Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Nutrition and Dietetic Department at Luton and Dunstable Hospital as a full-time Dietitian within the acute team.
The successful candidate will be welcomed into a supportive environment, working alongside an experienced team of dietitians and a dedicated dietetic assistant. We provide regular supervision and a robust appraisal system to ensure professional growth and development.
Continuous professional development is actively encouraged, with opportunities to shadow other specialities within the department and attend relevant study sessions. In addition, the department plays a key role in training students from the University of Hertfordshire, offering a dynamic and collaborative learning atmosphere.
This is a fantastic chance to develop your career in a forward-thinking team committed to excellence in patient care and professional development.
Main duties of the job
You will join our acute team and will be responsible for a number of designated wards across the hospital, a weekly outpatient clinic and educational sessions for healthcare professionals.
You will be required to have HCPC registration, communication skills and demonstrate reflective practice. Experience delivering teaching and training would be an advantage.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Communication and Relationships
1. To establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff. Positive relationships are characterised by open communication, trust and respect
2. To liaise with nursing, medical, catering and other health professionals concerning the treatment of your patients whether on the wards or out in the community
3. To communicate effectively with patients and carers to ensure understanding of condition and treatment plans
4. To attend department meetings and team meetings
5. To use a range of different communication skills; including motivational interviewing, counselling skills, negotiating skills and cognitive behavioural therapy to help patients achieve their nutritional goals, considering any barriers to change patients may have
6. To advise and liaise with catering staff concerning the dietary needs of patients and work closely with dietetic and catering colleagues on issues such as menu planning, provision of therapeutic diets and initiatives to improve nutrition of patients
7. To contribute as required to the multidisciplinary team via ward rounds; case conferences; discharge planning meetings and team meetings as appropriate
8. To plan and organise group education sessions for patients
9. To advise medical team on the appropriate prescription of nutritional supplements and enteral feeds for in and outpatients, based on individual clinical assessment. Arrange follow-up and monitoring as required
Analytical and Judgemental
10. To be professionally and legally accountable and responsible for all aspects of your own work, including the management of patients in your care.
11. To develop individual treatment plans for patients setting appropriate nutritional goals
12. To negotiate and agree dietary changes with patients using appropriate counselling, motivational and behaviour change techniques and skill. This may also involve patients’ carers or other family members where appropriate and will require a sensitive and empathetic manner to overcome resistance to change.
13. To evaluate and review your own work and that of the service, seeking the views of others and adopting the principles of evidence based practice to ensure maintenance of clinical and professional standards
Planning and Organisation
14. To work as a member of the clinical team of Dietitians supporting ‘team working’ within the hospital. This involves sharing responsibility and accountability for the dietetic cover for the medical and/or surgical wards
15. To be able to organize and manage caseload
Patient and Client Care
16. To provide Nutrition and Dietetic Services to adult inpatients and outpatients
17. To undertake comprehensive assessments of adult patients, including biochemistry, anthropometrics, pharmacological, clinical condition, diet history and social circumstances and to use clinical reasoning skills to interpret data, using patient care pathways to plan patient care
18. To provide dietetic advice to patients and / or carers, taking account of medical, social, emotional, psychological and cultural needs of the patients and to be able to use this complex and sensitive information in formulating individualised dietetic advice
19. To provide appropriate treatment, monitoring and review of patient’s dietary needs, involving other agencies when indicated; treatments include therapeutic dietary modification, modified consistency, nutritional supplementation and enteral feeding
20. To provide advice on appropriate use of nutritional products including product type, rate and volume to meet patient’s individual nutritional requirements
21. To demonstrate empathy and reassure patients and their carers, when appropriate, to continue to reach targets throughout their nutritional treatment
22. To ensure appropriate supply of nutritional products to wards in accordance with Trust policies
23. To be familiar with the use of enteral feeding equipment used within the trust and community setting
Policy and Service
24. To contribute to the service’s quality and audit programme, including the monitoring of clinical and process standards for your own work and that of the wider Nutrition and Dietetic Service
25. To contribute to the development of high quality diet sheets, information leaflets and other educational resources to support the delivery of Nutrition and Dietetic Services
