Job summary
The postholder is responsible for taking the lead throughout University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) for the design, implementation and evaluation of Food and Nutrition policy. The postholder will assist the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics within the Nutrition Steering Group (NSG) and PCAG meetings and will implement and oversee Trust Policy to ensure compliance to government/ CQC directives.
The postholder will lead on departmental and Trust-wide communications and social media output related to nutritional care.
The postholder will be responsible for Team Leading a group of dietitians over a clinical caseload of medical patients and work towards improving the nutritional care and treatment of these patients.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
- To work with the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics, senior nursing management, and Facilities to implement government/ CQC directives relating to nutritional processes/care.
- Provide quality assurance to demonstrate UHP's compliance with government directives, such as CQC.
- To monitor Food services and compliance with national nutritional standards.
- To ensure that general nurse practices embrace the Trust's nutrition-related policies.
- To lead in devising, implementing, evaluating and monitoring training programmes in nutritional care related to Food policy for all groups of staff.
- To lead on communications and social media output related to nutritional care
- To work with Trust-wide departments to ensure that patients meet their nutritional needs.
- To assist with the general running of the dietetics department, this may include student training and staff supervision.
- To undertake administrative/managerial tasks as requested by the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To maintain up-to-date information on all food supplied to UHP patients using nutritional analysis software and liaison with the catering department and food suppliers.
- To assist the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics in the Patient Catering and Nutrition Steering Group meetings.
- To act as a liaison between clinical dietitians, catering service and nursing teams in all matters relating to hospital catering and nutritional care.
- To ensure that the UHP dietetic team is kept fully briefed on food and nutrition policy, including key responsibilities and duties in ensuring all patients are able to meet their nutritional needs.
- To work with speciality lead dietitians to ensure that specialist menus meet patients needs within the scope of the hospital food standards.
- To assist with investigating and reporting on any nutritional care related incidents and complaints as directed by the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics.
- To produce documentation and reports on request to demonstrate progress against targets as requested by the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics.
- To produce patient information relating to hospital food provision in conjunction with catering and nursing colleagues.
- To work with senior nurses to plan, implement and report on results of nutrition related audits.
- To lead in the collation of evidence to demonstrate compliance with CCQ requirements as requested by Professional Lead.
- To plan, deliver and evaluate nutritional care related education to clinical areas to staff of all levels.
- To lead the delivery of housekeeper training in conjunction with the catering manager.
- To work with nursing colleagues in the launch of nutrition risk screening in out-patient settings and subsequently monitor and manage its implementation.
- To provide input into development of Trust-wide nutrition polices and guidelines.
- To promote nutritional care by co-ordinating dietetic input into Trust-wide nutrition campaigns such as Nutrition and Hydration Week, Dietitians Week, Staff Health and Wellbeing Events and Nutrition Study Days.
- Using evidence-based information, acts as a source of expert advice at local, regional and national level on all aspects of hospital food and nutrition policy.
- To contribute to clinical governance activities including reporting to service line level.
- To be actively in involved in student dietitian training.
- To promote the role of dietitian by taking a lead in planning, delivering communications and social media content.
- To hold a clinical caseload of medical patients with respect to nutritional management of these patients
- To provide Bank Holiday cover for wards on a rota basis may be required to work flexibly over 7 day period .
- To operationally manage a team of junior dietitians/dietetic assistants, including recruitment, supervision, absence management and appraisal.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To maintain up-to-date information on all food supplied to UHP patients using nutritional analysis software and liaison with the catering department and food suppliers.
- To assist the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics in the Patient Catering and Nutrition Steering Group meetings.
- To act as a liaison between clinical dietitians, catering service and nursing teams in all matters relating to hospital catering and nutritional care.
- To ensure that the UHP dietetic team is kept fully briefed on food and nutrition policy, including key responsibilities and duties in ensuring all patients are able to meet their nutritional needs.
- To work with speciality lead dietitians to ensure that specialist menus meet patients needs within the scope of the hospital food standards.
