Job summary
We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated paediatric diabetes dietitian to join the Children's Diabetes Team.
The post holder will be a dietitian who has knowledge and understanding of the management of childhood diabetes and shows commitment to working with and supporting children, young people and their families. The applicant will ideally have a minimum of one year post qualification experience. You will work within the well-established, innovative, multi-disciplinary team providing holistic care to all our clients.
As a specialist dietitian, you will be fully involved in the clinical care and education, support and eventual transfer to adult services of the child/young person and their family. This will include participating in the out of hours on-call telephone service. You will work within the hospital setting but the role will entail time within the home and the community; enhancing established links with schools and other community groups and forging new ones. Dedicated children's diabetes clinics are established in five localities within the Trust whilst inpatient care following diagnosis is provided by the two busy children's wards on two main sites.
Previous applicants need not apply
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work collaboratively within the children's diabetes multidisciplinary team at East Kent Hospitals providing a specialist paediatric diabetes dietetic service to children, young people (CYP) with diabetes including their families and carers.
The post holder will participate in the on-call out of hours telephone service for CYP and their families ensuring they have access to specialist diabetes advice and support (pro-rata).
The post holder will contribute to the continuing development of the service.
This role is a Band 5 (training band 6) position and will require the post holder to complete an agreed post-graduate paediatric diabetes course prior to being uplifted to a band 6 position.
About us
We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 695,000 people.
Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference'.
We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day."
Unless you are informed in writing that your post does not require full vaccination, it will be a condition of your employment that you are and remain fully vaccinated for COVID-19 unless you have medical exemption. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of work in compliance with the ethical code of practice set out by the health and Care professions Council (HCPC).
- To work with dietetic colleagues and multidisciplinary diabetes team to formulate and deliver individual diabetes dietetic and education treatment plans for CYP based on a sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, critical thinking, reasoning skills and knowledge of a wide range of dietetic treatments.
- To act as a specialist resource involved in the development and provision of evidence based dietetic diabetes nutrition services.
- To provide high quality specialist clinical advice and educational support to others involved in providing care for people with diabetes in the local community. This will include dietetic advice and support for those requiring insulin pump therapy.
- To work both as an independent practitioner and within a multidisciplinary team to effectively communicate and demonstrate specialist dietetic skills and knowledge in diabetes care.
- To be responsible and accountable for managing and prioritising a patient caseload including patients with complex needs in a range of settings, predominantly in an outpatient setting.
- To be competent in use of information technology, including diabetes management health applications (LibreView, Dexcom Clarity, Medtronic CareLink, Glooko, bolus advisor Apps.)
- To be competent in the use of nutritional databases for determination of nutritional adequacy.
- Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment regimens as required.
- To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload.
- Work within Trust clinical guidelines and to have good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor quality of practice as appropriate.
- To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards of practice.
- To participate pro-rata in the on-call service provided to patients and carers (On completion of a paediatric diabetes module, dietetic competencies and insulin adjustment competencies).
- To attend and support specialist consultant led multidisciplinary clinics where appropriate. To teach patients/families the principles of home blood/glucose/ketone monitoring as required.
- To support families with insulin dose adjustment in line with the Childrens Diabetes Team guidance. (On completion of a paediatric diabetes module, dietetic competencies and insulin adjustment competencies).
Team working and communication
- Represent the service and/or individual CYP at multidisciplinary team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate dietetic therapy into the treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient care and patient progress.
- Use a broad range of counselling techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing to support CYP living with diabetes (and their carers) to engage and manage their diabetes on a daily basis. To listen non-judgementally and empathetically to provide a safe environment to explore current diabetes self-management behaviours and address barriers and facilitators of change.
- To provide specialist dietary advice to CYP and their families, carers and clinicians regarding provision of nutrition and dietetic support based on clinical evidence. This requires detailed nutritional and lifestyle assessment; to include the calculation of nutritional requirements based on the interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometrics, clinical condition and other physical parameters.
- To complement nursing and medical teams with dietary and diabetes medications (including insulin) management decisions by review of self-management behaviours and interpretation of diabetes data (self-reported and via downloaded diabetes technologies: blood glucose meters, sensors and insulin pumps). (On completion of a paediatric diabetes module, dietetic competencies and insulin adjustment competencies).
