Job summary
Band 6 Dietitian: Neurology and ICU
1.0 WTE band 6, permanent
North Bristol NHS Trust are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated dietitian to work within the acute dietetic team here at Southmead Hospital. This B6 post would suit a dietitian who has experience of nutrition support in a variety of clinical conditions, specifically neurology.
The acute work will provide nutrition support to the neurology inpatient ward and to the intensive care unit. In addition, set up and run a monthly Parkinson's clinic and continue the monthly Huntington's clinic. With the opportunity to provide clinical support to the wider department during periods of annual leave or unplanned leave.
Our department is heavily involved in student training and this post will support our student lead to plan and facilitate student work.
The post is supported by a team leader and by the wider acute team.
To learn more about working as a dietitian at NBT, click here to watch the video.
Main duties of the job
The post holder's responsibilities include:
About us
As part of our commitment to service improvement and quality, we would expect you to undertake audit and be involved with research projects relevant to the post, and our department encourages and supports CPD.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide an evidenced based inpatient service to the Neurology, Elective Surgical and Complex medical wards. To provide cover to a monthly Huntingtons clinic and set up a monthly Parkinsons.
This means;
- Providing expert advice to patients, carers and clinicians (both within NBT and areas served by the specialist units) about the most effective nutritional treatment.
- Liaising with members of the health care team in hospital and in the community to ensure they are fully informed and able to support the patient in implementing the appropriate nutritional prescription / management for their condition.
- To be responsible for and manage a defined clinical caseload alongside this training role. The caseload will include complex cases, with multiple pathologies, which the post-holder will manage with minimal supervision from a more senior Dietitian
- To be trained (to green card level) to use the Nutricia feeding pumps. To advise and deliver training on safe usage of enteral feeding pumps to ward-based staff, patients and carer (daily event).
- To contribute towards training other health care professionals in NG and nasal bridle placement
- To be able to state Trust enteral nutrition policy. To be able to set up an enteral feed and advise medical and nursing staff, patients and carers about safe placement of enteral feeding tubes (NG, PEG, jejunal)
- To deliver enteral training to patient/family/carers to facilitate safe discharge into the community with enteral tubes
- To contribute towards changes to the Trust enteral nutrition policy, identifying any training needs as a result and implement a clear dissemination programme
- To undertake nutritional assessment of patients based on history taking and interpretation of biochemistry and other diagnostic tests, anthropometry and clinical condition
- To develop nutritional care plans which are both realistic and practical for the patient and carers, taking into account medical, social, cultural and psychological factors
- To ensure that patients and their carers understand their condition / diagnosis, the options for nutritional treatment and the implications of compliance or non-compliance. To discuss and agree dietary and medical targets
- To assess suitability of patients current medical treatment in relation to their symptoms and dietary patterns and recommend changes in treatment to physician or GP
- To facilitate behaviour change and negotiate dietary and lifestyle changes with patients, enabling them to achieve agreed dietary and medical targets even where there are significant psychological, social or cultural hurdles to overcome. This will be aided by postgraduate training in counselling, motivational approaches and behaviour change
- To monitor and review the outcomes of nutritional and behaviour change interventions and adjust care plans to facilitate achievement of required goals
- To act on the findings of dietetic assessment and planning, liaising as necessary with members of the health care team in hospital and in the community to support the client in implementing appropriate nutritional prescription / management for their condition
- To attend and actively participate in ward rounds and MDT meetings to provide expert nutrition and dietetic opinion and communicate with other health professionals to contribute to the most effective treatment and safe discharge of patients
- Take steps to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other members of the MDT and wider PCT-based care teams
- Within defined caseload, to review patients prior to insertion of NG or Gastrostomy tube to verify appropriateness of procedure and to advise the Endoscopy Unit/Interventional Radiologists of the findings. To supervise and co-ordinate, on behalf of the MDT, all aspects of the safe and timely discharge of patients on artificial nutrition support including liaison with the Avon Home Management Service (HMS) and social services
- To maintain adequate written and electronic records and statistics of all assessments and interventions in line with local and national standards. To ensure that all records are stored securely
- To record and submit clinical and professional activity data according to departmental and national standards
- To prescribe nutritional items from the Dietetic Formulary and to advise on their safe usage. To take responsibility for the monitoring of patients who are prescribed specialist non-Formulary nutritional products
- In conjunction with colleagues, to review, update, produce or procure educational resources which are acceptable to users of the service and their carers. To evaluate resources to ensure they are effective. To use all resources efficiently and with care
- To provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide an evidenced based inpatient service to the Neurology, Elective Surgical and Complex medical wards. To provide cover to a monthly Huntingtons clinic and set up a monthly Parkinsons.
