Job overview
Advanced Specialist Community Paediatric Dietitian — Band 7 or Band 6 Preceptorship Post
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care with community outreach sites. Clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at Sunflower House, relocated and opened on the hospital site. The Trust has more than 4,000 staff and is a teaching hospital delivering education and training to medical, nursing and allied health professional students each year.
We particularly welcome applications from members of our Black and Minority Ethnic communities as part of our commitment to equality and merit-based appointments.
Benefits include flexible working opportunities, lease car scheme, home electronics scheme, generous leave and pension, and comprehensive staff health and wellbeing programmes.
Working location and team
Two office bases: one in Liverpool and one in the Sefton area. You will work as part of a busy community team alongside other Dietitians and dietetic assistants, with opportunities for clinical leadership and supervision of junior staff and students. The role supports children and families across Liverpool & Sefton with complex health needs.
Job overview continued
This is a newly created Band 7 Community Paediatric Dietitian post. The role may be offered as a Band 6 post with progression to permanent Band 7 after completing a competency-based training programme. You will provide care primarily through out-patient clinics, with home or school visits as required, for children with complex health needs including faltering growth, food allergies, feeding difficulties, nutrition support, gastrointestinal conditions, tube feeding and other complex needs.
You will have the opportunity to provide clinical leadership within the team, supervise junior colleagues and student dietitians, and collaborate with the Preceptorship and Learning and Development teams.
Main duties of the job
* Provide highly specialist evidence-based clinical dietetic services within community services, including assessment, treatment, monitoring and nutrition support for children and young people.
* Communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams at both individual and broader levels.
* Regularly review the evidence base for pediatric dietetic interventions in the community.
Detailed job responsibilities
* Accept clinical responsibility for dietetic management of children and young people with complex conditions; organise workload by clinical priorities.
* Undertake comprehensive assessments including anthropometrics, biochemistry, clinical status and nutritional requirements.
* Interpret assessment results to formulate diagnoses and treatment plans considering clinical, social and cultural factors.
* Plan and implement dietetic interventions to achieve clinical outcomes.
* Assess and manage nutrition support, including parenteral nutrition.
* Provide written and verbal information to families and professionals for appropriate dietary treatment.
* Monitor outcomes and adjust treatment plans to meet long-term goals.
* Advise medical staff on medications and nutritional supplements when appropriate.
* Communicate complex information to children and families in an understandable way.
* Engage with families to support agreement and adherence to interventions.
* Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and ensure dietetic aspects are communicated effectively.
* Ensure safe, timely follow-up after discharge and liaise with GPs, community nurses and other agencies.
* Conduct community, school and home visits as needed.
* Develop and maintain educational resources with clear evidence bases for families.
* Collaborate with medical teams to arrange admissions when clinically necessary.
* Record all dietetic interventions in line with HCPC standards and department policies.
* Contribute to development of protocols and standards of care for pediatric dietetics.
* Evaluate regional, national and international standards to ensure evidence-based care is current.
* Work with dietetic assistants to maintain accurate nutritional product data.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Degree or postgraduate qualification in Nutrition and Dietetics
* Registered dietitian with HCPC
* Demonstrable post-registration experience in clinical paediatric dietetics at Band 6 or above
* Demonstrable post-registration experience at Band 7 level
* Post-registration training in paediatric dietetics, preferably Masters level
Experience and knowledge
* In-depth knowledge of nutritional requirements and dietetic interventions for children and young people, including enteral and parenteral nutrition
* Evidence of continuing professional development
* Knowledge of audit and research methodologies
* Strong oral and written communication skills across clinical settings
* Ability to facilitate behaviour change and motivational interviewing
* Ability to deliver teaching to a range of health professionals
* Ability to lead projects and contribute to service development
* Car owner and driver
Other information
We reserve the right to close vacancies without notice when enough applications have been received. Please apply promptly. Check your email regularly for shortlisting decisions. Alder Hey is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and maintains a Zero Tolerance policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment.
For assistance during the application stages contact the recruiting manager or the recruitment team at recruitment@alderhey.nhs.uk or call 0151 282 4599. Please declare within your supporting information if AI has been used in your application.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Head of Dietetics: Alice Sutton, alice.sutton@alderhey.nhs.uk
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