Specialised Oncology Dietitian

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

To manage a highly complex and varied caseload of service users.

To provide highly specialised expert dietetic support to patients, advising implementing evidence based treatment plans including provision of nutrition support where relevant to a highly complex and diverse set of patients with a wide range of diagnoses and comorbidities. This covers both medical and surgical specialities including upper gastrointestinal, hepatopancreato-biliary, gynaecology-oncology, lung and all other cancers. This will require using advanced clinical reasoning skills in complex and highly emotionally distressing situations and including advising on, and, within in-patient settings, prescribing nutritional supplements once a food first approach has been explored.

The post holder will have to be physically able to move between a variety of settings and to deliver appropriate nutritional supplements and resources.

The use of advanced nutritional assessment tools will be necessary to determine the nutritional status of patients.

To establish an empathetic therapeutic relationship with patients and carers so to effectively assist them to improve their nutritional care using advanced behavioural change and motivational interviewing skills.

To empower patients and care givers by teaching them skills including food modification techniques and/or training in the use of enteral feeding equipment.

To actively assist in setting up home enteral feeding discharges from hospital or from off island as required.

Provide a regular out-patient clinic for oncology patients and their families including telephone support and electronic support as required.

To provide the regular Dietetic service for patients attending Bulstrode House and the Wards as required to provide highly specialised dietetic support for a wide range of conditions and circumstances requiring advanced problem solving and clinical reasoning skills.

To liaise with Dietitians from tertiary treatment centres in the UK or elsewhere to ensure continuity of care for patients returning to Guernsey.

To engage with Guernsey cancer charities and to support them with highly specialised nutrition advice as required.

To cover for the rest of the Dietetic team when annual leave and/or sickness mean gaps in essential services as requested by the Dietetic Service Manager.

Communication:

To have difficult and complex conversations as part of the clinical management of patients where the service user may be experiencing high levels of distress due to their diagnosis or from the side effects of treatment or disease- this will include conversations about end of life care.

To communicate plans of care in a clear and concise manner, taking account of the level of understanding and adjusting accordingly to minimise patient distress using tact, empathy and persuasive skills.

To develop effective working relationships and communicate effectively and appropriately with all members of the multidisciplinary team and other agencies involved in the care of the patient/client both verbally and in writing, e.g. medical notes, reports and letters.

To produce timely medical notes and communications to patients, minimizing jargon and writing in a manner that is consistent with policy and procedure.

To maintain electronic clinical records across HSC using the systems required, and to maintain skills as new systems are implemented.

To communicate clearly with colleagues, referrers and other HCPs to ensure that patient care is consistent and safe.

Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment, acting as an expert in nutrition when working within the MDT.

To liaise closely with dietetic colleagues and attend and contribute to relevant departmental meetings and continued professional development meetings i.e. presenting at audit, journal club and clinical supervision.

To work closely with the Dietetic Service Manager and with colleagues in different Dietetic Specialities to provide joined up and cohesive optimal patient care. This involves liaising with MDT colleagues as required including Catering and Speech therapy colleagues on the correct provision of diets, Pharmacy colleagues for enteral products and a wide range of Specialist Nursing colleagues.

Work collaboratively across professional and organisational boundaries, managing complex situations and an often highly complex workload

Actively participate in MDT meetings related to Oncology as appropriate including the weekly Bulstrode House MDT and the monthly palliative care MDT.

Training and Professionalism:

To undertake in-house annual mandatory training.

To maintain competency to practice through CPD activities, maintaining a personal portfolio which reflects professional development and is HCPC compliant.

To work as an active member of the Dietetic Department in line with the Department objectives and relevant strategic plans.

To organise as required and deliver education sessions to professional and non-professional groups e.g. Medical, nursing, support staff, students, volunteers, patients and patients panel members.

To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of research findings and new practices within nutrition and dietetics and apply this knowledge to improve practice.

Engage in CPD activities in areas identified through regular appraisal of the post. Comply with professional codes of practice and guidelines.

To actively engage in Dietetic student training and work experience programmes.

To record and submit clinical activity data as required by the Department in an accurate and timely manner.

Audit/Information Technology/Research Activity:

In conjunction with the audit department, initiate and undertake clinical audits to monitor and maintain standards of practice.

To utilise the critical incident reporting system to document actual or potential risks impacting on the quality of patient care.

To actively promote evidence-based practice in own and the practice of other members of staff involved in the care of the patient/client.

Actively audit and improve the Oncology dietetic provision within the Bailiwick of Guernsey. This will include seeking opportunities to be involved in research and to participate with research programmes as they arise.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• A wide range of post qualification experience in Dietetics including demonstration of significant clinical experience of working with a complex caseload of patients with a variety o cancer conditions.

Qualifications

Essential

• State Registered Dietitian fully registered with HCPC in the UK.
• Degree or Post graduate Diploma in Dietetics, member of the British Dietetic Association.

Desirable

• Post Graduate Study (Diploma or Masters Level) in a relevant discipline.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

States of Guernsey

Address

Princess Elizabeth Hospital

Le Vauquiedor

St. Martin

Guernsey

GY4 6UU

Employer's website

https://www.gov.gg/ (Opens in a new tab)