good working relationships with partners, colleagues and partner organisations
  • completing statistical returns and entering client data onto computer systems
  • identifying areas for improving the service
  • responding to complaints

Health promotion nurses also have an educational role, helping to support, mentor and train junior staff, participating in clinical supervision, annual staff appraisal, and auditing to ensure maintenance of standards.

Health protection nurse

Health protection teams are responsible for ensuring that the public are protected from infectious diseases and other non-infectious hazards to health. Nurses working in this field have a crucial role to play in this interesting and varied area. They work with individuals, families and the wider population, which may include taking decisions on behalf of a community or population. The health protection nurse works with a wide range of organisations, disciplines and agencies to undertake disease surveillance, contribute to the management of incidents, outbreaks and control strategies, as well as leading or supporting the implementation of new directives, guidance and policy to protect the public’s health.

The day-to-day role of the health protection nurse may include:

  • providing reactive health protection advice, as part of an acute response team, to health professionals, the public or wider stakeholders, following the notification of communicable diseases or other health threats.
  • undertaking epidemiological investigations and public health risk assessments.
  • working with other stakeholders to prevent or minimise the impact of non-infectious environmental hazards
  • emergency planning, working with local resilience fora, undertaking community risk assessments and supporting the planning for biological, chemical, radioactive, environmental and nuclear threats to the public’s health.
  • public health training, education, and participating in research and audit.

Tuberculosis (TB) nurse

Tuberculosis nurses work in the community or within health protection teams to provide care and support for people being investigated or treated for tuberculosis (TB). They may be involved, with their team, in managing an outbreak. They also visit people at home, ensuring they receive the support that they, as individuals with different needs, require to complete their course of treatment. They provide their clients and other health professionals with information and advice about TB. To help contain the spread of TB, these nurses work to establish who has been in contact with infected clients so they can be traced and offered a check-up and, if necessary, treatment.

Infection control nurse

Infection control nurses establish and maintain effective and efficient systems for the prevention, investigation, control and surveillance of infections in the workplace. Infection control nurses need to provide strong leadership that inspires and motivates others to ensure all infection control policy and procedures are implemented. He or she would normally have the authority, through specialist knowledge, to advise on agreed standards of infection prevention and to control care service delivery to patients, their carers and all hospital staff.

Sarah Murphy

TB nurse specialist (public health)
It is exciting to work on an innovative project and to see fantastic results so quickly. By offering on-site screening, we’ve greatly increased the number of people who take up the offer of screening.
Read Sarah's story [6]

Pay and benefits

In the NHS, your standard working week will be around 37.5 hours on a shift pattern which can include nights, early starts, evenings, weekends and bank holidays. As an adult nurse, you’ll be paid on the Agenda for Change (AFC [7]) pay system, typically starting at band 5.

You’ll also have access to the generous NHS Pension Scheme and health service discounts, as well as 27 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

Pay and benefits will differ if working outside of the NHS. 

Entry requirements

You must first qualify and register as a nurse [8] or midwife [9]. Entry requirements may then vary depending on the position.  

Experience or a qualification (or both) in one of the following areas may be an advantage:

  • community nursing
  • school nursing
  • staff nurse in health visiting team
  • work in A&E or walk-in centre settings
  • counselling and psychological help
  • occupational health
  • infection prevention and control 
  • health protection
  • practice nursing

There are other educational options and courses for those working in infectious disease, health protection, infection control, sexual health, drug and alcohol, smoking cessation and other areas.

​Skills needed

  • excellent communication skills
  • project management
  • analytical skills
  • influencing and negotiating skills
  • ability to work across multi-agency or multi-disciplinary professional networks
  • good people skills in order to develop and sustain relationships 
  • problem-solving skill
  • an ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
  • an enthusiasm and genuine interest in health protection

Where the role can lead

As a public health nurse there are many opportunities to develop skills to work in a variety of areas. Some public health nurses choose to follow an academic career pathway, working in higher education or research, whereas others may decide to take up senior practitioner or managerial roles. 

