Go back Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Dietitian (Chronic Disease/Bariatrics)
The closing date is 11 June 2026
The post holder will be a clearly identifiable senior clinical staff member. They will have significant clinical experience, provide sound clinical expertise to their team and more junior staff and coordinate and deliver high quality care. They will be a role model for expert clinical care, and lead on specific projects / service developments and management functions as delegated by the Band 7 Dietitian or Clinical Lead Dietitian. They will role model the identified Trust values at all times.
The post holder will work as an autonomous practitioner in providing dietetic assessment, treatment and management to their own designated caseload of patients and to maintain up to date dietetic records. They will use evidence based principles and current best practise to assess, plan, implement and evaluate dietetic interventions.
The post holder will provide supervision, teaching and support to more junior staff, dietetic assistants and students on placement.
The service is currently reviewing the working pattern for therapy posts to include seven day working and cross‑site working.
The post holder will work primarily within the bariatric surgery team, but will be expected to have competence in, and work in other areas of chronic disease management such as diabetes, lipids and weight management. Experience of managing enteral feeding and complex surgical inpatients is highly desirable.
Expected start date is September 2026
Main duties of the job
Band 6 Specialist Bariatric Dietitian
This is an exciting position for an experienced dietitian to join our bariatric surgery team at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The job role will involve delivering care for patients on the surgical pathway including pre‑operative assessment, structured group education, preparing for surgery and post‑operative follow up. You will work primarily in the outpatient clinics, as well as bariatric surgery inpatient care.
The successful candidate will join another band 7 and 8 dietitian and a dietetic assistant who work within a wider multidisciplinary team.
You will be a motivated team player and have good communication, time management and organisational skills for this busy role.
You will be actively engaged with department audit and service development and CPD activities. The department participates in the training of dietetic students and clinical and non‑clinical staff.
You will require UK professional registration.
About us
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top‑performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites – Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital – along with award‑winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.
We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.
We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.
The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six‑month probationary period.
Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.
Job responsibilities
Clinical
* To be professionally and legally responsible for the management of own clinical caseload and completion of related patient administrative tasks in a timely manner in line with HCPC and BDA (record keeping standards) and NHS trust policies/standards
* Manage and prioritise own designated clinical caseload and work as an autonomous practitioner without direct supervision
* Obtain diet histories, interpret medical /nutritional diagnoses, calculate nutritional requirements and develop patient‑centred goals and dietetic treatment
* Determine patients’ understanding of the dietetic intervention to gain valid, informed consent; work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity
* Communicate dietetic treatment and progress to medical, nursing and other professional staff through accurate documentation and regular multidisciplinary team meetings and ward rounds
* Use clinical reasoning to plan and implement individual dietetic interventions for all patients, recognising when supervisor assistance is required
* Monitor and evaluate dietetic treatment to measure progress and effectiveness; modify treatment when needed
* Devise oral nutrition support and enteral feeding regimes and prescribe appropriate formulas based on medical condition, nutritional requirements, anthropometry and biochemical markers, while respecting cultural factors
* Order and maintain sufficient levels of feeds and supplements at ward level
* Participate in the development and delivery of education sessions for patients and carers, and for staff within the trust
* Act in the bariatric patient support group meetings and provide aid during staff absence to cover caseloads and service arrangements
* Demonstrate accountability for personal CPD, maintain up‑to‑date knowledge and share relevant information with the team
* Attend and contribute to multimodal team meetings, ward rounds and audits within the bariatric pathway
* Assess and plan patient discharges (including enteral feeding, pump training) and arrange appropriate follow‑up with community teams, GPs and nutrition companies
* Supervise and train junior staff and dietetic students, providing comprehensive documentation of assessment and treatment in accordance with departmental and professional standards
* Promote and maintain a safe therapeutic environment in line with infection control, health & safety, safeguarding legislation and Trust policies
* Understand and participate in Trust clinical governance and risk management frameworks
Professional
* Maintain HCPC registration and comply with professional codes of practice, guidelines and trust policies
* Keep accurate and timely records and complete patient letters in line with HCPC and BDA standards
* Engage in continuous professional development through self‑education, reflective practice, in‑service training, presentations and postgraduate courses; maintain an up‑to‑date CPD portfolio
* Complete mandatory training within required timescales
* Conduct evidence‑based projects and communicate findings to the team, recommending changes
* Stay aware of current professional and clinical developments and promote them to others
* Participate in the appraisal system as appraisee and fulfill agreed objectives and personal development plan
* Ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times; role model Trust values
Organisational
* Demonstrate good time management and organisational skills; adapt flexibly to sudden workload changes
* Carry an identified bleep as required by each clinical area and respond to frequent interruptions
* Communicate assessment findings, treatment and outcomes to other disciplines via reports, letters, etc.
