Dietetic Assistant Practitioner

Job responsibilities

1. Professional

To contribute to the writing and development of departmental and implement Trust wide/departmental policies, procedures and guidelines.

Maintain a professional appearance in line with the Trust dress code

Uphold the Trusts values and behaviours (available on the Trust web site) and behave in a manner fitting with the responsible position of the post holder, maintaining the public confidence

Maintain professional and courteous working relationships with staff and respect the equality and diversity of each and every person he/she comes into contact with in the course of his/her business

Uphold the privacy and dignity of the patient and respect the equality of patients at all time

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust acknowledges and supports the statements laid down by the Health & Care Professionals Council Code of Professional Conduct

You are accountable contractually to your employer and accountable to the law for your actions.

Professional accountability is fundamentally concerned with weighing up the interests of patients and clients in complex situations, using professional knowledge, judgement and skills to make a decision and enabling you to account for the decision made.

2. Key Responsibilities

To work to the National Professional Standards for Dietitians practicing in healthcare.

To provide cover for colleagues during spells of absence (e.g. annual leave), as determined by service needs

To be responsible for maintaining own continual professional development

To give talks and presentations, e.g. wound care, cardiac rehabilitation

To ensure that all groups of the population irrespective of age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, culture and circumstances receive an appropriate nutritional intake.

Provide health promotion advice on study days etc. to health professionals and members of the general public

To be professionally and legally accountable and responsible for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care, both inpatients and outpatients.

To develop and implement treatment plans for patients following assessment and analysis of diagnostic criteria, nutritional history, biochemical and clinical data, and social/psychological circumstances.

To provide individualised nutritional care plans for patients.

To continually develop and maintain practical and theoretical skills through continuing professional development by attending relevant study days, tutorials, and through case load experience.

To produce evidence based information in various media for all users

To know the professional and personal scope of own practice and make appropriate and timely referrals to other agencies.

To be able to use research, clinical reasoning and problem solving skills to identify the therapeutic benefit of client centred interventions and make professional judgements with individuals with diverse or complex needs, or multiple problems.

To undertake visits and/or assessments in a variety of settings as required by the need of the service, including the ward, department, home or other community environments.

To be involved in the triaging of referrals into the dietetic service prioritising and signposting as appropriate

Give accurate feedback and advice to relevant staff i.e. GP, medical staff, nurses, co- coordinators, other health care professionals and family/carers.

To be aware of and act appropriately with regards to own and others personal safety when working in community setting, including the ability to effectively deal with and de-escalate confrontational situations.

To be expected to work alone on a regular basis and to be potentially exposed to undesirable home environments with varying degrees of cleanliness, space and temperatures.

Work effectively as a member of the interdisciplinary team

The post holder may regularly be exposed to distressing circumstances, e.g. Dealing with a range of patients/careers who may be distressed or have challenging behaviour

To maintain confidentiality in line with Professional, National and Trust standards and policies.

Communication skills of persuasion, motivation, explanation and gaining informed consent will be used with a variety of patients, occasionally those with complex emotional, physical and psychological conditions. To understand and overcome barriers to effective communication, e.g. loss of hearing, affected perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, pain, fear and language barriers.

To communicate complex information effectively, overcoming barriers to understanding, with patients, carers and the wider MDT to ensure understanding of condition and dietary treatment, in general wards, outpatient clinics, and community settings, as required

Undertake timely and accurate computerised collection of data on patient referrals, contacts and outcomes.

To review and reflect on own practice and make effective use of regular supervision and appraisal, in line with the Trusts Appraisal and Clinical Supervision policies.

To contribute to the setting and maintenance of quality standards within the Dietetic Service

To take an active role in the facilitation of ongoing development within the Dietetic teams

To contribute to developments in service delivery within the Dietetic Service in line with National guidelines and government and/or Trust initiatives.

To actively participate in the delivery of the Therapies plan

To demonstrate understanding of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on Dietetic Service provision

3. Resources and Finance

Critically examine working practices within the department, particularly around use of Home Enteral Feeding Equipment, to identify cost improvements and effective measures, develop and implement action plans. Monitor/order equipment as required

Ensure the proper use of the Trusts resources such as stationery, telephone usage, photocopying and other consumables in the course of business, ensuring minimal waste and minimal cost

4. Organisational Responsibilities

To maintain the confidentiality of the Trust in respect of patient and staff information obtained at all times, and use such information only as authorised for specific purposes. Report any concerns about the use of such information to the senior manager.

5. Personal Responsibilities

The post-holder is responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to himself/herself as well as for any colleagues, patients or visitors who might be affected by any act or failure to act by the post-holder in accordance with the Trusts policies on Health and Safety at Work.

To report any accident, untoward incident or loss relating to staff, patients or visitors according to Trust policies.

To undertake in-service training relevant to the post.

Comply with Trust Policies and Procedures.

