Main area Dietetics Grade Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours
• Part time
• Flexible working
30 hours per week (including 1 bank holiday day in 6 per each annual leave year) Job ref 387-DT4962-NG
Site: Weston General Hospital, Town: Weston-super-Mare
Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata for part time Salary period Yearly Closing 09/06/2026 23:59
North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University of Bristol and Weston Hospital Trust (UHBW) are working towards merging as one organisation from summer 2026. This will not affect staff applying for positions directly with UHBW.
Job Overview
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
Strong Band 6 applicants with leadership responsibilities and experience in managing complex caseloads, service improvement or project work are welcome.
Main Duties
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 MDTs
* 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?
* 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
* 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?
* Greater autonomy – your voice is heard and your decisions shape services
* Closer multidisciplinary 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, offering both lifestyle and career opportunity.
Detailed Responsibilities
* Lead the Front Door Pathway, providing direction for peers and colleagues
* Support early identification of patients at nutritional risk by promoting risk screening
* Guide early implementation of therapeutic dietary plans for patients with long‑term conditions or specialist pathways in liaison with lead specialist dietitians
* Support admission avoidance by providing timely dietary interventions and sign‑posting to relevant community services
* Contribute to all relevant activities involved in pathway delivery: ward rounds, meetings, audit, and research
* Provide a comprehensive specialised service, including education and training for all healthcare professionals, carers, and other workers
* Maintain personal specialist expertise, ensuring it is current, relevant, and accessible
* Provide clinical cover for other senior specialist dietitians’ duties in their absence
Person Specification – Knowledge and Experience
* E1 Significant clinical experience in: Nutritional Support/Therapy in relevant pathways (frailty, care of the elderly), Chronic Disease Management, Enteral Nutrition Support – a senior clinical speciality
* E2 Working as part of a multi‑professional team
* E3 Experience of training dietetic students at all grades
* E4 Experience of audit and/or quality assurance
* E6 Managing and supervising junior staff
* E9 Working in a multicultural setting
* E5 Producing protocols and procedures for others (besides guidelines)
* E7 Implementing guidance or policy
* E8 Research and Development
Person Specification – Skills and Abilities
* S1 Advanced communication skills at all levels – oral, written, interpersonal
* S2 Good organisational skills and time management
* S3 Teaching and presentation skills for undergraduate, postgraduate and higher‑degree level
* S4 Computer skills: databases, Excel, dietary analysis programmes
* S5 Advanced analytical and clinical reasoning skills
* S8 Behavioural and motivational interviewing skills
* S6 Counselling skills
* S7 Evidence of published work or articles
Person Specification – Qualifications and Training
* Q2 Degree or postgraduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics
* Q3 Extensive postgraduate training relevant to the post
* Q4 Clinical supervisory skills course
* Q5 Postgraduate diploma/MSc or equivalent evidence of advanced dietetic practice
* Q8 PENG Group Clinical Update Course and/or Behaviour Change Course
* A1 Ability to work under pressure
* A2 Ability to work alone and as a team player
* A3 Maintaining effective working relationships across professions
* A4 Working under own initiative
* A5 Flexibility
* A6 Reflective approach to practice
* A7 Processing highly complex information or situations
* A8 Dealing with challenging behaviours of patients, carers and students
* A10 Active committee member of BDA Specialist Interest Group
Equal Opportunity and Accessibility
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates. All employment decisions are made on merit and you will receive equal treatment and support regardless of protected characteristics.
Professional Registration
Applicants must hold appropriate UK professional registration.
Disclosure Requirements
The post requires a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Contact Information
Pathway Lead for Nutrition and Dietetics, Weston – Sian Inson, Email: sian.inson@uhbw.nhs.uk, Phone: 01934 647031
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