26. To maintain an up to date knowledge and evidence base to support your practice.
27. To contribute to the implementation of protocols and guidelines relevant to your work
28. To evaluate and review your own work and that of the service, seeking the views of others and adopting the principles of evidence based practice to ensure maintenance of clinical and professional standards
29. To contribute to the journal club and CPD meetings
30. To cover for colleagues in their absence
31. To be a member of the resources group or quality improvement group
32. To contribute to the setting of targets and annual team objectives, and to the monitoring of these objectives
Financial and Physical Resources
33. Does not hold budgetary responsibility but is aware of the need to plan non-pay expenditure for the team of Dietitians
Human Resources
34. To contribute to the provision of tutorials and monitoring and supervision of student Dietitians and/or dietetic assistants (responsibility not given until completion of at least 6 months post-qualification experience)
Information Resources
35. To maintain accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with HCPC, BDA, acute trust, PCT and departmental standards
36. To collect patient data to meet the department’s information requirements.
Research and Development
37. To plan and provide appropriate training for other health professionals
38. To provide group education session to specific patient groups e.g. pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation
39. To evaluate, review and update all training provided on a regular basis.
40. To be responsible for maintaining your own competency to practice through Continuing Professional Development activities.
41. To attend training courses relevant to your rotation (i.e. PENG/ paeds course/ primary care conferences)
Freedom to Act
42. Describes and applies clinical reasoning for the treatment of patients under their care
43. Works within broad treatment guidelines, but is able to act autonomously when making decisions about patients care. Is supervised by a senior dietitian with whom they can discuss treatment plans, problems and queries
44. Refers the care of complex patient cases, which are outside their competencies, to a more Senior Dietitian
Professional Registration
45. The post holder should work in accordance with their professional body’s Code of Conduct. Evidence of continuous registration is a requirement of employment with this Trust.
Personal Development
46. The post holder will be expected to undertake ongoing personal and professional development commensurate with the responsibilities of the post. It is specifically expected that the post holder will avail him/herself of any opportunities of mentorship and development offered.
Role Development
47. The duties and responsibilities contained within this job description are indicative but not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to undertake other work consistent with their grade. As the PCT develops the requirements of the post may change. The post holder will be fully involved and consulted as such changes occur.
Notes:
48. The post holder will have access to confidential data on staff and services within the Trust. Failure to maintain confidentiality may lead to disciplinary action, which could ultimately lead to dismissal.
49. You will be required to assess all risks to your systems, processes and environment and contribute towards the clinical and corporate governance agenda as appropriate.
50. You will be expected to produce work to a high standard and to promote quality at all times.
51. You will be expected to keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy. You must familiarise yourself with matters relating to Health and Safety management as they affect you personally and / or the Trust.
52. You will be expected to participate in the staff appraisal scheme for staff you manage.
53. You will be expected to keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy.
54. The above Job Description does not purport to be an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. The post holder will be expected to undertake additional duties as the requirements of the post change.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
55. Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics
56. HCPC dietetic registration
57. Evidence of experience within the NHS relevant to Dietetics, either paid, voluntary or through clinical training
Desirable criteria
58. Currently working as a band 5 or dietetic assistant within the acute/community setting
59. Membership of the British Dietetic Association
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
60. Sound clinical knowledge of general dietetics including relevant national policies & guidelines
61. Ability to analyse and interpret complex medical and nutritional information
62. Evidence of multidisciplinary team working
Desirable criteria
63. Experience of carrying out audits within a clinical setting
64. Experience of supervising students
Skills
Essential criteria
65. Written skills- evidence of a good standard of written and verbal English appropriate to the role
66. Ability to communicate effectively with patients in one-to-one situations
67. Presentation skills- ability to present to groups of patients/ healthcare professionals
68. Able to work under own initiative and manage a caseload
69. Evidence of ability to prioritise and manage time effectively and efficiently
70. Proficient IT Skills, including use of Word, Microsoft Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
Desirable criteria
71. Evidence of ability to critically evaluate current research & apply to own practice
72. Use of behaviour change and motivation skills
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
If you have problems applying, contact
Address Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
Lewsey Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU4 0DZ
Telephone 01582 497325