Lead Dietitian for Obesity

Job description

Job responsibilities

Knowledge

• At least 5 years post-qualification experience as a dietitian with experience at least Band 7second gateway

• Familiarity with principles of clinical governance and guidelines for best practice

• Post-graduate training in behaviour change skills

• Detailed knowledge of and adherence to Trust and departmental policies and procedures, national guidelines and professional standards and codes of conduct.

• Knowledge of research and audit methodology.

• Computer literate with experience of using Microsoft Office applications e.g. Word, Excel, Access, etc.

Training

• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

• Accredited management and/or obesity related qualification or working towards. e.g. maters/ diploma

• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development.

Experience

• Highly specialist knowledge in weight management, as evidenced by higher degree/diploma level qualification (or equivalent)

• Experience in team leader roles such as, operational management, professional leadership, recruitment and selection, induction, and appraisal

• Experience of service redesign and development, service evaluation and change management.

• Experience of applying audit and research to the provision of evidence-based services.

• Experience of teaching and training.

• Able to identify own professional development needs and maintain a professional portfolio.

Clinical Skills

• Demonstrate highly specialist knowledge, underpinned by evidence- based practice to inform clinical judgements and decisions.

• Demonstrate advanced skills in dealing with a complex caseload and generating appropriate management strategies.

• Undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous highly skilled practitioner withadvanced clinical reasoning skills.

• Accurate and timely completion of records and documentation.

• Organise and prioritise own workload, delegating as appropriate.

• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and healthcare professionals

• Be a source of clinical expertise for other Nutrition and Dietetics staff both within the Trust and externally.

• Collaboratively contribute to multidisciplinary discussions to ensure that a well co-ordinated care and management plan is developed.

• Comply with all core skills for dietetic practice.

Communication

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Counselling skills to communicate complex information

• Advanced communication and negotiation skills e.g. motivational interviewing,

• Supporting the implementation of training programmes dietitians and the wider multidisciplinary team.

• Access and evaluate complex information and data from a variety of sources to aid planning and service development.

Management and Professional Leadership

In conjunction with the head of service and non-clinical management team:

• Day to day management and leadership of the tier 3 and 4 dietetic team to include organisation of the pathway work and oversite of the dietetic team budget

• Proven leadership and managerial skills to lead a clinical team.

• Able to provide specialist advice to facilitate organisational change and service developments which support the objectives of the Trust and Weight management services.

• To participate in service planning, review and evaluation to ensure a modern and clinically effective service. To advise the Clinical lead for weight management of new or changing service needs.

• In conjunction with the head of service and non-clinical management team to initiate and support recruitment to include advertising, short-listing, interviewing and induction of new personnel

• Experienced in supervision, mentoring and support of less experienced staff.

• Provide clinical advice to other practitioners as required.

• Conduct staff appraisals and identify continuing professional development needs.

• Demonstrate a good understanding of clinical research methods and outcomes, particularly in relation to own area of expertise.

• Apply the principles of clinical governance to professional practice.

• Manage time effectively and prioritise a complex workload independently.

• Excellent clinical reasoning skills.

Main responsibilities of the job:

Clinical

• Responsible for the management of a highly specialist and complex caseload including tier 3 patients.

• Work as an autonomous advanced practitioner having professional and legal accountability in accordance with occupational standards and codes of practice.

• Support the setting up and reviewing of the pathways supporting weight medications.

• Support and attend governance meetings across the service

• Prioritise workload and balance clinical, non-clinical and professional demands appropriately.

• Ensure that accurate and comprehensive patient records are kept.

• Assess capacity for consent with patients and whenever possible ensure that valid informed consent is agreed with the patient working within the legal framework.

• • Communicate with patients who have complex emotional, physical and psychological conditions.

• Maintain competency to practice through continuing professional development activities and maintain a personal portfolio.

• Evaluate current Nutrition and Dietetics practice through the application of evidence-based outcomes, audit, research, etc.

• Attend regular clinical supervision sessions.

• Attend meetings, multidisciplinary discussions and case conferences as required.

• Recognise potential breakdown or conflict and generate solutions.

• Deal with complaints sensitively and in accordance with the Trusts Complaints Procedure.

• Where appropriate, refer clients to other services and agencies.

• Undertake advisory work and provide expert second opinion where necessary.

Professional Management and Leadership

• Day to day management and leadership of the bariatric dietetic team to include organisation of clinical cover, out-patient clinic cover and junior staff

• To participate in service planning, review and evaluation to ensure a modern and clinically effective service..

• Interpret national and local strategy and policy relevant to Nutrition and Dietetics and evaluate the implications to service delivery and development.

• Undertake appraisal (including KSF) and performance management of team members according to Trust guidelines

• Maintain continuing professional development in the areas of management and leadership.

• Ensure that all team members undertake mandatory training in line with the department post-qualification training policy

• Monitor and manage sickness absence in line with Trust policy.

• In conjunction with the clinical lead, to be responsible for recruitment to the bariatric team to include advertising, short-listing, interviewing and induction of new personnel

• Promote evidence-based reflection, ensuring that clinical effectiveness is embedded into practice.

• Supporting policy development and implementation, ensuring compliance with legal and statutory requirements.

• Identify and develop information technology provision as necessary.

• Be accountable for own and others professional actions and recognise professional boundaries through the interpretation of clinical and professional policies.

• Work with other AHPs to ensure seamless, co-ordinated care and contribute to the overall strategy for Therapy services.

• To be responsible for the teams compliance with Trust and Directorate policies, including Health and Safety and departmental policies. Identify areas for development and review

• Delegated management or deputy responsibilities as requested by the Head of Dietetics.

Service Evaluation and Planning

• To lead the development and introduction of best-practice nutritional policies and guidelines for the weight management services at NBT. This will require you to influence a wide range of health professionals including pharmacists, nurses and medical staff.

• To represent the weight management service at relevant working groups and committees at NBT and nationally and to make the clinical leads aware of the issues under discussion and any implications for the service.

• To make the clinical leads aware of capacity and demand issues to ensure that service objectives are met.

• To incorporate feedback from service users to improve services.

• To support and participate in the weight management service clinical governance programme.

Education, Research and Development

• Identify training needs within the weight management service and co-ordinate the development of others to reflect organisational priorities.

• Support the development, implementation and evaluation of training provided by Nutrition and Dietetics staff.

• Develop and deliver training programmes as appropriate.

• Ensure that a robust programme to support student placements and assessments is in place.

• Provide clinical and management supervision as appropriate.

• To inspire dietetic team members to take part in R+D activities, leading by example and undertaking research and audit projects in line with the department R+D strategy.

• To disseminate the results at local and national level e.g. by poster or oral presentation or by submission to peer-reviewed journals.

Resource Management

• Identify resources to support research and audit projects.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• HCPC registered dietitian
• Achieved at least second gateway Band 7 level

Desirable

• Obesity related masters/ post graduate qualification
• Experience managing a team

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

North Bristol NHS Trust

Address

Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust

Brunel Building, Southmead Hospital

Bristol

BS10 5NB

Employer's website

https://www.nbt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)