- Liaise with the catering department to promote optimal nutrition for inpatients if/when needed.
- Demonstrate flexibility in providing cover in times of staff shortage within clinical areas.
- Undertake any other duties appropriate to grade as requested by the lead dietitian/leadership team.
Research and Training
- Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures either individually or with colleagues within dietetics or the multidisciplinary team.
- To participate as directed the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects.
- To research, develop, audit and publish evidence based departmental patient information; literature for use within and outside the trust. Development will include involvement of appropriate patient groups.
Quality
- Plan and organise own workload alongside colleague dietitians ensuring paediatric diabetes structured education and the requirements of the best practice tariff are delivered to CYP and their families in a timely and effective manner.
- To contribute to the department strategy and annual objectives ensuring recommendations from national guidance are captured and actioned.
- To contribute to the resource governance group to ensure all paediatric diabetes patient information is up to date and evidence based.
- To contribute to the departments risk register, CQC action plan, audit plan and clinical governance plan annually.
- To advise line manager of any perceived needs to improve the Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics service to the childrens diabetes service.
- To ensure equipment used for patient care is safe and appropriate (e.g. weighing scales).
- To work closely with the leadership team to ensure childrens diabetes service within East Kent is cost-effective.
Personal and Professional
- To complete a post-graduate paediatric diabetes module within given timeframe.
- To complete paediatric diabetes dietetic competencies relevant to job banding.
- Be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet required knowledge and competency goals.
- Work with the lead dietitian and colleagues to produce a risk management plan and ensure standards are set and reviewed and that the services provided are evaluated.
- Actively participate in, in-service training, tutorials and individual training sessions, external courses and peer review.
- Be actively involved in professional clinical groups and other professional activities (e.g. regional network and national groups).
- Regularly attend and participate in the regional network dietetic meeting and attend monthly team multidisciplinary service development meetings.
- Assist the lead dietitian in ensuring resources are used to best effect and in appropriate aspects of budget management.
- Work closely with paediatric diabetes nurses to develop and implement structured education for young people with Diabetes.
VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS
The post holder is required to uphold and model the Trust values in everything they do.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of work in compliance with the ethical code of practice set out by the health and Care professions Council (HCPC).
- To work with dietetic colleagues and multidisciplinary diabetes team to formulate and deliver individual diabetes dietetic and education treatment plans for CYP based on a sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment, critical thinking, reasoning skills and knowledge of a wide range of dietetic treatments.
- To act as a specialist resource involved in the development and provision of evidence based dietetic diabetes nutrition services.
- To provide high quality specialist clinical advice and educational support to others involved in providing care for people with diabetes in the local community. This will include dietetic advice and support for those requiring insulin pump therapy.
- To work both as an independent practitioner and within a multidisciplinary team to effectively communicate and demonstrate specialist dietetic skills and knowledge in diabetes care.
- To be responsible and accountable for managing and prioritising a patient caseload including patients with complex needs in a range of settings, predominantly in an outpatient setting.
- To be competent in use of information technology, including diabetes management health applications (LibreView, Dexcom Clarity, Medtronic CareLink, Glooko, bolus advisor Apps.)
- To be competent in the use of nutritional databases for determination of nutritional adequacy.
- Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
- Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment regimens as required.
- To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload.
- Work within Trust clinical guidelines and to have good working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor quality of practice as appropriate.
- To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line with British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards of practice.
- To participate pro-rata in the on-call service provided to patients and carers (On completion of a paediatric diabetes module, dietetic competencies and insulin adjustment competencies).
- To attend and support specialist consultant led multidisciplinary clinics where appropriate. To teach patients/families the principles of home blood/glucose/ketone monitoring as required.
- To support families with insulin dose adjustment in line with the Childrens Diabetes Team guidance. (On completion of a paediatric diabetes module, dietetic competencies and insulin adjustment competencies).
Team working and communication
- Represent the service and/or individual CYP at multidisciplinary team meetings, to ensure the delivery of a coordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate dietetic therapy into the treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient care and patient progress.
- Use a broad range of counselling techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing to support CYP living with diabetes (and their carers) to engage and manage their diabetes on a daily basis. To listen non-judgementally and empathetically to provide a safe environment to explore current diabetes self-management behaviours and address barriers and facilitators of change.
