An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated Band 7 Advanced Dietitian who has an interest in working with people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

The successful candidate will work within the Adult Secure Care Clinical Business Unit (CBU), which is a regional, and national service offering care and treatment to individuals with diagnoses of learning disabilities, mental health conditions and personality disorder within conditions of medium and low security.

The post provides experience and development in a number of areas such as nutrition support, weight management, dysphagia, diabetes, and eating disorders.

The role also provides leadership and expert advice across the clinical business unit to help manage the nutritional and physical health issues that affect the patients in adult secure care settings.

The Dietetic Professional Lead, Dietetic Team Lead and the Associate Director of AHPs within Secure Care Services as well as other Advanced Dietitians working in other specialist areas will provide full support.

Staff are actively encouraged to take part in the development of the Dietetics Service within the Trust including audit and promotion of the service through various events and initiatives. We offer excellent training opportunities to provide you with the skills you need to do your role.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will take a lead role in the specialist dietetic assessment, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and management of patients in the clinical setting using a range of therapeutic modalities including 1:1 and groups.

You will act as a source of expertise in nutrition support and dietetics to patients, consultants, medical staff, other health care professionals, carers and relatives. You will also have input into meetings and projects within adult secure care to help address the nutrition and physical health issues that the patients face.

You will provide supervision and support for the Specialist Dietitian who works into adult secure care.

We offer excellent training opportunities to provide you with the skills you need to do your role as well as specific training to meet the needs of staff working within forensics.

We take dietetic students from Teesside University and will be starting to take students from Newcastle University when they start coming out on placement later this year. It is expected that you will be actively involved in student training.

About us

You will join our expanding Trustwide Dietetics Service, which has 31 Dietitians, an Assistant Practitioner and Clinical Support Assistants. The team has excellent links to multidisciplinary teams and nutrition and health promotion initiatives across the Trust. We take great pride in how supportive, welcoming and friendly we are as a team, our aim is to create an environment where every member of our team can succeed.

The post will require travelling to various sites and parking in our Trust car parks is free. There are hot desking offices available for dietitians to use across the Trust, we will provide you with a laptop, and smart phone to enable you to work across multiple sites and access electronic notes and diaries as needed. We support hybrid working.

The Trust aims to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return, we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

Job description

Job responsibilities

You will split your time between the medium and low secure wards at St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle and Northgate Hospital in Morpeth as well as spending approximately one day per week with the Dietetics team based on St Nicholas Hospital site.

It is essential you have current and ongoing registration as a Dietitian with the HCPC to be considered for this post.

Part time or flexible working will be considered.

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 14th September 2023

Closing date : 27th September 2023

We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Dietetics or Science/Nutrition Degree plus post-graduate Diploma in Dietetics
• Current valid registration as a Dietitian with the HCPC
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses and other relevant CPD to Masters level

Desirable

• Member of the BDA and Mental Health Specialist Group
• BDA: Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Group (PENG) course
• Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable adults training
• Basic Food Hygiene certificate
• Leadership qualification
• CBT training

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience in a variety of dietetic specialities
• Knowledge, experience and evidence of working with people with mental health conditions, learning disabilities and those with eating disorders
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience working in and presenting to groups
• Experience in the development of Dietetic services and participation in audit/research
• Experience of providing clinical supervision and mentoring students

Desirable

• A working knowledge of vulnerable adult and child protection issues and the Mental Health Act
• Knowledge of existing national guidance and key standards in eating disorders and current issues relating to nutrition
• Experience of using mindfulness techniques and CBT
• Experience of presenting on Dietetic issues in mental health at a National level

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• The ability to solve complex clinical problems some of which will require immediate resolution
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance as part of the supervision process
• Ability to be flexible adapting approaches to suit different settings and patients
• Risk assessment, risk management and safety planning skills
• Good IT skills and ability to use electronic systems for recording clinical information

Desirable

• Basic counselling skills
• Leadership skills
• Training and induction of staff

Role/Team specific requirements

Essential

• Professional in approach and manner
• Ability to work independently whilst contributing to multi-disciplinary teams
• Committed to lifelong learning and continuing professional development
• Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner and as part of a team
• Able to prioritise own work load and that of others, providing flexibility to cover colleague's patient cases in some circumstances

Personal Characteristics/Additional Requirements

Essential

• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills
• Good organisational and problem solving skills
• Able to work under own initiative, under pressure and achieve deadlines
• Reliable, dependable with good time keeping
• Enthusiastic, flexible and motivated to promote Dietetic services
• A commitment to equal opportunities and a positive attitude to combating stigma
• Motivation to develop new skills and approaches within the Mental Health setting
• Demonstrate patience, diplomacy and negotiation skills
• Ability and willingness to travel around the Trust and to meet the mobility requirements of the post

Desirable

• Keen to learn and gain further experience, with an interest in all aspects of dietetics

Employer details

Employer name

CNTW NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Nicholas Hospital

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE3 3XT

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

263-SS23-130-LB