- To assist with investigating and reporting on any nutritional care related incidents and complaints as directed by the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics.
- To produce documentation and reports on request to demonstrate progress against targets as requested by the Head of Nutrition & Dietetics.
- To produce patient information relating to hospital food provision in conjunction with catering and nursing colleagues.
- To work with senior nurses to plan, implement and report on results of nutrition related audits.
- To lead in the collation of evidence to demonstrate compliance with CCQ requirements as requested by Professional Lead.
- To plan, deliver and evaluate nutritional care related education to clinical areas to staff of all levels.
- To lead the delivery of housekeeper training in conjunction with the catering manager.
- To work with nursing colleagues in the launch of nutrition risk screening in out-patient settings and subsequently monitor and manage its implementation.
- To provide input into development of Trust-wide nutrition polices and guidelines.
- To promote nutritional care by co-ordinating dietetic input into Trust-wide nutrition campaigns such as Nutrition and Hydration Week, Dietitians Week, Staff Health and Wellbeing Events and Nutrition Study Days.
- Using evidence-based information, acts as a source of expert advice at local, regional and national level on all aspects of hospital food and nutrition policy.
- To contribute to clinical governance activities including reporting to service line level.
- To be actively in involved in student dietitian training.
- To promote the role of dietitian by taking a lead in planning, delivering communications and social media content.
- To hold a clinical caseload of medical patients with respect to nutritional management of these patients
- To provide Bank Holiday cover for wards on a rota basis may be required to work flexibly over 7 day period .
- To operationally manage a team of junior dietitians/dietetic assistants, including recruitment, supervision, absence management and appraisal.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Recent and demonstrable specialist clinical dietetic experience
- Proven knowledge of hospital catering systems
- Proven evidence of developing and implementing policies/protocols/guidelines
- Proven evidence of designing, implementing and reporting audits and outcome monitoring
- Demonstrable experience of working in an MDT
- Recent and demonstrable experience of managing junior staff
- Recent and demonstrable experience of student training
- Recent and demonstrable experience of managing communications and social media output within a large clinical setting
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of working with catering services
- Demonstrable experience of menu planning and analysis using specialist software
- Demonstrable experience of research
- Proven evidence of published work or poster presentations
Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC Registration
- Degree/post graduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics
- Completion of clinical supervisory skills training
- Proven evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Registered for a higher degree
- Teaching qualification
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential
- Proven evidence of clinical leadership skills
- Advanced communication skills in particular sharing complex clinical information at appropriate level for audience
- Ability to work well within a busy environment
- Effective teaching and presentation skills
- Computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets and presentations
- Good organisational and time management/ prioritisation skills
- Ability to manage and supervise a team
- Capable of producing good quality written information for staff and patients
Desirable
- Research design/statistics skills
- Expertise in the practical skills of nutritional support
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Recent and demonstrable specialist clinical dietetic experience
- Proven knowledge of hospital catering systems
- Proven evidence of developing and implementing policies/protocols/guidelines
- Proven evidence of designing, implementing and reporting audits and outcome monitoring
- Demonstrable experience of working in an MDT
- Recent and demonstrable experience of managing junior staff
- Recent and demonstrable experience of student training
- Recent and demonstrable experience of managing communications and social media output within a large clinical setting
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of working with catering services
- Demonstrable experience of menu planning and analysis using specialist software
- Demonstrable experience of research
- Proven evidence of published work or poster presentations
Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC Registration
- Degree/post graduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics
- Completion of clinical supervisory skills training
- Proven evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Registered for a higher degree
- Teaching qualification
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential
- Proven evidence of clinical leadership skills
- Advanced communication skills in particular sharing complex clinical information at appropriate level for audience
- Ability to work well within a busy environment
- Effective teaching and presentation skills
- Computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets and presentations
- Good organisational and time management/ prioritisation skills
- Ability to manage and supervise a team
- Capable of producing good quality written information for staff and patients
Desirable
- Research design/statistics skills
- Expertise in the practical skills of nutritional support
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
