Dietitian - Diabetes | Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	22 April 2025
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£29,970 - £36,483 pa
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	22 May 2025
Location:	Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LE
Company:	Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Contract
Job reference:	7132940/321-MRC-7132940-B5-PUB

Summary

Due to the current post holder commencing maternity leave an opportunity has arisen for a dietitian to take on a fixed term Band 5role in our diabetes and endocrinology team. Our supportive diabetes MDT comprises of consultants, SpR’s, specialist nurses, psychologists and podiatrists.

Working within diabetes and endocrinology is highly varied and will allow you to maintain and develop skills in delivering structured education for people with type 1 (DAFNE) and type 2 diabetes and facilitating group sessions for people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, carbohydrate counting with insulin adjustment as well as our weight management programme specifically for people with diabetes. You will have the opportunity to work individually with people managing diabetes in pregnancy, young people with diabetes and with people with other endocrine conditions and disorders of lipid metabolism.

As a valued member of our team, you will receive:
• Flexible working, including opportunities for home working.
• Clinical supervision and support from experienced dietitians.
• Dedicated time for professional and service development.
• Regular appraisals and personalised development plan.
• Opportunity to attend educational events

Undertake a specified role in planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the dietetic service provided to patients with diabetes, endocrinology and lipid disorders, carrying a defined caseload and working as an integral member of the multi-disciplinary team. To work closely with senior dietitians as a team member.

To perform nutritional assessments and consider clinical diagnoses of patients, who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, to determine dietetic treatment, to monitor and evaluate treatment, and to maintain records as an autonomous clinical practitioner.

To provide tailored dietetic advice, teaching and training, for all members of the MDT, dietitians, student dietitians, other healthcare providers, patients and carers in all aspects of nutrition and dietetics and specifically in the area of diabetes.

To act as a member of working parties within department (e.g. student training, catering, clinical effectiveness, diet sheet, etc).

To actively contribute to the training of student dietitians

To provide dietetic cover for other team members as needed

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustis one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

CLINICAL

1. To be professionally, ethically and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of the dietetic management of patients, practising in accordance within the framework for dietetics within the Health Professions Council and the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Professional Standards for Dietitians, and within the scope of your own practice. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for patients under your management, and support less experienced staff members.

2. To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients specifically those with diabetes, other endocrine and lipid disorders, and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of resources.

3. To make a judgement of the appropriateness of patient referrals and advise accordingly.

4. To undertake comprehensive assessment of patients and formulate individualised dietetic management and treatment plans throughout their care pathway, with support of senior colleagues and mentor. This will mainly involve out-patients:

(a) Assessments of nutritional intake using recall discussion, observation and monitoring.

(b) Assessment of nutritional status from weight, height, Body Mass Index, weight history, anthropometrics, subjective global assessment, biochemistry and visual assessment.

(c) Assessment of nutritional requirements using established assessment tools and calculations, with consideration to patient’s biochemistry, medical and physical condition, and social situation, to make a justifiable assessment of patients needs, their prognosis and risks to their health in the short and longer term.

(d) To continually monitor, re-assess and evaluate dietetic intervention.

(e) Promote understanding of the aims of dietetic intervention, discussing and agreeing the assessment outcomes with the patient, their carers and members of the MDT, as appropriate.

(f) Referring patients to other health professionals when needs and/or risks are beyond own scope of practice.

5. Plan, deliver, co-ordinate and evaluate programmes to address the complex and changing health, nutrition and dietetic needs of your patients, as an integral member of the MDT. As applicable:

(a) Discussing and agreeing with patients the options for dietetic intervention and goals and setting timely targets. Educating the patient to empower them to make changes to their diet and lifestyle. Supporting and encouraging the patient as they make changes to their diet and lifestyle. Evaluating the effectiveness of the goals set and suggesting any necessary modifications.

(b) As indicated by your assessment, advising on best methods of nutritional support in patients unable to meet their nutritional requirements.

(c) Co-ordinating dietetic care by liaising with dietitians in other clinical areas, the community and outside the trust to ensure continuity of care.

6. Inform, advise and teach patients, carers, healthcare and catering personnel, dietetic assistants, student dietitians and the general public. As applicable, communicate, the complex nutritional requirements of patients in your designated area, using a range of communication skills and tools.

(a) Communicating effectively with a wide range of people including the patient, relatives and carers, dietetic, medical, nursing, allied health professionals, catering and other healthcare colleagues.

(b) Exploring the complex issues that may impact on advice given, including cultural and social situation.

(c) Changing the method of communication to enable people to understand what is being communicated (e.g. Using pictures, interpreters, larger print leaflets)

(d) Encouraging people to communicate using appropriate communication tools such as cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing skills

(e) Training and teaching groups of people including patients, carers, health professionals and catering staff especially in the area of diabetes.

(f) Evaluate talks and group sessions, and adapt sessions accordingly in agreement with the team leader.

(g) To develop facilitation skills to deliver both individual and group education.

(h) To participate in the delivery of structured group education for patients with newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes2gether) or existing diabetes (Diabetes4ward).

(i) To deliver a structured group education programme on weight management for patients with diabetes at risk of hypoglycaemia.

(j) To contribute to case review clinics and education and training meetings with all members of the diabetes team.

7. Contribute to the development of all written information to assist patients understanding of dietetic advice given, as well as other resources and referral guidelines, in line with current evidence and needs assessment

8. All staff are expected to work cross-site and in different community locations


PROFESSIONAL
1. Develop knowledge and skills by taking responsibility for own continuing professional development (CPD) and performance and maintaining own portfolio.

2. Participate in annual appraisal, identifying own development needs in relation to current practice and future plans, and produce an annual report setting personal development objectives.

3. Be an active member of the in-house training programme by the attendance and active involvement at staff meetings, tutorials, journal club, case studies, training sessions, external courses and reflective practice.

4. To actively contribute to the training of student Dietitians.

5. Acting as the patient’s advocate for all nutrition and dietetic related issues.

6. To work collaboratively with medical, nursing and other health professionals to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include case conferences, ward rounds and discharge planning.

7. To maintain accurate, comprehensive documentation, in both dietetic and medical records, including departmental statistics. This must be in line with legal, trust and departmental standards. Collect data as required by the department, trust and other agencies.

8. After a period of induction, contribute to the development of services. Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices against departmental and trust policies and through the use of evidence based practice projects, clinical audits and patient satisfaction surveys, either individually or with more senior dietitians. Make recommendations for change and seeking opinion from dietitians more experienced in that area if necessary.

9. Develop a sound understanding of clinical governance and risk management and apply to individual situation.

10.Support people’s equality, diversity and rights. Interpreting the rights of people in a way that is consistent with legislation, trust policies and professional standards. Considering individual’s beliefs and preferences when advising on diet and lifestyle changes.


This advert closes on Monday 5 May 2025

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