Part-time Band 7 Medical Dietitian (Fixed Term, 12 months) in Ashford

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Dietetic team at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as a Band 7 Medical Dietitian. The role is part-time, 22.5 hours per week, on a fixed term 12 month contract.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible, and committed Dietitian who will work as part of our dynamic team of 5 Medical Dietitians and a Dietitian support worker at St Peters Hospital. In this pivotal position, you will:

• Take a lead role in managing, coordinating and supporting the medical dietetic service for the Trust, in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team.
• Develop and deliver expert nutritional care for patients throughout their inpatient stay.
• Drive service development and innovation, ensuring our patients receive the highest standards of care.

We offer:

• Excellent CPD opportunities to support your professional and specialist development.
• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life commitments.
• A supportive team environment where your ideas and expertise will shape the future of dietetic services.

Main duties of the job:

This post involves managing an inpatient caseload on the medical wards as well as a regular specialist outpatient clinic. The successful candidate will work closely with MDT colleagues including consultants and specialist nurses and within a dynamic team of 5 medical dietitians and a support worker. Clinical areas covered include: CAU, short and long stay medical wards including; respiratory, oncology, palliative care, cardiac, elderly care and complex oral and enteral nutrition support.

In addition to clinical responsibilities, the post holder will have the opportunity to develop supervision skills through supporting other staff and students. They will also be encouraged to actively contribute to audits, as well as to develop and implement innovative approaches to service delivery.

We welcome applications from HCPC registered dietitians with a strong clinical background in the NHS.

Working for our organisation:

Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond. Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Surrey and St Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey.

Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

• Undertake advanced assessments, clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients admitted to the acute adult medical wards at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital, providing oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner to undertake a significant specialist clinical caseload, working without direct supervision.
• Take a role in supervision and teaching and provide day-to-day support to junior dietetic staff within the team and participate in multi-disciplinary team teaching.
• To coordinate and collate activity for the medical inpatient and outpatient service and present this data to the clinical leads on a monthly basis.
• Demonstrate leadership skills and contribute to service development, quality improvement projects and monitoring of standards of practice and developing multidisciplinary management of patients.
• Liaise with all members of the medical MDT, this includes attendance at MDT meetings and other relevant meetings.
• To liaise with other members of the medical team MDT to develop nutritional policies, procedures and patient information literature.
• To take an active role in the general functioning of the Dietetic department, including contributing to student training.

Person specification:

• Always puts patients first, willing and able to take personal responsibility, demonstrates passion for excellence, and takes pride in their work and their team.
• Flexible in their attitudes and behaviours to support team working and delivery of objectives.
• Respects, values and cares for others.
• Supports and promotes equality and diversity.

Qualifications and Further Training:

• 4 year degree in Dietetics (or equivalent qualification).
• Registration with HCPC - ESSENTIAL.
• Evidence of post-registration training relevant to clinical speciality.
• Extensive post graduate training to Masters level or equivalent experience in practice at masters level.
• Membership of British Dietetic Association.

Experience:

• Extensive post qualification experience and ability to work independently with complex patients in an NHS environment.
• Previous experience working in acute NHS services at a specialist level including experience of enteral and parenteral nutrition.
• Experience working at a senior level within the NHS environment.
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working and with partner organisations.
• Experience of conducting audits and/or research.

Knowledge:

• Able to demonstrate an awareness and knowledge of national clinical and professional policies, guidelines and procedures.
• Specialist knowledge of nutritional support including both enteral and parenteral nutrition.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Ability to co-ordinate and prioritise workloads – able to multi-task as well as be self-disciplined and highly motivated.
• Ability to deal with emotionally demanding situations and communicating sensitive information as part of clinical care or in management of staff.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the team, the service and the Trust.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Driving licence and access to own car for work.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.