We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, self‑motivated Dietitian to join our busy, friendly and dynamic acute Dietetics Team based at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan.
This exciting permanent post would suit an existing Band 5 Dietitian or a newly qualified Dietitian. Full time (37.5 hours) working across Monday to Friday. NHS experience is essential (via employment/ volunteering/ student placement).
Applications from Dietetics students due to qualify this summer are especially welcome.
The team offers a supportive working environment with regular supervision and the chance to be involved in service developments, in‑service training programmes and to participate in the delivery of our in‑house nutrition education to our multi‑disciplinary team colleagues. We can also support specific training needs related to the role, for example BDA specific training / PEN group clinical update.
We actively participate in the training programmes for A & B dietetic placement students.
WWL recognises that staff are their greatest asset and therefore as part of the Learn and Grow Strategy and our accreditation as a Teaching Hospital, we are rightly placing increased focus on your personal and professional development with the opportunity to progress on your development journey as a valued member of the WWL family.
Previous applicants will not be considered unless they have significantly strengthened their experience and application.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will with support from senior dieticians manage a caseload across a wide range of specialities developing in depth knowledge and skills in the field of nutritional support
* Neurology, General and Colorectal Surgery, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Respiratory Medicine, Care of the Elderly and Orthopaedics
As a small team, we work collaboratively with our other Allied Health Professionals, Nutrition Team and Nutrition Specialist Nurses whenever needed. You must be able to respond to changing priorities within the acute trust and possess both excellent organisational and communication skills.
Post holders are expected to develop themselves professionally in line with the needs of the current and future service.
Working for our organisation
Choose Well – Choose WWL
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that ‘happy staff, makes for happy patients’.
WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities
* To undertake nutritional assessment dietary analysis and calculate nutritional requirements of referred patients taking into account medical, social and cultural factors.
* To assist in provision of service to more specialist clinical areas under supervision of specialist dietitian as part of training and CPD.
* To provide nutrition and dietary advice suitable for the patient’s medical, social and cultural factors, which is evidence based.
* To negotiate change with patients to enable them to achieve set dietary targets.
* To accept responsibility for the carrying and efficient answering of any bleep delegated by a team leader.
* To manage own time and clinical case – load effectively and efficiently.
* To monitor and review nutritional care plans against outcome measures and adjust care plan to facilitate achievement of goals.
* To assist in developing an array of educational resources which have a clear evidence‑base and which are acceptable to users of the service and their carers.
* To ensure safe and timely discharge of patients on home enteral feeding liaising with appropriate internal and external agencies.
Planning and Organisational Duties
* To be responsible for designated area of work as agreed with team leader & prioritise workload in line with Dietetic standards.
* To accurately record all assessments and interventions in medical notes and nursing documentation in line with Trust policy. To communicate in writing with other agencies, G.P.’s, community dietitians about patient care.
* To record and submit clinical and professional activity using manual and electronic means according to departmental standards.
* To contribute to the Clinical Governance agenda by representing the Nutrition and Dietetic service on sub‑groups, undertaking simple audit projects as part of clinical practice and engaging in CPD and departmental appraisal system.
* To contribute to and comment on the department policies, resources and matters relating to nutrition and dietetics.
* To promote safe standards of care and service.
* Interpret and follow the Trust and professional policy/clinical guidelines.
* To communicate and liaise with other agencies appropriately, e.g. members of the MDT, catering, pharmacy, community dietitians.
Communications and Key Working Relationships
* To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of condition. Use communication skills such as persuasion, motivation explanation to encourage patients to undertake their management programme.
* To use communication tools (verbal and non‑verbal) to gain informed consent with patients where there will often be barriers to effective communication e.g. loss of hearing, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, pain, fear etc.
* To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
* To communicate complex patient‑related information (as well as non‑patient information) effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure the delivery of a co‑ordinated multidisciplinary service.
Responsibility for Human Resources
* To attend and contribute to Nutrition and Dietetic Service meetings as required.
* To assist in the clinical supervision and assessment of student dietitians including planning of programme during weeks of responsibility.
* To assist in delivering formal and informal training to other health care professionals and staff groups, to include dietetic assistants, pre and post registration training for nurses.
* To participate in clinical supervision.
* To attend Therapy Lead Meetings and be an active member of the in‑service training programme.
Responsibility for Health & Safety
* To be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies, which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including your prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment use if safe.
* To advise the team leader with regard to ordering, monitoring and maintaining equipment used in carrying out speech & language therapy duties, and to adhere to departmental policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through, teaching, training and supervision of practice.
Responsibility for Teaching
* To educate patients, relatives and carers in conditions and their effects in order to adapt to an appropriate lifestyle.
* To receive, plan and deliver in‑service training for own profession and others.
* To participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of practices, clinical pathways and protocols within your clinical area.
* To participate with other team members in measurement of and evaluation of work and current practice through use of outcome measures and audit.
Person specification
Additional
* Able to work collaboratively within the multi‑disciplinary team.
* Committed to personal and team development.
* Able to pass on skills and knowledge.
* Able to maintain judgement under pressure.
* Clear vision of role.
* Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role, i.e. with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation.
Knowledge
* Good knowledge of Dietetics in acute medicine.
* Relevant national guidelines and policies.
Skills
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Self‑directed learning.
* Ability to work independently.
* Ability to pass on skills/knowledge to others within both formal and informal environments.
* Critical appraisal skills.
* Able to practice independently in dietetic management.
Experience
* Experience at postgraduate level in a variety of acute in‑patient areas.
* Experience of delivering training in relevant areas.
* NHS experience (employment/voluntary/placement).
Qualifications
* Diploma/Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics.
* HCPC registered.
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Job Applications
If you choose to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other automated tools to help draft your application, please ensure all content is personalised and an accurate reflection of your own skills, experience and professional judgement. AI may be useful for idea generation, grammar, or formatting, but it must not replace your own supporting statement or be relied on as the sole source of content.
Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust does not advocate reliance on AI during applications and expects applications to be genuine and tailored to the role; over‑reliance on AI‑generated text may negatively affect your application.
For further information and best practice on using AI when applying for NHS roles, please refer to the attached "Applying for a role in the NHS guidance".
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Name: Rachel Huyton
Job title: Therapy Lead Acute
Email address: rachel.huyton@wwl.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 01942 773354
Additional information: or
Alison Corner (Dietetic Team Lead) on 01942 822189
If you have problems applying, contact
Address Buckingham Row, Brick Kiln Lane, Wigan, WN1 1XX, Telephone 07786527068
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