Specialist Dietitian | St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	05 June 2025
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£44,806 - £53,134 PA pr inclu HCAS (20%)
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	05 July 2025
Location:	London, SW17 0QT
Company:	st georges nhs trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7204104/CW-7204104-KL-PT

Summary

An opportunity has arisen for a permanent Band 6 position, on a full-time basis, within the St. Georges dietetic team. You will be working within the Senior Health and Acute Medicine Dietetic team based at St George’s Hospital to support the increased inpatient caseload associated with winter pressures and frailty. The Team consists of a Band 7, rotational Band 6 and rotational Band 5, with support from a Dietetic assistant.



The Senior Health and Acute Medicine Dietetic team provide cover across 8 different wards, including a 58 bedded admission ward including an acute dependency unit. We provide an active role within the MDT. The role requires strong nutrition support skills, especially in enteral feeding, taking a holistic approach to patient management. We are looking for a self-motivated individual who is flexible, enthusiastic, and dynamic, with excellent communication, time management and problem-solving skills. The successful candidate will be expected to follow evidence-based practice, engage in education and development of nutrition policies and guidelines, and participate in audit and research to improve health outcomes and develop the role and service.

• Practice autonomously, providing high quality clinical practice in specialist area, using enhanced clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis, treatment and discharge of service users in specialist area.

• Be proactive in clinical decision making underpinned by an enhanced level of theoretical and practical knowledge.

• Undertake specialist holistic nutritional assessments including the calculation of nutritional requirements on the interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometry, clinical condition and other physical parameters in those with complex needs.

• To provide expert dietetic advice to the multidisciplinary team, through attendance and participation in multidisciplinary team meetings and ward rounds.

• To be responsible for the performance management and/or clinical supervision of band 5 dietitians/ Dietetic assistants within specialist dietetic team, with support from band 7’s.

• To ensure safe practice through development of a caseload management plan and to monitor workload of the band 5’s in the team, including waiting lists, referrals and discharges, contributing to activity reports as requested.

• Regularly undertake audit and service evaluation to inform service improvement.

• Disseminate evidence based practice and audit findings through local presentation to professional groups.

• To actively participate in the departmental working groups to improve dietetic services as required.







· Improve clinical outcomes based on monthly reports on patients admitted via the admissions ward.

· Foster effective working relationships with MDT colleagues in the acute/ community.

· Ensure effective collaboration with other MDT colleagues in the review of patients with high acuity.

· Ensure patients are nutritionally optimised prior to discharge.

· Reduce the cost of malnutrition/ length of stay with earlier identification of nutritional anomalies.

Main Duties/Key Results Areas:

CLINICAL PRACTICE

· Practice autonomously, providing high quality clinical practice in specialist area.

· Be proactive in clinical decision making underpinned by an enhanced level of theoretical and practical knowledge.

· Use enhanced clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis, treatment and discharge of service users in specialist area.

· Undertake specialist holistic nutritional assessments including the calculation of nutritional requirements on the interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometry, clinical condition and other physical parameters in those with complex needs.

· To be experienced in the use of anthropometric equipment for assessment of nutritional status, such as bioelectrical impedance, callipers and hand grip dynamometer and interpretation of results.

· To develop a suitable dietetic treatment plan based on evidence based practice and provide advanced nutritional advice to service users, in collaboration with their carers, where needs are complex. This involves the interpretation and communication of complex and sensitive information in an understandable form.

· Where appropriate, to advise and liaise with the catering staff concerning the dietary needs for service users and to assist in instructing chefs on preparation of special meals as required. To adapt and analyse the menu cycle to ensure suitability for the service users and make recommendations to the site Catering Manager.

· Demonstrate a level of knowledge in relation to pattern of disease or disorder, marker of condition progression and range of treatment available at each stage of disorder or condition.

· To provide expert dietetic advice to the multidisciplinary team, through attendance and participation in multidisciplinary team meetings and ward rounds.

· To recommend and advise on the prescription of suitable cost effective ACBS products including oral nutritional supplements, enteral feeding products and gluten free products to service users within speciality , in line with SW London Alliance prescribing guidelines.

· To be responsible for ensuring written and electronic patient records are completed for all patient contacts including statistical activity data records in accordance with professional, departmental and trust standards.

· The ability to manage distressing situations, involving the treatment of terminally ill and very unwell patients. This results in exposures to complex situations and distressed clients and their relatives / carers.

· To ensure flexible service delivery and provide clinical cover for colleagues during periods of absence.



LEADERSHIP

· To participate in the recruitment and selection of Dietetic assistants and Band 5 dietitians, according to trust policy.

· To be responsible for the performance management and/or clinical supervision of band 5 dietitians within specialist dietetic team, including annual appraisal, with support from band 7’s.

· To ensure safe practice through development of a caseload management plan and to monitor workload of the band 5’s in the team, including waiting lists, referrals and discharges, contributing to activity reports as requested.

· To monitor Key Performance Indicators and provide data for reports for specialist service where applicable.



EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE AND RESEARCH
• Regularly undertake audit and service evaluation to inform service improvement.
• Critically analyse research findings and their implications for practice.
• Disseminate evidence based practice and audit findings through local presentation to professional groups.
• Review recent publications and research to ensure practice is evidence based and up to date.
• To research, develop, produce and publish evidence-based departmental literature in the area of specialisation, including use of patient forums, in line with British Dietetic Association guidelines and those of other relevant expert organisations.
• To actively participate in the departmental working groups to improve dietetic services as required.



FACILITATED LEARNING
• Maintain up to date skills and knowledge relevant to role and specialist area by engaging in a range of relevant learning and development activities.
• Educate and supervise band 5 dietetic colleagues on the competencies needed for their area.
• Where appropriate, to educate others in the healthcare team of the nutritional management of the specialist area including teaching for medical, nursing, therapies and community staff within the trust.
• Where appropriate to deliver education sessions to patients and their carers and to evaluate their effectiveness.
• To review and develop dietary information and education materials in the area of speciality, based on evidence based practice.
• To participate in the training, supervision and assessment of pre-registration student dietitians.
• Take advantage of education and training opportunities in line with their personal development plan.
• Undertake self-reflection in line with the CPD principles and to participate in the trust annual appraisal process.
• Advocate and contribute to continuous learning and development, evidence based practice and succession planning.
• Contribute to a range of audit and evaluation strategies which informs education and learning.
• To be a member of the appropriate BDA specialist interest groups.
• To attend induction and mandatory training according to trust policy.









The following responsibilities are common to all posts in the Trust



· To have responsibility for the Health, Safety and Welfare of self and others and to comply at all times with the requirement of the Health and Safety Regulations.



· To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act and its amendments.


• To work in accordance with the Trust’s Equality and Diversity policy to eliminate unlawful discrimination in relation to employment and service delivery.


• To promote at all times equal opportunities for staff and patients in accordance with the Trust’s policies to ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of: age; disability; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race (ethnicity); religion or belief; sex (gender); gender reassignment or sexual orientation.


• To ensure skills are up-to-date and relevant to the role, to follow relevant Trust policies and professional codes and to maintain registration where this is a requirement of the role.


• To be trained in and demonstrate fair employment practices, in line with trust policies.



· To comply with the Trust’s No Smoking Policies.



· To undertake such duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and the needs of the service.

This job description is not an exhaustive document but is a reflection of the current position. Details and emphasis may change in line with service needs after consultation with the postholder.




This advert closes on Thursday 19 Jun 2025

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