Dietetic Assistant

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

Dietitian Assistant

An exciting new role has become available at Vincent Square Eating Disorder service in Chelsea, London. This is initially a 12-month fixed term contract with the view to be substantive. Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service is a well-known and respected service providing quality eating disorder care.

We are looking to welcome a motivated Dietetic Assistant to provide nutrition support on our inpatient ward and our day programme. You would be joining a supportive and welcoming team with a commitment to continual learning and development and will work closely alongside a Band 7 Specialist Dietitian.

If you feel that you have the ability to work independently and have a caring and proactive approach to care delivery, this could be the role for you,

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Main duties of the job

Main duties include the following:

To support the senior dietitian in delivering aspects of the dietetic service by reviewing, monitoring and advising patients and undertaking related administration
To act as an intermediary between the dietetic, catering and the nursing team, enhancing communication to achieve the optimal provision of nutrition for patients in hospital
To participate in project work for the benefit of patients
To assist in the ordering of food and achieving optimal provision of nutrition of patients in hospital
To act as a role model and be able to eat and cook with patients which may involve eating out with an individual or group
To contribute to activities that enable individuals to make appropriate food choices and increase their independence in being able to nourish themselves

To facilitate groups such as mealtime goals group and psychoeducation

About us

Vincent Square Inpatient Treatment provides a comprehensive treatment service for individuals with eating disorders, referred both locally and nationally. The ageless service comprises of adult Inpatient and Day patient programme, an extensive outpatient services (FREED, Intensive Community, Liaison and Therapy.

The service provides individuals with need support on their journey to recovery and supporting severe and enduring conditions, including those requiring nasogastric tube feeding and those with highly complex co-morbid conditions, such as obsessive compulsive disorder and personality difficulties.

We are a growing service with new pathways of treatment to support people staying in the community when possible.

Date posted

03 August 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£30,279 to £33,116 a year per annum inc. HCAS pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

333-G-ED-0312

Job locations

SK&C Mental Health Centre

1 Nightingale Place

London

SW10 9NG

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL:

1) After training, to review and monitor a small case load of named patients under the supervision of a dietitian. To have a designated caseload. To be able to attend CPAs if clinical need arises. Consult with supervisor on patient needs and implement action required. With support make clinical decisions on the nutritional aspects of a patients care and advise the MDT accordingly. This may involve:

a) Gathering relevant clinical information from medical and nursing notes, care plans, drug charts, patients and carers

b) Liaise with nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team, for example, Occupational Therapists about the patients nutritional plan

c) Negotiate dietetic interventions in specified situations as per established protocols

d) Assess meal plan compliance

e) Regularly liaise with the supervising dietitian about all aspects of patients nutritional care

f) Monitor patient in order to achieve optimum nutritional intake

g) Record all interventions and actions and ensure that all entries meet the professional standards of CNWL and the British Dietetic Association

h) To participate in the delivery of group work as directed by supervisor e.g. take responsibility for nutrition group, mealtime goals group

i) Oversee the completion of menus for all patients. This may involve face-to-face discussion with patients.

j) Act as a role model eating with the patients. May be involved in taking patients out for therapeutic snacks, lunch

k) To be involved in food preparation e.g. sandwich making, lunch preparation l) To keep nutrition care plans up to date m) To be involved in student training n) To participate in quality improvement projects and audits

PROFESSIONAL:

1) To deliver training to staff and/or patients e.g. deliver psycho-educational groups, nutrition groups and practical nutrition support groups

2) Participate in the induction of new ward and dietetic staff; demonstrating the role of the Dietetic Assistant as well as informing them about the provision of therapeutic meals, nutritional supplement products and raising nutritional awareness in their ward area.

3) To be involved in project work including audits, working alongside dietitians, other health professionals and catering staff, for example, mealtime observation audits, patient mealtime satisfaction survey.

4) Assist the dietitian with the writing and updating of diet sheets by gathering information and drafting text alongside patients and carers

5) Participate in monthly staff meeting such as staff group and reflective practice

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL:

a) Gathering relevant clinical information from medical and nursing notes, care plans, drug charts, patients and carers

b) Liaise with nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team, for example, Occupational Therapists about the patients nutritional plan

c) Negotiate dietetic interventions in specified situations as per established protocols

d) Assess meal plan compliance

e) Regularly liaise with the supervising dietitian about all aspects of patients nutritional care

f) Monitor patient in order to achieve optimum nutritional intake

g) Record all interventions and actions and ensure that all entries meet the professional standards of CNWL and the British Dietetic Association

h) To participate in the delivery of group work as directed by supervisor e.g. take responsibility for nutrition group, mealtime goals group

i) Oversee the completion of menus for all patients. This may involve face-to-face discussion with patients.

j) Act as a role model eating with the patients. May be involved in taking patients out for therapeutic snacks, lunch

PROFESSIONAL:

1) To deliver training to staff and/or patients e.g. deliver psycho-educational groups, nutrition groups and practical nutrition support groups

4) Assist the dietitian with the writing and updating of diet sheets by gathering information and drafting text alongside patients and carers

5) Participate in monthly staff meeting such as staff group and reflective practice

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NVQ Level3 / 3 A levels or equivalent
Evidence of a good standard of education with 5 GCSE's Grade C and above, or equivalent, including English Language and Maths.
Demonstrate commitment to continued professional development.

Desirable

Nutrition or Health qualification

Previous Experience

Essential

Experience of working independently and reporting back to supervisors
Demonstrate problem solving skills
Experience of working in a health or social care setting/NHS

Desirable

Experience of inpatient or eating disorder
Previous experience of taking groups

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages
Excellent written & Verbal communication skills
Excellent problem solving skills
Able to manage own workload and prioritise
Able to adapt to changing circumstances and adapt treatments appropriately
Able to plan and co-ordinate effectively
Able to use initiative appropriately
Committed to providing high quality patient care
Awareness of potential hazards particularly associated with lone working

Desirable

Knowledge of the trust database: SystmOne

Other

Essential

Ability to travel to multiple sites
Flexible approach to meet the needs of the service
Ability to deal with challenging behaviour
Ability to work as part of a team including examples of implementing and improving processes
An ability to manage time effectively and to prioritise work

Desirable

Car Driver and owner & valid Driving Licence

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NVQ Level3 / 3 A levels or equivalent
Evidence of a good standard of education with 5 GCSE's Grade C and above, or equivalent, including English Language and Maths.
Demonstrate commitment to continued professional development.

Desirable

Nutrition or Health qualification

Previous Experience

Essential

Experience of working independently and reporting back to supervisors
Demonstrate problem solving skills
Experience of working in a health or social care setting/NHS

Desirable

Experience of inpatient or eating disorder
Previous experience of taking groups

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages
Excellent written & Verbal communication skills
Excellent problem solving skills
Able to manage own workload and prioritise
Able to adapt to changing circumstances and adapt treatments appropriately
Able to plan and co-ordinate effectively
Able to use initiative appropriately
Committed to providing high quality patient care
Awareness of potential hazards particularly associated with lone working

Desirable

Knowledge of the trust database: SystmOne

Other

Essential

Ability to travel to multiple sites
Flexible approach to meet the needs of the service
Ability to deal with challenging behaviour
Ability to work as part of a team including examples of implementing and improving processes
An ability to manage time effectively and to prioritise work

Desirable

Car Driver and owner & valid Driving Licence

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).

Additional information