Specialist Dietitian

KEY DUTIES To collect and analyse patient information (e.g. medical, biochemical, nutritional, social, cultural, financial and personal) to devise appropriate evidence based nutritional care plan as part of the treatment of their disease(s), adapting your advice to ensure that it is practical and realistic for the individual. To provide a broad range of expert, complex nutrition and dietetic advice to adults and their family/carers for a wide range of medical conditions to meet varying complex needs. To ensure effective internal and external 2-way communication with patients, carers and all other Health and Social Care Professionals to negotiate, review and adapt care plans and in all aspects of patient care ensuring the holistic care of patients. To Provide and receive complex information which requires empathy and reassurance. Communicating where there may be barriers to understanding, or when patients may be finding difficulty dealing with their diagnosis and where skills such as motivational interviewing and counselling are required. CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES To calculate individual requirements for nutritionally at risk and compromised patients and advise on dietary manipulation and/or the prescription of nutritional supplements/enteral feeds and parenteral nutrition. To provide a dietetic service to designated in-patient wards. To liaise with adult dietitians across the region and refer to other health professionals to ensure appropriate care pathways for those patients seeking information outside your area of skills and knowledge. To advise Dietitians and Student Dietitians on the management of clinically demanding patients. To liaise with catering staff and advise on the provision of therapeutic diets. To be a member of the multi-disciplinary team and actively participate in M.D.T. meetings and case conferences MDT meetings. ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES To demonstrate skills of active listening and respond to verbal and non-verbal cues of your patients, recognising and dealing with their concerns. To accurately record all assessments and interventions on dietetic records, and in relevant nursing and medical records. To lead and contribute to the production and evaluation of resources produced by the department e.g. diet sheets, information and training packs, advice leaflets etc. To provide cover for leave and sickness to appropriate wards. To liaise with dietetic colleagues at other hospitals to ensure a seamless transfer of care between hospitals. TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES To work with colleagues and other agents to plan, organise, deliver, and evaluate training for other health care staff such as health care assistants, doctors, nurses and catering staff and patient/carer groups appropriate to specialist area. To take part in the appraisal process to identify your needs for Continuing Professional Development, to facilitate evidence-based practice, in order to keep updated on current trends, developments and practices in the field of nutrition and dietetics and within your specialist area and maintain Health Care Professions Council registration. To disseminate information from training attended as required. To participate in the delivery of student placements and work experience programs. Asa clinical teacher participate in the delivery of the student training programme and assessment of students. Deliver tutorials in the areas of clinical dietetics and professional practice. To organise and lead training programmes for colleagues within dietetics on the specialist dietetic areas. LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES To assist / deputise for the Team Leader including the supervision of junior staff, Students and Assistants when required to do so. To respond to national and local plans and strategies in dietetics, collecting, analysing, and interpreting information and advising the team leader on future service direction and developments. To be responsible for the timely and accurate collection of statistics / records as are required nationally, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained. To produce ad hoc reports and an annual report of activity and development of specialist area for key stakeholders and line manager. To develop and implement local evidence-based policies on matters relating to nutrition and dietetics in specialist area, in response to local and national guidance. To represent the department at multidisciplinary meetings within your specialist area advising on nutritional matters as required. To be responsible for the delivery of dietetic care within the specialist dietetic area including the supervision of other staff such as Dietetic Assistants. To recognise and maintain stock levels of resources for own area of work. RESEARCH & AUDIT To actively participate in the Departmental Governance/Quality Framework. To undertake clinical audit and research and ensure compliance with all Trust Research governance procedures. To lead and contribute to the development of departmental / organisational procedures and guidelines. To ensure advice offered to patients is based on the best available clinical evidence.

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