Are you looking for a new challenge and a rewarding career working in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities in the great North of England?

We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Specialist Dietitian to join our team. This is a permanent, full-time post although part time hours and flexible working will be considered.

You will mainly work in the community with children and young people. The post is split into 50% working with our general Children and Young Peoples Services (CYPS) and 50% with the Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) service in South Tyneside.

The CYPS team is based at Monkwearmouth Hospital in Sunderland and covers all areas of CYPS work. The team covers Sunderland and South Tyneside areas.

The Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Service is a new service which has been commissioned by our partners in primary care in South Tyneside to provide early intervention for younger children and their families. The pathway also supports patients within the CYPS service.

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

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for managing a defined caseload providing effective dietetic assessment, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and management of patients within the clinical setting, using evidence-based practice and patient-centred principles.

You will be a source of expertise in nutrition and dietetics to patients, carers and other health care professionals.

You will be fully supported by advanced dietitians and other band 6 Specialist Dietitians working in other specialist areas. We provide input across the Trust seeing patients with a wide variety of mental health conditions such as eating disorders, autism, ADHD and psychosis. The Trust is committed to improve the physical health of our patients to help close the mortality gap for patients with mental health needs and/or learning disabilities. Dietetics is at the forefront of much of this work.

The team have strong links with local universities and we take dietetic students from Teesside and Newcastle Universities. All staff have a valuable role and are expected to be actively involved in supporting the learning of our dietetic students'.

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 and we will provide you with a laptop and smart phone to enable you to work across multiple sites and access our electronic notes and diaries as needed.

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.

The North East and Cumbria has an international reputation for innovation and is a rewarding place to live and work in with its vibrant cities, beautiful coasts, lakes and countryside.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Everyone in our service is actively encouraged to take part in projects across the Trust and in the development of the Dietetics Service including audit and promotion of the service through various events and initiatives.

Your development is important to us. We will offer you training and workplace opportunities to develop your skills including some dedicated time working into specialist areas with other experienced Dietitians to enable you to develop the skills needed to progress your career with us.

Please see the separate job description and person specification for more information.

Advertising date : 15th November 2023

Closing date : 6th December 2023

We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

• Degree in Dietetics or Science/Nutrition Degree plus post-graduate Diploma in Dietetics which leads to eligibility to Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration
• Current valid registration as a Dietitian with the HCPC
• Evidence of Continual Professional Development including post graduate courses

Desirable

• Member of the British Dietetic Association and Mental Health Specialist Group
• British Dietetic Association: Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Group (PENG) course
• Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults training
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience in general clinical dietetics and further post registration experience in one or more specialist areas
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience working in and presenting to groups
• Evidence of participation in audit/research
• Experience of providing clinical supervision for junior dietitians and mentoring students
• Experience in the development of Dietetic services

Desirable

• A working knowledge of vulnerable adult and child protection issues
• Knowledge of existing national guidance and key standards in eating disorders
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act

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 and prioritise own work load and that of others
• Flexible in covering 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, work 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
• Ability and willingness to travel around the Trust and able to meet the mobility requirements of the post

Desirable

• Keen to learn and gain further experience and 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-SS23-113-LB-B