Senior Specialist Learning Disability Dietitian

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Be clinically competent to give specialist dietetic advice, treatment and dietary counselling to patients.

Work autonomously to manage own caseload in a designated specialist area providing dietetic advice to patients, their carers and staff within agreed protocols / guidelines.

Judge the appropriateness of referrals, action dietetic management and advise referring agents of inappropriate referrals.

Analyse and interpret complex information from a variety of sources regarding individual patients, e.g. biochemistry, medication, clinical condition, anthropometric measurements.

Undertake nutritional calculations e.g. calculating nutritional requirements, analysis of nutritional intakes using specialist IT systems.

Develop and modify dietetic treatment and discharge plans referring to other specialists and agencies as appropriate.

To recommend appropriate ACBS nutritional products, feeding equipment, changes to medication, diagnostic tests and procedures and monitor their use.

Communicate highly complex nutrition and dietetic information in an understandable form to staff, clients and carers.

Use negotiation, motivation and counselling skills including situations where there are barriers to understanding.

To act as clinical lead and a source of expertise on nutrition and dietetic topics for the designated speciality, advising and supporting qualified and unqualified healthcare staff and other agencies who are in a position to provide nutritional advice, aiming to ensure accurate and consistent advice and treatment is provided.

Determine customer requirements within the designated speciality, developing and promoting the use of referral guidelines as appropriate.

Work in conjunction with medical, nursing, health & social care professional colleagues and other agencies attending multidisciplinary meetings, ward rounds, case reviews and meetings as necessary to facilitate good communications to provide high quality patient care.

Liaise and advise catering staff when necessary to ensure the appropriate provision of meals for patients.

Plan, implement and evaluate group education sessions for patients as required.

Produce timely reports to referring Health Care Professionals regarding patient care.

Work flexibly to provide a dietetic service which meets the needs of the clients in the designated specialist area.

To identify opportunities to promote healthier lifestyles or more appropriate nutrition in the designated specialty, and, using innovative methods, develop initiatives to promote healthier nutrition in the area, and contribute to the development and delivery of guidelines and action plans.

Training and Education

To plan, organise and evaluate competency of junior staff undertaking attachments or a new role in the designated specialist area

Plan, organise and participate in the clinical supervision of student dietitians, including planning timetables and written assessments.

Preceptor or mentor junior members of staff and dietetic students.

Initiate and lead on the planning, coordination and evaluation of nutrition education & training for staff as required.

Leadership

To be responsible for arranging cover for planned and unplanned leave in the absence of the team leader

To carry out personal development and job planning reviews for junior members of the team.

To provide training, supervision and support including developing action plans to improve the performance of junior staff as required.

To participate in the recruitment, selection and induction of staff.

To actively participate in the improvement of the service liaising with other stakeholders as required.

To undertake initial investigation of clinical incidents in the designated specialist area.

To attend meetings in the absence of the team leader.

To support, coach and mentor staff to take a preventative approach to self-managing their physical and mental wellbeing.

Professional

To actively participate in the forward planning of the department, communicating with senior managers who are in a position to influence service development.

Ensure dietetic practice is up to date, evidence-based and / or based on best practice by participating in appropriate training and development activities.

Ensure relevant training is attended to maintain competency re medical devices required within the job role

Actively participate and contribute to clinical supervision to ensure regular evaluation of practice through peer review.

Actively participate in dietetic operational meetings, sharing knowledge, evaluating and improving service delivery.

To initiate and actively participate in the departments Clinical Governance programme including reviewing evidence / guidance, clinical and professional audits, research and reporting of clinical risks, taking a lead on identified elements.

To propose changes to own working practices and practices relating to nutrition across the specialty based on current evidence and best practice.

To lead on the development and monitoring of departmental clinical policies, guidelines and procedures relevant to designated specialist area.

Evaluate patient information in view of current evidence and update or produce new information/diet sheets as required.

To work as an autonomous practitioner working withinthe BDA Code of professional conduct and HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency (Dietitians).

Plan, prioritise and organise own workload working jointly with other professionals and agencies and evaluate own practice.

Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.

Monitor stock levels and ensure effective use is made of department / trust resources, equipment and prescribed nutritional products.

Be responsible for maintaining patient records in line with trust and department standards and Data Protection Act requirements.

Document patient activity data daily in accordance with trust and professional standards.

Represents the service at relevant internal and external forums relevant to the specialist area.

Contribute to the development and maintenance of the profile of the Dietetic profession.

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc in Dietetics or equivalent.
• Dietitian registered with the Health Professions Council.
• BDA member.
• Documented evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training at master's level (or can demonstrate ability to work at this level).
• Clinical Education Skills Course.

Desirable

• Clinical Leadership Course

Experience

Essential

• Relevant post registration dietetic experience.
• Experience in designated specialist area.
• Experience in assessing need, planning, organising and delivering training and education to patient groups and staff.
• Experience in clinical supervision of dietetic students.
• Experience of leading on elements of clinical governance projects / work.

Skills

Essential

• Interest in specialist area.
• Up to date dietetic professional knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent and evidence of continuous professional development and an awareness of best practice in dietetics.
• Able to analyse complex information and to make judgements on dietetic issues.
• Able to communicate highly complex and sensitive information in an understandable form for patients and their carers using dietary counselling, motivational and negotiation skills.
• Able to demonstrate good written and oral communication skills with a range of people from a variety of backgrounds, minimising risk of miscommunication.
• Able to demonstrate leadership skills
• Able to assess need, organise, plan, deliver and evaluate training and group work.
• Able to plan & prioritise own caseload using time management skills.
• Clinical supervision skills.
• Able to use a computer and have basic knowledge of word processing, e-mail, dietary analysis, presentation preparation and electronic patient records

Personal

Essential

• Able to be an effective member of the dietetic and multidisciplinary teams.
• Able to maintain effective working relationships and engagement with relevant stakeholders.
• Able to work under pressure and handle challenging situations.
• Able to work independently but know own limitations and when to ask for support and help from colleagues and members of the MDT.
• Committed to personal and professional development.
• Committed to client centred, non-discriminatory practice.

Other

Essential

• Willing to work flexibly and adapt to the changing needs of the service.
• Independent means of travel (community posts) and able to travel to training within Warwickshire (all posts).
• Must be willing to participate in student training and demonstrate awareness of practical issues in student training.

Desirable

• Member of relevant BDA Specialist Interest Group.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).