Job summary
Are you interested in working with adults with eating disorders? We are delighted to announce an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Specialist Nutritionist to join the Durham, Tees Valley Adult Community Eating Disorders Service, on a 1-year fixed term basis. This post will be based at the Day Service at Imperial Avenue, Stockton as part of the team.
Candidates should be a registered Nutritionist with significant experience of working with service users in the field of nutrition. They should have excellent communication and IT skills. A working knowledge of motivational interviewing would be desirable. Supervision will be provided by the Clinical Lead Dietitian for Adult Eating Disorders and there will be a strong emphasis on Continued Professional Development and the team can support with specialist training.
Applicants must be a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) held by the Association for Nutrition (AfN)
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Main duties of the job
Our Dietetic Team is the largest and most established Specialist Mental Health and Learning Disability dietetic team in the UK and has strong links with the British Dietetic Association. Our Dietitians also work into Adult Eating disorders, Adult Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health Services for Older People and Secure Inpatient Services. We are supported by our Professional Head of Dietetics and have a large group of highly skilled Clinical Specialist and Lead Dietitians.
We have regular speciality team meetings and whole dietetic team events to develop skills; provide peer support; and can provide training to meet the complex needs of the patient group. We have a robust clinical and management supervision structure and support continued professional training and development.
About us
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Details
Date posted
27 June 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
346-TSA-073-25-A
Job locations
9-11 Imperial Avenue
Norton
TS20 2EW
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Applicants must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager that they can be released on a secondment basis. In the event that permanent funding is secured for this post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1.. ( or. in a Nutritional Science
2. Registration as a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) or Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) held by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) or SENR (Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register)
3. Willingness to undertake the Preceptorship Programme and Competency Framework (within an agreed timescale)
4. BDA Clinical Supervisory Skills course (or willingness to undertake within agreed timescale)
5. Certificate in Food Hygiene (or willingness to undertake within agreed timescale)
6. Willingness to undertake Trust training in Appraisal and Recruitment (within an agreed timescale)
7. Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)
8. Motivational Interviewing
Desirable
9. Mental Health First Aid
Experience
Essential
10. Significant professional nutritional experience (gained within the last 5 years)
11. Experience of working with service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities
12. Experience of applying behaviour change mythologies and tool to empower people to make changes years).
13. Experience of developing tailored inpatient programmes (Group and 1:1) for patients with severe and complex needs
14. Experience of delivering training to the MDT
15. Experience of evaluating lifestyle programmes
16. Experience of effective team working
17. Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
Knowledge
Essential
18. Professional Organisation's Standards of Ethics, Conduct and Performance and its application to practice
19. Health and Safety legislation and its application in practice
20. Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice.
21. Clinical Governance and Clinical Supervision
22. Safeguarding and its application in practice
23. Evidence based practice in mental health or learning disabilities and knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
24. Research and development methodology
25. Care Programme Approach
26. Understanding of the needs and difficulties of service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities and the impact this may have on nutritional status
27. Software packages. Nutritics U
28. Understanding of the needs of individuals from diverse social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
29. Knowledge of evidence based practice in relation to food, health and behaviour change practices for patients with severe and complex nutritional needs
30. Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of groups, including groups, presentations, training around physical health risks within a mental health and learning disabilities setting
31. Excellent motivational interviewing skills
32. Ability to work autonomously without a high level of supervision
Desirable
33. Excellent teaching or delivery skills.
Skills
Essential
34. Communicate complex and sensitive information in a manner appropriate to the individual and situation
35. Good observational skills and ability to describe such observations verbally and in writing
36. Record keeping and report writing.
37. Ability to relate therapeutically to the needs of the service user group
38. Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team
39. Manage own caseload and prioritise effectively
40. Delegate tasks appropriately
41. Apply latest research evidence and evaluative thinking in practice.
42. Ability to develop and lead therapy group sessions
43. Provide (within agreed timescale) effective teaching, training and clinical supervision.
44. Breakaway techniques (within agreed timescale)