This means;
- Providing expert advice to patients, carers and clinicians (both within NBT and areas served by the specialist units) about the most effective nutritional treatment.
- Liaising with members of the health care team in hospital and in the community to ensure they are fully informed and able to support the patient in implementing the appropriate nutritional prescription / management for their condition.
- To be responsible for and manage a defined clinical caseload alongside this training role. The caseload will include complex cases, with multiple pathologies, which the post-holder will manage with minimal supervision from a more senior Dietitian
- To be trained (to green card level) to use the Nutricia feeding pumps. To advise and deliver training on safe usage of enteral feeding pumps to ward-based staff, patients and carer (daily event).
- To contribute towards training other health care professionals in NG and nasal bridle placement
- To be able to state Trust enteral nutrition policy. To be able to set up an enteral feed and advise medical and nursing staff, patients and carers about safe placement of enteral feeding tubes (NG, PEG, jejunal)
- To deliver enteral training to patient/family/carers to facilitate safe discharge into the community with enteral tubes
- To contribute towards changes to the Trust enteral nutrition policy, identifying any training needs as a result and implement a clear dissemination programme
- To undertake nutritional assessment of patients based on history taking and interpretation of biochemistry and other diagnostic tests, anthropometry and clinical condition
- To develop nutritional care plans which are both realistic and practical for the patient and carers, taking into account medical, social, cultural and psychological factors
- To ensure that patients and their carers understand their condition / diagnosis, the options for nutritional treatment and the implications of compliance or non-compliance. To discuss and agree dietary and medical targets
- To assess suitability of patients current medical treatment in relation to their symptoms and dietary patterns and recommend changes in treatment to physician or GP
- To facilitate behaviour change and negotiate dietary and lifestyle changes with patients, enabling them to achieve agreed dietary and medical targets even where there are significant psychological, social or cultural hurdles to overcome. This will be aided by postgraduate training in counselling, motivational approaches and behaviour change
- To monitor and review the outcomes of nutritional and behaviour change interventions and adjust care plans to facilitate achievement of required goals
- To act on the findings of dietetic assessment and planning, liaising as necessary with members of the health care team in hospital and in the community to support the client in implementing appropriate nutritional prescription / management for their condition
- To attend and actively participate in ward rounds and MDT meetings to provide expert nutrition and dietetic opinion and communicate with other health professionals to contribute to the most effective treatment and safe discharge of patients
- Take steps to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other members of the MDT and wider PCT-based care teams
- Within defined caseload, to review patients prior to insertion of NG or Gastrostomy tube to verify appropriateness of procedure and to advise the Endoscopy Unit/Interventional Radiologists of the findings. To supervise and co-ordinate, on behalf of the MDT, all aspects of the safe and timely discharge of patients on artificial nutrition support including liaison with the Avon Home Management Service (HMS) and social services
- To maintain adequate written and electronic records and statistics of all assessments and interventions in line with local and national standards. To ensure that all records are stored securely
- To record and submit clinical and professional activity data according to departmental and national standards
- To prescribe nutritional items from the Dietetic Formulary and to advise on their safe usage. To take responsibility for the monitoring of patients who are prescribed specialist non-Formulary nutritional products
- In conjunction with colleagues, to review, update, produce or procure educational resources which are acceptable to users of the service and their carers. To evaluate resources to ensure they are effective. To use all resources efficiently and with care
- To provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Have attained second gateway of Band 5 and have attained or be working towards first gateway of Band 6.
- Experience of a wide range of clinical conditions including nutrition support pts
Desirable
- Experience of support to neurology patients
Knowledge
Essential
- Detailed knowledge of common clinical conditions and best dietetic management.
- Evidence of professional development plan and commitment to lifelong learning
Desirable
- Experience of participating in audit or a research project
Personal Skills
Essential
- Evidence of ability to keep things in perspective and deal with unpredictable work patterns
- Self-motivating and willing to seek out learning opportunities.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Have attained second gateway of Band 5 and have attained or be working towards first gateway of Band 6.
- Experience of a wide range of clinical conditions including nutrition support pts
Desirable
- Experience of support to neurology patients
Knowledge
Essential
- Detailed knowledge of common clinical conditions and best dietetic management.
- Evidence of professional development plan and commitment to lifelong learning
Desirable
- Experience of participating in audit or a research project
Personal Skills
Essential
- Evidence of ability to keep things in perspective and deal with unpredictable work patterns
- Self-motivating and willing to seek out learning opportunities.
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.
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).
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.
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).