  • Find a vacancy

    • Public Health Researcher

      Cardiff, CF10 4BZ

      Salary:
      £46840.00 to £53602.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Public Health Wales
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health Researcher job (opens in a new window) [10]
    • Public Health Nurse

      Liverpool, L9 7LH

      Salary:
      £33232.00 to £40211.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Practice Plus Group
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health Nurse job (opens in a new window) [11]
    • Senior Public Health Nurse

      Winchester, SO22 5DF

      Salary:
      £46525.00 to £52507.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Practice Plus Group
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Senior Public Health Nurse job (opens in a new window) [12]
    • Public Health Nurse (Wirral)

      West Kirby, CH485AA

      Salary:
      £31049.00 to £37796.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health Nurse (Wirral) job (opens in a new window) [13]
    • Community Public Health Nurse

      Witney, OX29 7DX

      Salary:
      £31049.00 to £37796.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Oxford Health NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Community Public Health Nurse job (opens in a new window) [14]
    • Specialist Public Health Dietitian

      TBC, CF48 1BZ

      Salary:
      £39263.00 to £47280.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Public Health Dietitian job (opens in a new window) [15]
    • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse

      Margate, CT9 3RU

      Salary:
      £37338.00 to £44962.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse job (opens in a new window) [16]
    • Public Health and Clinical Fellow

      London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Salisbury, NW9 5EQ

      Salary:
      £49909.00 to £70425.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      UK Health Security Agency
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health and Clinical Fellow job (opens in a new window) [17]
    • Deputy Director of Public Health

      Port Talbot, SA12 7BR

      Salary:
      Negotiable
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Swansea Bay University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Deputy Director of Public Health job (opens in a new window) [18]
    • Public Health Advisor/Nursery Nurse

      Stafford, ST163AQ

      Salary:
      £27485.00 to £30162.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health Advisor/Nursery Nurse job (opens in a new window) [19]
    • Student Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) Health Visiting

      Bury, BL9 8RN

      Salary:
      £31049.00 to £37796.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Student Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) Health Visiting job (opens in a new window) [20]
    • Community Public Health Nurse – School Nursing

      Llanelli, SA14 8YP

      Salary:
      £31516.00 to £38364.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Hywel Dda University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Community Public Health Nurse – School Nursing job (opens in a new window) [21]
    • Public Health Staff Nurse 0-19

      Bournemouth, BH6 5AJ

      Salary:
      £24839.00 to £30236.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health Staff Nurse 0-19 job (opens in a new window) [22]
    • Community Public Health Nurse – School Nursing

      Milford Haven, SA73 2LL

      Salary:
      £31516.00 to £38364.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Hywel Dda University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Community Public Health Nurse – School Nursing job (opens in a new window) [23]
    • Public Health Staff Nurse 5-19

      Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1TT

      Salary:
      £31049.00 to £37796.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Public Health Staff Nurse 5-19 job (opens in a new window) [24]
    • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse -Health Visitor&School Nurse

      York, YO1 6GA

      Salary:
      £37027.00 to £41520.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      City of York Council
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse -Health Visitor&School Nurse job (opens in a new window) [25]
    • Specialist Community Public Health School Nurse - (SCPHN)

      Salford, M6 5FW

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health School Nurse - (SCPHN) job (opens in a new window) [26]
    • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - School Nursing

      Newport, NP19 9PS

      Salary:
      £39263.00 to £47280.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - School Nursing job (opens in a new window) [27]
    • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse/ School Nurse

      London, N15 4RH

      Salary:
      £44485.00 to £52521.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Whittington Hospital NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse/ School Nurse job (opens in a new window) [28]
    • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse-School Nursing

      Leicester, LE2 9PT

      Salary:
      £37338.00 to £44962.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse-School Nursing job (opens in a new window) [29]
    • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – School Nurse

      Salisbury, SP4 6AT

      Salary:
      £37338.00 to £44962.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      HCRG Care Group
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – School Nurse job (opens in a new window) [30]
    • Community Public Health Nurse 5-19 - Wallingford & Henley-on-Thames

