Job summary
We have
an exciting opportunity for a Dietitian to join the Nutrition and Dietetics
Department at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. You will be
responsible for managing an acute adult caseload, providing comprehensive
nutritional assessment and intervention for patients across Care of the
Elderly, Stroke, medical and surgical wards, including those requiring PEG
assessment and NG feeding. You will support the delivery of a high-quality
Nutrition and Dietetic Service at Watford General Hospital, working closely
with and under the supervision of senior dietitians. You will rotate across key
specialties including Care of the Elderly, General Medicine, Diabetes,
Respiratory, Stroke, Gastroenterology and Surgery, contributing to
multidisciplinary care and ensuring patients receive evidence-based nutritional
support throughout their inpatient journey.
Main duties of the job
As a
Dietitian you will be professionally and legally accountable for your own
practice, ensuring full compliance with HCPC standards and maintaining high
levels of clinical governance. You will prioritise and coordinate your workload
efficiently in line with service demands, working collaboratively with
multidisciplinary teams to support timely and appropriate patient care. You
will apply advanced clinical reasoning and analytical skills to interpret
complex information and determine suitable nutrition strategies. Using
professional judgement, you will design and implement individualised care
programmes, selecting appropriate treatment approaches while actively involving
patients in decisions about their care.
About us
Here at NHS Professionals, we run England's largest NHS staff bank and are experts at putting people in places to care. Every year we help thousands of dedicated and highly skilled NHS workers enjoy better career opportunities, more flexible shifts, and a healthier work-life balance across our partnered Trusts.
Career Progression access to Learning & Development opportunities, so that you can take on new roles and challenges
Work-life Balance flexible shifts, committed shifts, wellbeing resources and build paid annual leave
Opportunity & Access over 50 partner NHS Trusts to give you the flexibility of choice to work how and where you want
Job description
Job responsibilities
-
To provide tailored dietary guidance to individuals, carers and healthcare
professionals, interpreting clinical findings and investigation results to
ensure recommendations are appropriate, practical and evidence based. This
includes advising on the safe and effective use of prescribable nutritional
supplements and enteral feeding products where indicated.
-
To deliver structured education and training sessions for relatives,
nursing staff and wider multidisciplinary colleagues, promoting understanding
of therapeutic diets and ensuring consistency in nutritional care. This may
involve preparing teaching materials and contributing to in-service training
programmes and tutorials.
-
To communicate complex information with sensitivity and clarity, adapting
your approach to meet the needs of patients who may face barriers such as
cognitive impairment, sensory loss, dysphasia, dysphagia, pain or emotional
distress. You will assess mental capacity where required, obtain valid consent,
and work within relevant legal and ethical frameworks.
-
To monitor and evaluate clinical progress, using a range of indicators
such as biochemical data, weight trends and dietary intake records, adjusting
recommendations accordingly. You will identify when further investigations are
required and liaise with the appropriate teams to support safe and effective
care.
-
To coordinate safe and timely discharge planning, including arranging home
enteral feeding supplies, equipment and handover to community services, as well
as organising onward referrals for continued nutritional support. You will
contribute to case conferences, ward rounds and complex discharge discussions
to ensure continuity of care.
-
To contribute to service development and governance activities,
maintaining accurate and contemporaneous documentation in line with Trust
standards, participating in audit and quality improvement initiatives,
supporting student learning where appropriate, and ensuring compliance with
professional registration, health and safety, and departmental policies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
-
To provide tailored dietary guidance to individuals, carers and healthcare
professionals, interpreting clinical findings and investigation results to
ensure recommendations are appropriate, practical and evidence based. This
includes advising on the safe and effective use of prescribable nutritional
supplements and enteral feeding products where indicated.
-
To deliver structured education and training sessions for relatives,
nursing staff and wider multidisciplinary colleagues, promoting understanding
of therapeutic diets and ensuring consistency in nutritional care. This may
involve preparing teaching materials and contributing to in-service training
programmes and tutorials.
-
To communicate complex information with sensitivity and clarity, adapting
your approach to meet the needs of patients who may face barriers such as
cognitive impairment, sensory loss, dysphasia, dysphagia, pain or emotional
distress. You will assess mental capacity where required, obtain valid consent,
and work within relevant legal and ethical frameworks.
-
To monitor and evaluate clinical progress, using a range of indicators
such as biochemical data, weight trends and dietary intake records, adjusting
recommendations accordingly. You will identify when further investigations are
required and liaise with the appropriate teams to support safe and effective
care.
-
To coordinate safe and timely discharge planning, including arranging home
enteral feeding supplies, equipment and handover to community services, as well
as organising onward referrals for continued nutritional support. You will
contribute to case conferences, ward rounds and complex discharge discussions
to ensure continuity of care.
-
To contribute to service development and governance activities,
maintaining accurate and contemporaneous documentation in line with Trust
standards, participating in audit and quality improvement initiatives,
supporting student learning where appropriate, and ensuring compliance with
professional registration, health and safety, and departmental policies.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Nutrition/Dietetics, HCPC registered.
- Knowledge of dietetic care for medical, surgical, and elderly patients.
- Experience with inpatients and outpatients.
- Committed to CPD and professional development.
- Desirable: BDA membership, catering knowledge, audit, and record-keeping.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Nutrition/Dietetics, HCPC registered.
- Knowledge of dietetic care for medical, surgical, and elderly patients.
- Experience with inpatients and outpatients.
- Committed to CPD and professional development.
- Desirable: BDA membership, catering knowledge, audit, and record-keeping.
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).
