Lead Clinical Specialist Dietitian & Team Lead

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management:

To provide day to day leadership and management of the Dietitians and unregistered staff within the Home Enteral Feed (HEF) team

To provide regular managerial and clinical supervision to the Dietitians and support staff as required

To lead on the recruitment, induction and workforce planning within the specialist clinical team.

To ensure induction programmes for newly appointed staff are delivered in line with Trust and Departmental policies and guidelines.

To identify and implement solutions to support staff recruitment and retention, including skill mix reviews, work adjustments, CPD opportunities, flexible working and team building

To manage planned and unplanned absence, including return to work interviews following sickness absence.

To be an authorised signatory for travel claims and study leave and other forms as directed by the Dietetic Service Lead

To identify and report health and safety risks within the working environment.

To attend management and governance meetings, representing the HEF service as required

To conduct annual appraisals and objective settings for line managed staff.

Clinical Responsibilities:

To hold a specialist clinical caseload of patients requiring home enteral feeding

To support dietitians with complex clinical issues, including cases outside usual geographical areas where necessary

To provide advanced nutritional and dietetic advice and training if required, to medical teams, other healthcare professionals and external agencies

To assess plan and implement complex dietary treatment programmes across a range of settings, adjusting interventions as patients needs change

To liaise with in-patient services regarding the needs of patients admitted to hospital

To work collaboratively with MDT colleagues such as Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapists, Community Nurses, Nutrition Support Team and acute hospital services

To continue developing advanced dietetic practice within home enteral feed service by attending specialist courses and conferences

Service Development, Quality and Governance:

To lead the development and progression of dietetic initiatives within the HEF service

To collate, analyse and reports activity data to support business planning

To interpret Trust and national guidelines relevant to the service and to ensure safe and effective practice

To assist the Dietetic Service Lead with investigation into clinical incidents or complaints relating to team

To contribute to business planning, and help implement service objectives aligned with Trust and CCG priorities, including NICE Guidance and National Service Framework

To lead and participate in service audits, quality improvement projects and outcome reporting

To integrate research evidence into practice and support dissemination of findings

Qualifications

Essential

• oBSc Nutrition & Dietetics or equivalent
• oCurrent HCPC registration in Dietetics
• oAccredited BDA courses at Masters level or equivalent experience in the specialist area
• oClinical Supervisory Skills course for training student Dietitians or equivalent experience
• oPostgraduate training in counselling, behaviour change and motivational interviewing

Desirable

• oRecognised qualification in management
• oEvidence of CPD e.g. advanced diploma in dietetic practice or equivalent short courses

Experience

Essential

• oExtensive experience in Clinical Dietetics, a significant period of which should be in the specialist area
• oExperience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• oExperience of teaching NHS/non NHS staff and patients
• oExperience of conducting audits and/or research
• oAbility to work flexibly and in a variety of healthcare settings

Desirable

• oExperience of line managing staff
• oExperience of supervising student dieticians

Skill, abilities and knowledge

Essential

• oExcellent organisation skills
• oExcellent time management and ability to prioritise workload
• oAbility to provide leadership especially within the clinical speciality
• oCommitment to engage in CPD and appraisal system
• oAbility to use own initiative
• oAbility to reflect and appraise own performance
• oAbility to deal with personnel problems and complaints
• oAbility to work and make decisions under pressure
• oComputer literate

Communication

Essential

• oExcellent communication skills
• oExcellent teaching & presentation skills

Personal and People Development

Essential

• oCounselling and Motivational Interviewing skills
• oAbility to motivate people and generate enthusiasm
• oAbility to deal with distressed patients/relatives/carers and staff

Personal Attributes / Behaviours (linked to the Trust's Behaviour Framework)

Essential

• oEffective role model, able to demonstrate NCH&C's Values.

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).