East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Dietitian - Mental Health

The closing date is 22 February 2026

Job summary

We are looking for self-motivated, committed Dietitian to provide a quality dietetic service to the Ipswich and East Suffolk population. You will be a key player within the dietetic team working with both adults and children.

You will manage a caseload of nutritionally vulnerable adults within the inpatient and outpatient settings including the acute hospital, outpatients and community settings. The caseload will include mental health patients and those patients with disordered eating.

You will also benefit from working with other specialist dietitians within in the department as well as being responsible for day to day supervision of assistant practitioners.

A range of skills is required for this post, including excellent communication skills and the ability to manage a busy workload. The post-holder should be someone who enjoys working within a team and is eager to provide support to others.

The Dietetic Team consists of 26 Dietitians with 6 Dietetic Support Staff providing a service to both acute and community settings and therefore opportunity to work alongside the acute team as well as the community team. We are also supported by secretarial and administrative staff. You will have access to regular supervision and have opportunities to undertake continuing professional development through work shadowing, tutorials and courses as identified by your training needs and objectives.

Main duties of the job

To perform specialised assessment, treatment and monitoring of patients with highly complex nutritional needs across a range of clinical specialities focusing on mental health.
To manage a caseload of patients across a range of settings including inpatients, outpatients and the community.
To provide a source of expertise to patients, carers and health care staff across all settings.
To provide education and training for professional colleagues and patients groups in all aspects of nutrition across Ipswich and East Suffolk.
To provide specialist input into the planning, development and evaluation of dietetic services holding responsibility for defined projects.

About us

One of the largest Trusts in East Anglia, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) provide hospital and community health services to people living across a wide geographical area. We deliver care from two main hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, six community hospitals and in patients' own homes. You will be joining a team of almost 12,000 amazing colleagues providing care to approximately a million people.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (if applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services. We offer a range of flexible working opportunities.

Our philosophy is thatTime Mattersto everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which do not work or cause time delays for our staff and patients.

To support our employees to achieve their career aspirations you may be eligible to obtain a qualification via an apprenticeship. All successful applicants will be required to undertake a skills review to facilitate this. For full details please see the attached Apprenticeship Handbook.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge then we are keen to hear from you.

Find out about living and working with us -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Date posted

06 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

432-HR1267-25

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Degree / Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics or equivalent
Registration with Health Professions Council

Desirable

Member of British Dietetic Association
Member of the BDA Paediatric specialist group
Leadership qualifications e.g. LEO and Supervisory Skills
Evidence of other post registration education and training e.g. BDA paediatric MSc Modules 1-5
Full UK Driving licence

Experience

Essential

Portfolio of evidence of CPD
Significant Post-Registration experience in a range of clinical areas.
Experience of working within Paediatric Dietetics and/or mental health, (adult or paediatric)
Experience of working with enteral nutrition
Experience of delivering nutrition education and training to public and health care professionals

Desirable

Experience of working in eating disorders

Knowledge

Essential

Broad up to date knowledge and practical application of dietetics
Knowledge and understanding of BDA professional standards
Awareness of current issues
Understanding of and contribution to clinical governance issues e.g. health and safety, risk
Ability to analyse complex professional, clinical and ethical issues and apply in practice
Demonstrate leadership qualities with student dietitians, dietitians and support staff

Desirable

Clinical supervisory skills
Completed audit and research projects and have applied in practice

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Degree / Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics or equivalent
Registration with Health Professions Council

Desirable

Member of British Dietetic Association
Member of the BDA Paediatric specialist group
Leadership qualifications e.g. LEO and Supervisory Skills
Evidence of other post registration education and training e.g. BDA paediatric MSc Modules 1-5
Full UK Driving licence

Experience

Essential

Portfolio of evidence of CPD
Significant Post-Registration experience in a range of clinical areas.
Experience of working within Paediatric Dietetics and/or mental health, (adult or paediatric)
Experience of working with enteral nutrition
Experience of delivering nutrition education and training to public and health care professionals

Desirable

Experience of working in eating disorders

Knowledge

Essential

Broad up to date knowledge and practical application of dietetics
Knowledge and understanding of BDA professional standards
Awareness of current issues
Understanding of and contribution to clinical governance issues e.g. health and safety, risk
Ability to analyse complex professional, clinical and ethical issues and apply in practice
Demonstrate leadership qualities with student dietitians, dietitians and support staff

Desirable

Clinical supervisory skills
Completed audit and research projects and have applied in practice

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

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

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

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