County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Dietitian

The closing date is 28 May 2025

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Dietitian to join our acute inpatient team covering wards and ICU.

We would love to show you our department. Follow us on social media at Instagram cddftdietitians, Twitter @CDDFTDietitian.

We are a proactive department with a strong focus on service improvement, digital advancement and staff development. We have a preceptorship programme for new staff, regular clinical supervision and lots of CPD opportunities to support career progression.

County Durham is an excellent place to live. With beautiful countryside and coastlines alongside interesting towns and cities. There are excellent transport links to Newcastle (30 minutes via train from Darlington) and York (30 minutes via train from Darlington) as well as having rail links to other UK cities and international travel from Newcastle and Teesside International Airport

Main duties of the job

This post is to provide dietetic care to acute inpatient wards, including critical care at Darlington Memorial Hospital. The RaCI MDT comprises of Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Nurse Specialist, Counsellor and Consultant. The post holder will be based at Darlington Memorial but may be occasionally required to cover other areas within the locality of County Durham and Darlington including University Hospital North Durham and Bishop Auckland Hospital. There will also be telephone clinics. Previous experience in MDT working, parenteral nutrition and critical care is preferred but not essential. As a team we complete competencies to enable us to work in extended scope practice in enteral tube feeding

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have a minimum of two years of experience working within the NHS as a HCA for the Trust to consider sponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria and have a current visa expiring within 3 months)

Details

Date posted

14 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9439-2526-0124

Job locations

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for their own caseload. They will work as part of the acute dietetic team and assist in daily triaging of in-patient referrals including prioritisation. They will work alongside other Dietitians covering critical care and wards. Patients will be seen in a variety of settings including hospital wards, outpatient clinics, and telephone clinics. The post holder will work closely with other Dietitians and the wider multidisciplinary team.

We use electronic patient records in all areas of the service - Cerner for in-patients, MDT clinics and Consultant-led outpatients, SystmOne for community

The department trains dietetic students (A, B and C placement) and the post holder will have an active role in student training planning, co-ordination and assessment

The Nutrition and Dietetic service is structured into teams; secondary care (incorporating nutrition support and critical care), bariatrics, primary care (incorporating care home training), adult & paediatric diabetes, adult Home Enteral Feeding, paediatrics (incorporating Home Enteral Feeding and paediatric weight management). the nutrition and dietetic service comprises of 6 teams, with 44 Dietitians, 1 Specialist Nurse, 4 Dietetic assistants and we are supported by central administration. We are based on 4 sites in the County, at Darlington Memorial Hospital, University Hospital North Durham, Bishop Auckland Hospital and Shotley Bridge Hospital

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for their own caseload. They will work as part of the acute dietetic team and assist in daily triaging of in-patient referrals including prioritisation. They will work alongside other Dietitians covering critical care and wards. Patients will be seen in a variety of settings including hospital wards, outpatient clinics, and telephone clinics. The post holder will work closely with other Dietitians and the wider multidisciplinary team.

We use electronic patient records in all areas of the service - Cerner for in-patients, MDT clinics and Consultant-led outpatients, SystmOne for community

The department trains dietetic students (A, B and C placement) and the post holder will have an active role in student training planning, co-ordination and assessment

The Nutrition and Dietetic service is structured into teams; secondary care (incorporating nutrition support and critical care), bariatrics, primary care (incorporating care home training), adult & paediatric diabetes, adult Home Enteral Feeding, paediatrics (incorporating Home Enteral Feeding and paediatric weight management). the nutrition and dietetic service comprises of 6 teams, with 44 Dietitians, 1 Specialist Nurse, 4 Dietetic assistants and we are supported by central administration. We are based on 4 sites in the County, at Darlington Memorial Hospital, University Hospital North Durham, Bishop Auckland Hospital and Shotley Bridge Hospital

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant post registration experience
  • Previous experience of working in a variety of clinical settings
  • Experience of working within MDT environments

Desirable

  • Previous experience of audit and research including submission / presentation to journals / conferences
  • Previous experience of working within nutrition support and critical care

Qualifications

Essential

  • BSc(hons) / BSc / Diploma in Dietetics
  • Clinical supervisory skills
  • Leadership Training

Desirable

  • Working towards or hold Masters Degree
  • Completion of PENG course

Statutory Registration

Essential

  • Registered with the Health Care Professions Council

Special Requirements

Essential

  • Able to meet the travel requirements of the post

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Completion of post-graduate specialist education e.g. PENG course or other
  • Ability to plan, initiate and evaluate new services and manage change
  • Has a highly developed understanding of the changing NHS environment and its impact on service provision and staff.
  • Understanding of local and national strategies and policies relating to nutrition, health and social care as relevant to community dietetics
  • Member of BDA

Desirable

  • Member of relevant specialist sub-groups (eg. PENG, BAPEN, BDA CCSG)
  • Extended scope practice competence for feeding tubes eg. Replacement of Y-ends, advance & rotation of tubes
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant post registration experience
  • Previous experience of working in a variety of clinical settings
  • Experience of working within MDT environments

Desirable

  • Previous experience of audit and research including submission / presentation to journals / conferences
  • Previous experience of working within nutrition support and critical care

Qualifications

Essential

  • BSc(hons) / BSc / Diploma in Dietetics
  • Clinical supervisory skills
  • Leadership Training

Desirable

  • Working towards or hold Masters Degree
  • Completion of PENG course

Statutory Registration

Essential

  • Registered with the Health Care Professions Council

Special Requirements

Essential

  • Able to meet the travel requirements of the post

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Completion of post-graduate specialist education e.g. PENG course or other
  • Ability to plan, initiate and evaluate new services and manage change
  • Has a highly developed understanding of the changing NHS environment and its impact on service provision and staff.
  • Understanding of local and national strategies and policies relating to nutrition, health and social care as relevant to community dietetics
  • Member of BDA

Desirable

  • Member of relevant specialist sub-groups (eg. PENG, BAPEN, BDA CCSG)
  • Extended scope practice competence for feeding tubes eg. Replacement of Y-ends, advance & rotation of tubes

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.

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.

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Employer's website

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Employer's website

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Lead Dietitian

Deborah McFarland

deborah.mcfarland1@nhs.net

07771940167

Details

Date posted

14 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9439-2526-0124

Job locations

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Supporting documents

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