      Wallingford, OX10 9DS

      Salary:
      £31049.00 to £37796.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Oxford Health NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Community Public Health Nurse 5-19 - Wallingford & Henley-on-Thames job (opens in a new window) [31]
    • Health Visitor

      London, SE13 6LH

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [32]
    • Health Visitor

      Gravesend, DA11 0DG

      Salary:
      £39205.00 to £47084.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [33]
    • Health Visitor

      Prestatyn, LL19 9LG

      Salary:
      £37898.00 to £45637.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [34]
    • Health Visitor

      Douglas, IM4 4RJ

      Salary:
      £40794.00 to £54479.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Manx Care
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [35]
    • Health Visitor

      Bolton, BL3 5HP

      Salary:
      £37338.00 to £44962.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [36]
    • Health Visitor

      Hackney, E9 6SR

      Salary:
      £46419.00 to £55046.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [37]
    • Health Visitor

      Salford, M28 3JE

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [38]
    • Health Coach

      Cheadle, SK8 3JD

      Salary:
      £20000.00 to £25000.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Finney Lane Surgery
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Coach job (opens in a new window) [39]
    • Health Visitor

      Bridport, DT6 5BN

      Salary:
      £15472.00 to £18632.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [40]
    • Health Visitor

      Hull, HU9 2LJ

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [41]
    • Health Visitor

      Cardigan, SA43 1JX

      Salary:
      £39263.00 to £47280.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Hywel Dda University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [42]
    • Health Visitor

      Stockport, SK1 3XE

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [43]
    • Health Visitor

      Prestatyn, LL19 9LG

      Salary:
      £37898.00 to £45637.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [44]
    • Health Visitor

      Fleet, GU51 4LZ

      Salary:
      £37338.00 to £44962.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [45]
    • Health Visitor

      London, SE13 6LH

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [46]
    • Health Visitor

      Buckley, CH7 3PG

      Salary:
      £39263.00 to £47280.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Health Visitor job (opens in a new window) [47]

Other roles that may interest you

  • Adult nurse [48]
  • Occupational health nurse [49]
  • Learning disability nurse [50]
  • Mental health nurse [51]

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Source URL:https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/public-health/roles-public-health/public-health-nurse

Links
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-health-improvement-and-disparities [2] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/privacy-and-cookies/#CookieDeclarationChangeConsentChange [3] https://www.youtube.com/NHSCareers [4] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/about/resources/transcript-nigel-fletcher [5] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#Cardiovascular [6] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/public-health/roles-public-health/public-health-nurse/real-life-story-sarah-murphy [7] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#AfC [8] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing [9] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/Midwifery/Midwife [10] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9028-25-0213 [11] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/E0314-25-3428 [12] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/E0314-25-3444 [13] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9844-25-0127 [14] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9267-25-0911 [15] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9110-25-1153 [16] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9846-25-0494 [17] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/K9919-25-0287 [18] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9130-25-0629 [19] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9301-25-0921 [20] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9236-25-1260 [21] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9100-25-0950 [22] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9152-25-0591 [23] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9100-25-0908 [24] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9812-25-0381 [25] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/F0094-25-0001 [26] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9236-25-1330 [27] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9040-25-1084 [28] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9220-25-0528 [29] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9313-25-0468 [30] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/E0279-25-1358 [31] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9267-25-0908 [32] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9197-25-0713 [33] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9846-25-0463 [34] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9050-25-2118 [35] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/K0006-25-0136 [36] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9241-25-0264 [37] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9293-25-0336 [38] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9236-25-1317 [39] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/A0710-25-0000 [40] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9152-25-0595 [41] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9338-25-0426 [42] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9100-25-0948 [43] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9362-25-0666 [44] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9050-25-2117 [45] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9348-25-1814 [46] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9197-25-0712 [47] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9050-25-2250 [48] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/roles-nursing/adult-nurse [49] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/public-health/roles-public-health/occupational-health-nurse [50] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/roles-nursing/learning-disability-nurse [51] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/roles-nursing/mental-health-nurse [52] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/public-health/roles-public-health/public-health-nurse