6. Area of work

Will be required to undertake training events at any site across the trust

May be required to work on other wards/ department within the Trust at short notice to cover unplanned sickness or to cover planned sickness or annual leave on other wards/departments

7. Staff Development, Training and Education

The post holder will be required to undertake mandatory training and is responsible for keeping this training up to date

The post holder will have an appraisal of performance each year and will be responsible for agreeing a development plan in line with the Trusts (KSF) Knowledge & Skill Framework, in agreement with their manager or immediate supervisor. The development plan will be reviewed each year

The Trust will provide assistance and agreed development to enable the post holder to achieve their objectives and standards in line with the development plan

If the post holder feels he/she is not achieving their objective as agreed in the development plan they will bring it to the attention of their supervisor or manager at the earliest opportunity

To demonstrate the ability to initiate, plan and implement the induction, training and education of students and other staff within the Dietetic team.

To participate in the team in-service development programmes and accepts lead responsibility for the dissemination of specific information e.g. organisation of Departmental PD meetings.

To disseminate knowledge and information gained, via personal and professional development, to other members of the Dietetic team.

To accept responsibility to actively participate in the education and training of non-qualified Healthcare Staff.

To facilitate behavioural change in patients using CBT techniques and motivational interviewing

To demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate current research and apply to practice.

To be responsible for evaluating own performance and identifying own training needs.

To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and external training opportunities.

To use reflective practice to compile a professional portfolio record of continuing professional development, in line with the Trust policy.

To broaden research and development skills through participation in local audit and research projects as delegated by the Service Lead /Team Leader.

8. Health and Safety

Work in accordance with Health and Safety regulations at all time

Report any incidents of breaches of Health and Safety and report any dangerous acts or omissions that are seen in the course of duty that compromise the Health and Safety of staff or patients using the Trust Health and Safety policy

Comply with audit recommendations and risk assessment recommendations to make the workplace and work practice safer

Assist when required to do so, in any risk assessment activity undertaken.

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ level 3 or diploma or A levels (including science), or equivalent experience (previous HCA or therapy/dietetic support worker)
• Willing to complete core training programme for Dietetic Assistants.
• Achieving or willing to work towards qualification for foundation degree
• GCSE level English and Maths or equivalent

Desirable

• Basic food hygiene.
• Certificate of Higher Education in Nutritional Health

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working within a care environment or with relevant service groups.
• Experience of working with and supporting people to make changes in order to influence their health.
• Experience of working with specialist clinical areas
• Previous extensive experience as a dietetic assistant/ support worker in a hospital setting
• Previous experience working in a Multidisciplinary team in health, social care or education

Desirable

• Previous experience of working within an acute hospital environment.
• Experience of working with a mixed caseload of patients/clients with various needs and challenges.
• Awareness of healthcare nutrition needs of a hospital population.
• Experience of working with groups.
• Experiencing of delivering training.
• Basic counselling skills

Knowledge and Awareness

Essential

• Knowledge of the client group and evidence of related training.
• Previous competency based training in a relevant field
• An understanding of the needs and issues concerning illness and disability and the effect on nutritional intake.
• An ability to work on own and make appropriate decisions, seeking help appropriately particularly in unforeseen circumstances.
• An understanding of the issues when working in service users own homes if appropriate: Lone working awareness.
• Health and Safety awareness.

Desirable

• Understanding & knowledge of specialist equipment.
• Understanding of wider interagency issues.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of current food and nutrition issues.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Effective oral communication skills with individual patients using verbal and non verbal communication skills.
• Effective communication skills with Consultants, GPs, nursing staff, carers and relatives.
• Evidence of professional development, commitment to lifelong learning
• Accurate basic keyboard skills data inputting, word processing, internet and dietary analysis.
• Accurate anthropometrical measurement skills.
• Goal setting and negotiating skills.
• Evaluation and audit skills.
• Ability to produce effective evidence based resources
• Good presentation skills and ability to work with individuals and groups.
• Able to work on own initiative within competency base, planning and prioritising own workload and that of supervisees.
• Knowledge of the effect of nutrition on the health and wellbeing of patients in acute care.
• Demonstrates positive attitudes and behaviours.
• Able to work independently with service users without direct supervision.
• Problem solving/decision making skills based on patients needs.
• Ability to deal sensitively with distressing, emotional situations.
• Ability to relate to others and adapt approach accordingly.
• Able to motivate others.
• Awareness of cultural issues and valuing diversity.

Desirable

• Ability to cope with distressing situations.
• Awareness of standards of record keeping.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Confident, Caring and Empathetic.
• Self motivated.
• Flexible adaptive and creative.
• Able to respond to unpredictable work patterns and frequent interruptions.
• Able to set priorities.
• Able to reflect and appraise own performance.
• Able to maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Able to organise information.
• Effective team worker.
• Demonstrates professional demeanour at all times.

Other

Essential

• Able to fulfil occupational health requirements of the post.
• Able to fulfil the physical requirements of the post, e.g. periods of standing/sitting in a variety of settings.
• Car driver with car available for work purposes.

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).