* Make appropriate and timely referrals to the multidisciplinary team when required
* Keep accurate and up‑to‑date patient records and statistics in line with departmental, professional and legal standards
* Ensure safe use of all dietetic equipment, including enteral feeding pumps
* Delegate specific tasks to dietetic assistants in line with departmental and professional guidelines
* Apply clinical governance principles to caseload and participate in departmental clinical governance sessions
* Contribute to service and policy developments and maintain effective communication and working relationships across the division and Trust
* Assist in the delivery of induction/orientation for new staff; provide clinical support and guidance to staff and act as a resource for clinical knowledge
* Understand and manage local change with team members, embedding new projects
Communication
* Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and forward progress
* Present communication appropriately to different recipients, considering levels of understanding, type of communication, and potential barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical/mental health conditions
* These duties are not exhaustive and will be reviewed with the post holder, allowing for amendments within the broad scope and band level of the role.
* This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and their manager.
* All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. Duty outside skill/knowledge level must be clarified with a senior member of staff.
Person Specification
Essential and Desirable
* HCPC registration
* Evidence of ongoing CPD since qualification
* Relevant post‑registration experience at Band 5 level in core areas
* Wide variety of clinical experience
* Experience of working as part of an MDT and ability to demonstrate understanding of other professionals’ roles
* Evidence of active participation in in‑service training
* Experience presenting nutritional information / education to large groups of people in a formal setting (patients, staff, carers)
* Awareness of bariatric surgery options and the role of the bariatric dietitian in patient assessment and pre‑and postoperative care
* Demonstrate a working knowledge of the BOMSS and NICE guidelines for obesity and bariatric surgery and apply to dietetic practice
* The ability to clinically reason the application of appropriate assessment and treatment techniques in a variety of clinical settings
* Ability to identify challenges of working in varying hospital settings and adapt practice accordingly
* Use of reflective practice for growth and development and clinical practice adaptation
* Understanding of professional and legal responsibilities of clinical practice
* Awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences and beliefs
* Evidence of effective self‑management including time, prioritisation, caseload and stress
* Ability to guide and direct dietetic assistants and students in clinical practice
* Understanding and application of CPD requirements outlined by the HCPC
* Knowledge of safety issues through clinical governance and risk management
* Excellent communication skills with patients, relatives, staff and external contacts, including in challenging situations, demonstrating respect and kindness
* Self‑awareness of own competency level and know when to ask for support
* IT skills including Word, PowerPoint, electronic patient records
* Member of the British Dietetic Association
* Member of a special interest group
* Experience in acute dietetics including enteral feeding and surgical inpatients
* Experience in specialist area e.g. weight management, bariatric surgery, diabetes
* Experience in audit and service improvements
* Evidence of working in a supervisory capacity
* Experience of data collection for quality monitoring/audit
* Experience of risk management/assessment
* Evidence of clinical educator training and/or appraisal skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Address
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Salary
£47,951 to £56,863 a year inclusive of HCAS (pro rata)
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Part‑time
Reference number
289-CS-427
Job locations
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
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