Job summary
Food First Lead Dietitian (Band 7)
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics
Hours: up to 37.5 hours / week - fixed term contract / secondment opportunity
1 year from October 2025
Are you an experienced Community Dietitian ready to take the next step in your career?
We have an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and motivated individual to lead our Food First and Prescribing Support Dietetic Service in Milton Keynes.
This is a 12-month leadership role within our innovative and supportive community dietetic team, working across care homes and primary care settings. You'll lead a small, dedicated team comprising a Dietitian and a Dietetic Assistant Practitioner, collaborating closely with colleagues across Bedfordshire and Luton.
This role is ideal for a dietitian with substantial community experience and a passion for service development and leadership. You'll bring strong communication, time management, and teamworking skills, along with the flexibility to adapt in a fast-paced environment.
You'll be part of a vibrant department based at Milton Keynes University Hospital, home to over 30 registered dietitians, dietetic support workers, and admin staff. Our service spans acute, community, paediatric, and learning disability care.
We pride ourselves on our collaborative culture, excellent support systems, and commitment to professional development. We also host student placements from the University of Surrey, and Oxford Brookes University.
Interview date:14.07.25
Main duties of the job
What We Offer:
A forward-thinking, friendly team environment
Strong admin and assistant support
On-site accommodation (subject to availability)
Access to CPD and leadership development opportunities
Support from a dedicated Therapy Practice Education Team
Aim of the role
Develop, lead, and coordinate a Food First team in Milton Keynes.
The post holder will have knowledge of emerging clinical developments, provide advice to inform service development in the speciality in support of the Dietetic Service Lead.
To demonstrate and role model specialist clinical assessment and treatment skills for an agreed caseload of patients.
To continually review staffing levels/skill mix in accordance with the changing needs of the service and informing the Dietetic Service Lead of any problems that may arise.
To act as a source of expertise in specialist area for patients, carers, medical staff and other health professionals, prescribing support team, GPs and colleagues.
About us
73.8% of this team would strongly recommend their organisation as an excellent place to work.NHS Survey, 2024
We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute
- Free on-site parking
- Free refreshments
- Great flexible workingopportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership and Management
To provide clinical and managerial leadership to the Food First team by working collaboratively with other Lead Dietitians and the Dietetic Service Lead.
To plan and co-ordinate the day-to-day provision of Food First team
To provide leadership and oversight for the care home programme which works with all care homes for older people to meet and maintain the Care Quality Commissions (CQC) regulation 14 (meeting nutritional and hydration needs) and Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) priorities.
Clinical Practice
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your own work, ensuring a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management by supporting more junior staff to do likewise.
- To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of community patients and to organise this effectively and efficiently regarding clinical priorities and use of time. To oversee the caseloads of more junior staff.
To undertake comprehensive specialist assessment, treatment and discharge of patients including those with diverse and complex presentations and multiple pathologies. Use specialist clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, investigative and analytical skills.
Professional Duties
To maintain own competency to practice through CPD activities, demonstrating awareness of new trends and developments and their incorporation into practice as necessary.
To actively participate in the in-service training programmes by attending and delivering presentations, tutorials, individual training sessions, peer review, external courses and professional clinical interest groups.
Governance
To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and their application to work situation.
To assess and manage clinical risk within patient caseload in a wide variety of settings, providing guidance to junior staff.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership and Management
To provide clinical and managerial leadership to the Food First team by working collaboratively with other Lead Dietitians and the Dietetic Service Lead.
To plan and co-ordinate the day-to-day provision of Food First team
To provide leadership and oversight for the care home programme which works with all care homes for older people to meet and maintain the Care Quality Commissions (CQC) regulation 14 (meeting nutritional and hydration needs) and Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) priorities.
Clinical Practice
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your own work, ensuring a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management by supporting more junior staff to do likewise.
- To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of community patients and to organise this effectively and efficiently regarding clinical priorities and use of time. To oversee the caseloads of more junior staff.
To undertake comprehensive specialist assessment, treatment and discharge of patients including those with diverse and complex presentations and multiple pathologies. Use specialist clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, investigative and analytical skills.
Professional Duties
To maintain own competency to practice through CPD activities, demonstrating awareness of new trends and developments and their incorporation into practice as necessary.
To actively participate in the in-service training programmes by attending and delivering presentations, tutorials, individual training sessions, peer review, external courses and professional clinical interest groups.
Governance
To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and their application to work situation.
