Public Health Nutritionist/Dietitian

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To contribute to the development and delivery of public health nutrition interventions that target children under 5 and their families in Luton. This will largely involve the operational management and evaluation of the Family Food First programme in nurseries, pre-schools, and Family Hub sites across the town.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. To undertake the ongoing development and delivery of the Family Food First programme, working closely with nurseries, preschools and Family Hub teams to implement best practice standards for the provision of nutrition, physical activity and oral health.
2. To support the evaluation of the Family Food First programme by gathering data, maintaining accurate data records and compiling information reports.
3. To contribute to the development and delivery of targeted public health nutrition interventions as requested by local commissioners; for example, developing local guidelines and group education programmes.
4. To support the update of public health literature and resources used by health and early years professionals and the wider community.
5. To contribute to the provision of education and training on a range of public health nutrition and dietetic issues for the department and other health and community professionals.
6. To ensure work is in line with departmental, trust and national Dietetic standards.
7. To contribute to the training of student Dietitians.
8. To work independently and undertake lone working in the community.
9. To act as an autonomous practitioner in public health nutrition, specific to maternal and child health, to provide expert nutritional advice. This may involve seeking advice from peers within and outside the trust.
10. To prioritise and plan the day-to-day provision of public health dietetic services within your own workload.
11. To be responsible for disseminating and advising on the implementation of national nutrition policies and professional consensus statements.
12. To contribute to departmental and team related research and development including collecting survey data.

Communication

1. To establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff. Positive relationships are characterised by open communication, trust and respect.
2. To liaise and effectively communicate with community-based professionals including those working in early years, health visiting, school nursing, other allied health professions, the local authority, charity and voluntary organisations.
3. To develop relationships with early years professionals in nurseries, pre-schools and childrens centres in order to facilitate the effective implementation of the Family Food First programme, this may involve having difficult conversations.
4. To attend and actively participate in department meetings and team meetings.
5. To use a range of different communication skills; including motivational interviewing, counselling skills, negotiating skills to help service users and professionals to achieve their nutritional goals/standards, considering any barriers to change that may exist.
6. To deliver presentations to different groups with varying educational backgrounds, using a variety of methods to enhance learning.
7. Supporting the development of reports/proposals to Commissioners, Senior management teams and other health and community staff.

Budgetary Responsibility

1. The post holder does not hold budgetary responsibility but will be aware of the planning of expenditure for the Public Health team including on physical resources.

People Management

1. Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal process.
2. To be responsible for the supervision and assessment of students during their practical training. This will include development of tutorials, assessment of work and planning workloads for the week (training provided as required)

Research & Development Activity

1. To identify personal/professional development evidenced by personal development plan/professional portfolio.
2. To attend relevant training (courses, meetings, special interest groups) and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required for post.
3. To actively participate in reflective clinical supervision with peers/clinical supervisor in order to develop and enhance practice.
4. To evaluate and review your own work, seeking the views of others and adopting the principles of evidence-based practice to ensure maintenance and development of clinical and professional standards.
5. To contribute to the Nutrition and Dietetic Service and Paediatric team programs of evaluation, quality and audit and encourage other team members to evaluate their own practice and adopt the principles of evidence-based practice.

Clinical and Practice Governance

1. Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
2. Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.
3. The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes
4. The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures
5. It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.
6. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.
7. The post holder must participate in clinical and other audits as required
8. Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis
9. The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential

• oDegree qualification in Dietetics &/or Nutrition
• oRegistered with HCPC if a Dietitian
• oRegistered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition

Desirable

• Evidence of on-going professional development relating to their training and qualifications

Experience

Essential

• oSound knowledge of public health nutrition and its role in disease prevention
• oExperience of organising and providing training for health or community professionals

Desirable

• oKnowledge of public health nutrition and its application in broader public policy within the UK
• oSound knowledge of maternal and child nutrition
• oUnderstanding and experience of clinical governance and audit with respect to dietetics

Skills

Essential

• oAbility to work flexibly as part of a team.
• oArticulate with good oral and written communication skills

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

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Address

Nutrition & Dietetic Department, The Poynt

Units 2-3 Poynters Road

Luton

LU4 0LA

Employer's website

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