Overview
The successful applicant will be part of a small friendly innovative team who support Care homes and their residents in Hillingdon. We are a multidisciplinary team, including GPs and Matrons, with borough-wide support from a Care Home Pharmacist, Care of the Elderly Consultant and Speech and Language Therapist. The post holder will deliver specialised nutrition and dietetic advice to complex patients in care homes who are at high risk of developing malnutrition. The post holder will be able to work independently, manage a significant clinical caseload in the care homes, and contribute to policy development on matters relating to nutrition and dietetics.
* Responsibilities
* Complete full nutritional assessments, set goals, and deliver evidence-based interventions.
* Advise MDTs on dietetic management, including interpreting biochemistry and adjusting nutrition plans.
* Lead ONS-related work: auditing prescriptions, monitoring patients, ensuring cost-effective use.
* Train staff on food diaries, food-first approaches, enriched menus, hydration, constipation prevention, and food-based activities.
* Accept referrals for wider dietetic needs (e.g., diabetes, wound healing, IBS, deficiencies).
* Support end-of-life nutrition.
Professional & Governance – Ensure legal, ethical, and professional standards in all practice. Keep accurate records and communicate appropriately with GPs, nurses, and MDT colleagues. Contribute to in-service training, student supervision, and appraisal processes.
Organisational – Manage and prioritise own caseload independently. Maintain electronic diaries, collect data, and support service reporting. Work collaboratively with health, social care, and voluntary services.
Communication & Training – Deliver behaviour-change support to residents and staff. Provide formal and informal training to care-home staff, nurses, students, and community groups. Educate homes on MUST screening and nutrition-support pathways. Develop resources and contribute to strategic projects.
We are committed to delivering patient-centred, safe, and effective care whether in a hospital setting, a community clinic, or in the patient’s own home. We seek outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust, and we provide opportunities to develop careers while staying professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of own working including management of patients.
Role responsibilities (additional detail)
1. To undertake nutritional assessment and identify treatment goals of referred patients, taking into account medical, social and cultural factors. 2. To provide nutrition support clinical leadership for more complex clinical cases in care homes. 3. To provide nutrition and dietary advice suitable for the patient's medical, social and cultural factors which is evidence-based. 4. To lead in providing expert dietetic advice to the MDT in MDT meetings and liaise with all team members to advise on treatment and dietary management for patients with nutrition support needs, and their families and carers. 5. To make recommendations to medical and care home teams regarding adaptation of medication regimes and nutritional supplementary feeds based on interpretation of biochemical parameters and clinical signs. 6. To provide an effective rehabilitation dietetic service for residents across Hillingdon care homes, including clinical and teaching work: audit, monitor, train staff on diaries and food-first principles, enrich menus, and train activity coordinators on food-based activities. 7. To support end-of-life care with regards to eating and drinking. 8. To ensure a high standard of clinical and professional practice through Professional/Clinical Governance activities, CPD, and appraisal processes. 9. To represent the service at multidisciplinary meetings to ensure coordinated care. 10. To accurately record all assessments and interventions in dietetic records and nursing documentation (nursing homes) in line with Trust Policy and British Dietetic Association guidelines. 11. To communicate in writing/electronically with other agencies, e.g. GPs, district nurses, hospital dietitians, and MDT colleagues, in compliance with data protection laws. 12. To support new initiatives in accordance with national guidelines and maintain contacts with professional bodies and quality governance protocols. 13. To participate in development and performance review, mandatory trainings, and service improvements. 14. To undertake management duties as required ensuring smooth running of the community service. 15. To participate in service meetings, review journal articles, and prepare CPD sessions. 16. To work as part of the MDT involved in strategic projects.
Organisational
1. Maintain accurate and evaluative records of patient care. 2. Maintain up-to-date electronic diary and outcomes of appointments. 3. Participate in data collection and audit activity. 4. Be aware of Health and Safety policies and follow trust guidelines. 5. Plan, organise and prioritise patients' caseload. 6. Organise appointments and maintain own diary. 7. Attend regular service meetings. 8. Work autonomously in community settings, balancing clinical time to meet patient needs. 9. Maintain effective links with medical colleagues and other partners to maximise patient care.
Communication/Training
1. Communicate highly complex nutritional counselling to patients with differing needs, overcoming barriers to change. 2. Educate diverse populations and staff with barriers to understanding. 3. Deliver formal and informal training to healthcare professionals, including pre- and post-registration training for nurses; contribute to organising study days and educate nursing/residential homes in MUST screening. 4. Contribute to training of pre-registration dietetic students and provide clinical supervision. 5. Supervising junior staff and supporting professional development. 6. Involve in new staff/student induction programmes. 7. Act as a resource for specialist dietary information for Hillingdon community groups. 8. Attend regional Dietitians groups and contribute to resource development and forward planning. 9. Develop resources and forward planning for the future dietetic service. 10. Any other duties as appropriate to the department.
Disability Confident – Disability Confident employer; interviews offered to applicants who declare a disability and meet minimum criteria. Details may vary by recruitment situation.
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