- To provide specialist dietary advice to CYP and their families, carers and clinicians regarding provision of nutrition and dietetic support based on clinical evidence. This requires detailed nutritional and lifestyle assessment; to include the calculation of nutritional requirements based on the interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometrics, clinical condition and other physical parameters.
- To complement nursing and medical teams with dietary and diabetes medications (including insulin) management decisions by review of self-management behaviours and interpretation of diabetes data (self-reported and via downloaded diabetes technologies: blood glucose meters, sensors and insulin pumps). (On completion of a paediatric diabetes module, dietetic competencies and insulin adjustment competencies).
- Liaise with the catering department to promote optimal nutrition for inpatients if/when needed.
- Demonstrate flexibility in providing cover in times of staff shortage within clinical areas.
- Undertake any other duties appropriate to grade as requested by the lead dietitian/leadership team.
Research and Training
- Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures either individually or with colleagues within dietetics or the multidisciplinary team.
- To participate as directed the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects.
- To research, develop, audit and publish evidence based departmental patient information; literature for use within and outside the trust. Development will include involvement of appropriate patient groups.
Quality
- Plan and organise own workload alongside colleague dietitians ensuring paediatric diabetes structured education and the requirements of the best practice tariff are delivered to CYP and their families in a timely and effective manner.
- To contribute to the department strategy and annual objectives ensuring recommendations from national guidance are captured and actioned.
- To contribute to the resource governance group to ensure all paediatric diabetes patient information is up to date and evidence based.
- To contribute to the departments risk register, CQC action plan, audit plan and clinical governance plan annually.
- To advise line manager of any perceived needs to improve the Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics service to the childrens diabetes service.
- To ensure equipment used for patient care is safe and appropriate (e.g. weighing scales).
- To work closely with the leadership team to ensure childrens diabetes service within East Kent is cost-effective.
Personal and Professional
- To complete a post-graduate paediatric diabetes module within given timeframe.
- To complete paediatric diabetes dietetic competencies relevant to job banding.
- Be responsible for complying with your agreed personal development programmes to meet required knowledge and competency goals.
- Work with the lead dietitian and colleagues to produce a risk management plan and ensure standards are set and reviewed and that the services provided are evaluated.
- Actively participate in, in-service training, tutorials and individual training sessions, external courses and peer review.
- Be actively involved in professional clinical groups and other professional activities (e.g. regional network and national groups).
- Regularly attend and participate in the regional network dietetic meeting and attend monthly team multidisciplinary service development meetings.
- Assist the lead dietitian in ensuring resources are used to best effect and in appropriate aspects of budget management.
- Work closely with paediatric diabetes nurses to develop and implement structured education for young people with Diabetes.
VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS
The post holder is required to uphold and model the Trust values in everything they do.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc Nutrition and Dietetics
- Current registration with HCPC
- One year post qualification
- Completion of recognised course specific to paediatric diabetes (or willingness to undertake)
Desirable
- Member of BDA
- Experience of teaching
- Member of specialist interest group
clinical/ experience
Essential
- Experience working in NHS healthcare
- Evidence of dietetic management of a wide range of general clinical conditions
- Demonstrates teaching skills/ experience
Desirable
- Experience working with people with diabetes
- Experience working with children and young people
- Evidence of MDT working
- Evidence of on-going continued professional development
- Experience of delivering structured patient education/ to other professionals
personal attributes
Essential
- Clear communication e.g written application
- Reference to trust values
Desirable
- Evidence of good time management
- Evidence of good working relations
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BSc Nutrition and Dietetics
- Current registration with HCPC
- One year post qualification
- Completion of recognised course specific to paediatric diabetes (or willingness to undertake)
Desirable
- Member of BDA
- Experience of teaching
- Member of specialist interest group
clinical/ experience
Essential
- Experience working in NHS healthcare
- Evidence of dietetic management of a wide range of general clinical conditions
- Demonstrates teaching skills/ experience
Desirable
- Experience working with people with diabetes
- Experience working with children and young people
- Evidence of MDT working
- Evidence of on-going continued professional development
- Experience of delivering structured patient education/ to other professionals
personal attributes
Essential
- Clear communication e.g written application
- Reference to trust values
Desirable
- Evidence of good time management
- Evidence of good working relations
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).
