Advanced Nutrition Support Dietitian Joint HEF/Nutrition Support Lead

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

To provide a highly specialist dietetic service to a wide variety of complex nutritional support and HEF adult clients, including Pre tube feeding patients in the community. This will involve complex and highly sensitive discussions with patients and other family members. To nutritionally diagnose, give appropriate advice and formulate treatment plans when consulting with patients, relatives and carers, taking into account factors such as the clients presenting condition, past medical history, social considerations and medication. To maintain accurate records of all patient consultations and related work carried out at each clinical session, including computerised data collection. To ensure evidence based, auditable dietetic nutritional support and HEF standards and protocols are in place, developing and updating as necessary. To develop and update written resources, for example diet sheets and patient advice leaflets. To lead projects dealing with new ways of working in nutritional support and HEF, taking into account national and local initiatives, identifying areas for improvement and development. To act as a point of reference for dietetic colleagues and other health professionals with respect to nutritional support and HEF, giving advice, training and supporting their clinical practice. To liaise with other health professionals and managers on issues regarding service development and the clinical management of patients. To prepare and give presentations, adapting complex information to a wide range of audiences, including ensuring the delivery of structured programmes of education e.g. MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool) or Tube Feeding awareness Liaise with members of the nutritional support and HEF MDT to provide coordinated care. To actively assess and manage the risk and benefits of their interventions within the context of the MDT care. To manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts and support others to manage these areas. To actively contribute to specialist groups and multi-professional networks. To work within the dietetic departments clinical standards and evidence-based practice and within professional boundaries. To support the department's Preceptorship, apprenticeship and student training programme, when appropriate. To participate in the Nutrition and Dietetic Service specific emergency preparedness process. To assist with the development of the department competency framework and complete competencies relevant to this post. This includes signing off the competence of others within the department. To be peer reviewed at least twice per year. At least one must be undertaken in a clinical setting and be conducted by an experienced dietitian within your specialist area. The second can be undertaken in other areas such as staff training or group education. To peer review other dietitians or assistants as requested. To lead the development of nutritional support and HEF dietetic services for adults. To contribute to monitoring the service provided by the Enteral feed company and review of the tender when due for re-contracting. To monitor departmental DATIX reports and carry out departmental risk assessments.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

• Qualification in dietetics recognised by the HCPC for registration as a dietitian working in the UK.
• HCPC registration
• Masters level qualification or equivalent work experience
• Strong CPD evidence in portfolio for ongoing maintenance of competencies.

Desirable

• Clinical supervision training.
• Previous publications or presentations at local, national, or international level.
• Student Training course.

Experience

Essential

• Significant post registration experience at a senior level.
• HEF/Nutrition Support specific experience including management of long-term conditions.
• Multidisciplinary team working.
• Understanding of the nature of community care in the NHS.

Desirable

• Management / Team leadership experience.
• Experience of research and audit.
• Previous experience in mentoring and clinical supervision of dietetic colleagues.
• Active participation in student training in previous post(s).
• Working at a strategic level with clinical units/GP partners, including Local Commissioning Groups, Medicines Management, ICS.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Organisational skills.
• Effective communication skills and ability to communicate complex ideas to a variety of audiences.
• Self-starter able to problem solve and take a strategic view.
• Ability to be innovative and take initiative.
• Can manage own time and workload, showing the ability to prioritise critical work.
• Proven record of accomplishment of being able to work in an environment with a high level of change, under difficult circumstances and in situations which require strategic thinking.

Desirable

• Previous experience managing other Dietitians or dietetic assistants.
• Record of project management experience and outcomes.
• Previous use of Systm1 or equivalent IT system.
• Ability to advise on the manipulation of relevant medications, within safe boundaries, i.e. tube feeds and supplements.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

• Demonstrates an understanding of the significance of safeguarding issues and interprets this accurately for all adults and children.
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