To assess and manage clinical risk within patient caseload in a wide variety of settings, providing guidance to junior staff.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Registered as a Dietitian with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Evidence of a range of specialist continuing professional development
- Member of relevant specialist interest group (Relevant to area of specialty)
- Student Supervisory Skills training
- Level 7 Qualification in Nutrition Support or equivalent experience
- Awareness of NHS and Trust systems, policies, procedures and current changes
- Sound therapeutic and clinical knowledge
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge and awareness of national guidelines relevant to specialist area
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of evidence based clinical practice for a range of conditions relevant to area of speciality
Desirable
- Membership of relevant professional association i.e. British Dietetic Association (BDA)
- Management or leadership training or qualification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in applying Therapeutic process to include assessment, interpretation, individual care planning, motivation, monitoring and evaluation of highly specialised treatment in area of speciality
- Experience of working with patients in relevant specialist area
- Active member of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) including liaison with clinical specialists, GP, specialist nurses, community teams etc
- Supervision, appraisal and training of junior members of staff and students
- Ability to autonomously manage a caseload of highly complex patients
- Ability to undertake projects within specialist area e.g. using NICE guidance, benchmarking and clinical audit
- Ability to lead and participate in departmental audits and review of Trust Policy
- Proven leadership experience in relevant clinical specialty or similar clinical field
- Experience in service development /improvement, including project planning from objective setting to evaluating outcomes.
- Experience of organising and providing training for other health professionals
- Experience of developing and implementing clinical guidance
- Knowledge and understanding of wider issues facing the NHS
- Understanding of national strategies and policies relating to nutrition, health and social care as relevant to the post.
Skills
Essential
- Proven time management skills
- Ability to remain flexible when organising and prioritising own clinical and non-clinical caseload
- High level of written and verbal communication including report writing skills
- Advanced skills in the assessment and treatment of patients in relevant clinical area
- Ability to present and teach information to junior and assistant staff and students as part of an inservice programme
- Ability to maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up to date documentation, in line with legal and Trust standards.
- Ability to appropriately apply a range of treatment approaches
- Ability to problem-solve and to demonstrate clinical reasoning based on experience and knowledge.
Desirable
- Ability to work with and understand complex data sets to support evaluation and service development
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of managing and developing junior and assistant staff
Desirable
- Experience of using HR policy and procedure including sickness absences and performance management
- Knowledge of change management principles
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others
- Competent in the use of IT including proficiency with emails
- Ability to deliver sensitive information in a tactful and empathetic manner
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Car driver with valid licence and access to car for travelling across Milton Keynes to visit patients or to other bases.
- Willing to work from home some of the time / at various sites across MK.
Desirable
- Willing to work flexible hours on occasion.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Registered as a Dietitian with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Evidence of a range of specialist continuing professional development
- Member of relevant specialist interest group (Relevant to area of specialty)
- Student Supervisory Skills training
- Level 7 Qualification in Nutrition Support or equivalent experience
- Awareness of NHS and Trust systems, policies, procedures and current changes
- Sound therapeutic and clinical knowledge
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge and awareness of national guidelines relevant to specialist area
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of evidence based clinical practice for a range of conditions relevant to area of speciality
Desirable
- Membership of relevant professional association i.e. British Dietetic Association (BDA)
- Management or leadership training or qualification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in applying Therapeutic process to include assessment, interpretation, individual care planning, motivation, monitoring and evaluation of highly specialised treatment in area of speciality
- Experience of working with patients in relevant specialist area
- Active member of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) including liaison with clinical specialists, GP, specialist nurses, community teams etc
- Supervision, appraisal and training of junior members of staff and students
- Ability to autonomously manage a caseload of highly complex patients
- Ability to undertake projects within specialist area e.g. using NICE guidance, benchmarking and clinical audit
- Ability to lead and participate in departmental audits and review of Trust Policy
- Proven leadership experience in relevant clinical specialty or similar clinical field
- Experience in service development /improvement, including project planning from objective setting to evaluating outcomes.
- Experience of organising and providing training for other health professionals
- Experience of developing and implementing clinical guidance
- Knowledge and understanding of wider issues facing the NHS
- Understanding of national strategies and policies relating to nutrition, health and social care as relevant to the post.
Skills
Essential
- Proven time management skills
- Ability to remain flexible when organising and prioritising own clinical and non-clinical caseload
- High level of written and verbal communication including report writing skills
- Advanced skills in the assessment and treatment of patients in relevant clinical area
- Ability to present and teach information to junior and assistant staff and students as part of an inservice programme
- Ability to maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up to date documentation, in line with legal and Trust standards.
- Ability to appropriately apply a range of treatment approaches
- Ability to problem-solve and to demonstrate clinical reasoning based on experience and knowledge.
Desirable
- Ability to work with and understand complex data sets to support evaluation and service development
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of managing and developing junior and assistant staff
Desirable
- Experience of using HR policy and procedure including sickness absences and performance management
- Knowledge of change management principles
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others
- Competent in the use of IT including proficiency with emails
- Ability to deliver sensitive information in a tactful and empathetic manner
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Car driver with valid licence and access to car for travelling across Milton Keynes to visit patients or to other bases.
- Willing to work from home some of the time / at various sites across MK.
Desirable
- Willing to work flexible hours on occasion.
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
