Go back University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Senior Specialist Dietitian
The closing date is 09 June 2026
Lead front-door dietetics where clinical decisions matter most!
We're looking for a Senior Specialist Dietitian to take a leading role within our Front Door Services at Weston General Hospital, supporting patients at the most critical point in their hospital journey.
This is not a routine acute role. You'll be:
* making rapid, complex clinical decisions
* influencing admission pathways and patient flow
* leading the dietetic care of patients from front door and admission wards
* shaping how dietetics is delivered at the earliest stage of care
This is a high-autonomy, high-impact role combining clinical expertise, leadership, and service development.
Who is this role for?
* greater clinical autonomy
* the chance to lead and influence pathways
* a role where your decisions directly impact patient outcomes at pace
We welcome strong Band 6 applicants who have had leadership responsibilities and experience in managing complex caseloads, service improvement or project work.
Main duties of the job
What you'll be doing:
* Managing a complex front-door caseload with rapid clinical decision-making
* Identifying and treating nutritional risk early, supporting patient flow and admission avoidance
* Working closely with frailty teams, consultants and multidisciplinary teams
* Leading development of the front-door dietetic pathway
* Line managing and supporting junior staff
* Contributing to audit, service improvement and training
What makes this role different?
As the lead dietitian across ED, assessment units and admissions, you will:
* take ownership of a fast-paced, high-impact caseload
* influence decisions at the point of admission
* support admission avoidance through early intervention
* act as the clinical expert in complex nutrition support, including enteral feeding
* shape and develop a growing front-door service
Leadership & impact
You’ll play a key leadership role within the team, including:
* Line management and supervision of junior staff
* Supporting student training and workforce development
* Leading audit, service improvement and pathway redesign
* Developing guidelines, protocols and resources
Why Weston General Hospital?
Weston offers something different compared to larger centres:
* Greater autonomy – your voice is heard and your decisions shape services
* Closer multidisciplinary team working – genuine collaboration across teams
* Real opportunity to influence and innovate within a developing front-door model
All of this in a coastal location, with easy access to Bristol and Bath – giving you both lifestyle and career opportunity.
Job responsibilities
The Senior Specialist Dietitian provides a highly specialised clinical service for patients who present at our front door – Emergency Department, assessment units and admission wards.
The Senior Specialist Dietitian will lead the Front Door Pathway, providing direction for peers and colleagues.
The role will support the early identification of patients at nutritional risk by promoting risk screening.
To guide early implementation of therapeutic dietary plans for patients with long-term conditions or specialist pathways, in liaison with lead specialist dietitians.
To support admission avoidance by providing timely dietary interventions and signposting to relevant community services.
The Senior Specialist Dietitian contributes to all relevant activities involved in pathway delivery – ward rounds, meetings, audit and research.
The Senior Specialist Dietitian will provide a comprehensive specialised service, including relevant education and training to all healthcare professionals, carers and other workers.
The Senior Specialist Dietitian will be committed to the maintenance of personal specialist expertise, which is current, relevant and accessible.
The post holder will also provide clinical cover for other senior specialist dietitian duties in their absence.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
* Significant clinical experience in nutritional support/therapy in relevant pathways of care (frailty, care of the elderly), chronic disease management and enteral nutrition support. This should include a significant period of time working in a clinical specialty at a senior level.
* Working as part of a multi-professional team.
* Experience of training dietetic students at all grades.
* Experience of audit and/or quality assurance.
* Experience of managing and supervising junior staff.
* Experience of working in a multicultural setting.
* Experience of producing protocols and procedures for use by others.
* Experience or involvement in implementing guidance and policy.
* Experience of research and development.
Skills and Abilities
* Advanced communication skills at all levels – oral, written, interpersonal.
* Good organisational skills and time management.
* Teaching and presentation skills in a variety of settings for professional groups and grades at undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree level.
* Computer skills – databases, Excel and use of dietary analysis programs.
* Advanced analytical and clinical reasoning skills.
* Behaviour and motivational interviewing skills.
* Counselling skills.
* Evidence of published work and articles.
Qualifications and Training
* HCPC registration.
* Degree or postgraduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics.
* Evidence of extensive postgraduate training relevant to the post.
* Clinical supervisory skills course.
* Postgraduate diploma, MSc or equivalent evidence of advanced dietetic practice.
* PENG Group Clinical Update Course and/or Behaviour Change Course.
* BDA membership.
* Teaching qualification.
* Ability to work under pressure.
* Ability to work alone and as a team player.
* Ability to maintain effective working relationships across professions.
* Ability to work under one's own initiative.
* Flexibility.
* Reflective approach to practice.
* Ability to process highly complex information or situations.
* Ability to deal with challenging behaviours of patients, carers and students.
* Promotes professional interests.
* Active or committee member of BDA Specialist Interest Group.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and, as such, a submission for disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be necessary to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Compensation
£49,387 to £56,515 per annum, pro rata for part-time.
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