BHR PCN Dietitian

Job responsibilities

Primary Care Networks receive crucial funding, and the contractual obligations can vary year on year, with differing focusses depending on where improvements to Population Health Management need to be made. The post holder will be responsible for delivering and leading highly specialist clinical care to their own caseload and service within their speciality area. In doing so, they will assess, plan, deliver and evaluate patient centred programmes of care ensuring that they practice within their sphere of competence and knowledge. The post holder will work to professional and regulatory body codes, standards and guidance at all times, ensuring that their practice is grounded in evidence based theoretical and practical knowledge.

The post holder will be an effective member of a multi-disciplinary team. The PCN has health and well-being coaches and care coordinators as well as a large patient ambassador team (social prescribers). They will have expertise and the ability to develop, implement and evaluate a seamless nutrition support service that is aimed at continuously improving standards of patient care and wider MDT working.

Main duties of the job

• Complete the mandatory Dietetic HEE roadmap training to become a First Contact Practitioner
• Educate patients with diet-related disorders on how they can improve their health and prevent disease by adopting healthier eating and drinking habits
• Provide specialist nutrition and diet advice to patients and their carers through treatment, education plans, and prescriptions. Working in an inclusive way to cater to our diverse population.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to gain patients cooperation and understanding in following recommended dietary treatments
• Make recommendations to PCN staff regarding changes to medications for the nutritional management of patients, based on interpretation of biochemical, physiological, and dietary requirements
• Implement all aspects of effective clinical governance for own practice, including undertaking regular audit and evaluation, supervision and training
• Ensure delivery of best practice in clinical practice, caseload management, education, research, and audit, to achieve corporate PCN and local population objective
• Have an awareness of your own clinical competencies, knowledge base and experience and ensure that you practice within this and seek support as required.

Generic Responsibilities

Personal & Professional development

Maintain continued education by attendance at courses as deemed essential for professional development

Participation in annual appraisal review

Maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

Governance

Produce complete and accurate records of patient consultation, in line with best practice, confidentiality, policies and procedures

Deliver care according to NHS guidance, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care

Take part in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the PCN and its activities.

Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required.

Work with other clinical teams on improving the quality of healthcare in response to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate

Work closely with other clinical staff and administrative managers in the setting up and/or improving of systems for monitoring/measuring performance against Clinical Governance and Quality Indicator targets

Work to deliver the NHS contract requirements related to the PCN (including the terms of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and locally enhanced services)

Evaluate patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care

Support and participate in shared learning across the PCN and wider organisation

Awareness of statutory safeguarding, notification processes and local guidance for children/vulnerable patients, applying relevant policies and legislation to protect them

Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by taking action or alerting senior management team if the practice appears to contravene policy, or if there are concerns over any aspect of patient care.

Health and Safety

The post-holder will manage their own and others health & safety and infection control as defined in the SEL GP Group Health & Safety Policy, the SEL GP Group Health & Safety Manual, and the SEL GP Group Infection Control Policy and published procedures.

Comply with SEL GP Group health and safety policies by following agreed safe working procedures

Awareness and compliance with national standards of infection control, hygiene, regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines.

Correct personal use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ensuring correct use of PPE by others, advising on appropriate circumstances for use by clinicians, staff and patients.

Reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System

Confidentiality

Maintain confidentiality of information, acting within the terms of the Data Protection Act and Caldicott guidance on patient confidentiality at all times.

Maintain an awareness of the Freedom of Information Act.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support, promote and maintain the SEL GP Group Equality & Diversity Policy.

No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families.

Other delegated duties

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive - it may be changed after consultation with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for review and modification of duties.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience of working as a qualified dietitian
• Experience of working within NHS
• Ability to apply additional depth of knowledge gained through experience in specialist area
• Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
• Experience of communicating and engaging effectively with internal and external agencies/ stakeholders
• Evidence of significant personal development, professionally
• Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities
• Effectively manage resources (financial and others) to ensure delivery of the service
• Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use Microsoft packages, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information. Interpret data to draw conclusions
• Able to gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers

Desirable

• Experience of working in Primary Care
• Understanding of the role and function of Primary Care Networks

Qualifications

Essential

• First degree or Post Graduate Diploma or equivalent in Nutrition & Dietetics
• Demonstrates an understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice.
• Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management

Personal Qualities & Attributes

Essential

• Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities
• Demonstrates use of appropriate communication to gain the co-operation of relevant stakeholders (including patients, senior and peer colleagues, and other professionals, other NHS/private organisations, e.g. CCGs)
• Is able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
• Able to provide leadership and to finish work tasks
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues
• Demonstrates personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure
• Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines
• High level of written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety

Professional registration

Essential

• Mandatory registration with the British Dietetic Association (BDA)
• Membership of Health and Care Professions Council

Desirable

• Membership of specialist groups within BDA

Other

Essential

• Meets DBS reference standards and has a clear criminal record, in line with the law on spent convictions
• Adaptable
• Evidence of being a great team-player
• Self-Motivation
• Safeguarding and other mandatory training
• Immunisation status
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own homes if needed

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).