Specialty Dietitian – Oncology | Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	21 July 2025
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£37,338 - £44,962 pa
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	20 August 2025
Location:	Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LE
Company:	Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7335196/321-MRC-7335196-B6-PUB

Summary

This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone with an interest in oncology; and involves working with multiple tumour-site specific multi-disciplinary teams who value and respect the role of Dietitians.

We encourage every Band 6 to protect 20% of their time within the role to development, both individually and as a service. We are particularly keen for this Service to be delivered differently, such as through the introduction of group sessions and patient information accessible through the intranet and QR codes, so if this appeals to you, please apply!

As a valued member of our team, you will receive:
• Flexible working, including opportunities for home working
• Clinical supervision and support from experienced and specialist dietitians
• Dedicated time for professional and service development
• Regular appraisals and personalised development plan
• Access to a range of CPD opportunities, the Oxford AHPs Research & Innovation Unit, and Bodleian Library collection.

The position is based in the Department of Therapies and Dietetics within a purpose-built cancer and surgical centre at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford.

To have responsibility for providing a dietetic service to patients treated at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford or Brodey Centre, Banbury. The focus of this post is providing nutritional support to Oncology patients admitted throughout their cancer journey for inpatient treatment or for treatment/disease-related side effects. The post holder will also be responsible for developing the dietetic service to outpatients and day treatment patients.

To contribute to the oncology dietetic service, working alongside a team of experienced oncology, haematology and elective surgery specialty dietitians.

The role involves:
• Responsibility for the dietetic care of cancer outpatients before, during and after receiving cancer treatment at the Churchill Hospital or Brodey Centre. This will include face to face, telephone contacts and group sessions
• Supporting patients throughout their cancer journey for inpatient treatment or for treatment/disease-related side effects
• Working as a member of multiple tumour-site specific multi-disciplinary teams
• Working with a team of Oncology , Haematology and Elective surgery specialist dietitians, Macmillan Dietetic Support Workers and Dietetic Assistants
• Working as a member of the dietetic department by taking the lead on corporate departmental projects
• Advising and teaching medical and nursing staff on the dietetic management of oncology patients and enteral nutritional support

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. For more information on OUH please viewOUH At a Glance by OUHospitals - Issuu

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

To work as part of a team of Oncology, Haematology and Elective Surgery Specialist Dietitians and Macmillan Dietetic Support Workers, and as an integral member of multiple tumour-site specific multidisciplinary teams to ensure a holistic approach to patient care. This involves attending oncology team meetings, dietetic department meetings and liaising with Oncologists, Specialist Nurses, Radiographers, Allied Health Professionals, Dietetic colleagues, Dietetic Assistants and GP’s regarding dietetic and nutritional support for Oncology patients in order to optimise nutritional status during treatment.

Organise own workload: prioritising and balancing patient-related and professional demands and contributing to the effectiveness of the oncology team.

To assess and prioritise referrals made by members of the multidisciplinary team

To review how the dietetic service is provided along the patient pathway, in order to provide an effective use of time and resources.

Obtain and analyse relevant information from different sources including: electronic patient records, the client, staff and/or carer’s, in order to make a comprehensive assessment of the patients diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plans so that a decision on the most appropriate dietetic treatment to support this can be made in the short and long term.

Interpret and monitor biochemical data generally and specifically in relation to patients receiving cancer treatment.

Assess patients’ nutritional status by weight history, fluid balance, nutritional intake, stool output, vomiting and physical signs of deficiency.

Estimate nutritional requirements using specific assessment tools and calculations. To remain up to date with the literature and ensure that this is an evidence based process and clinically relevant to oncology patients.

Advise on appropriate nutritional support for patients with side-effects of systemic anti-cancer treatment and/or radiotherapy, such as mucositis, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, taste changes, poor appetite.

Formulate individualised patient care plans, artificial feeding regimens, taking into consideration factors which may affect requirements or help/hinder provision of nutrition support such as: prescribed drugs, biochemical derangements, fluid balance etc. Within the care plan this could include modified-texture diets, oral nutritional supplements, enteral tube feeds, neutropenic diet advice.

Evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional goals and modify these goals and care plans as necessary based on ongoing analysis, assessment of information available and changing patient needs.

Address and monitor their changing nutritional needs over the course of their disease and advise other members of the multidisciplinary team.

Modify dietary advice according to biochemistry, lifestyle, treatment undertaken, drugs and associated medical conditions adding to complexity of dietetic management.

Use communication techniques i.e. behavioural change and motivational interviewing to work with the patient to adapt their diet.

Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, carers and other health professionals. Skills of persuasion, motivation, explanation and gaining consent may be used in a wide variety of different, sometimes sensitive, situations. It is important to be able to communicate complex information at an appropriate level. Barriers to communication may be evident e.g. loss of sight, loss of hearing, lack of English, both written and spoken, requiring the use of translators.

Deal with patients with chronic conditions and those with poor outcomes/terminal conditions.

To be sensitive to the religious and ethnic needs of patients' dietary requirements.

To be actively involved with the development of evidence based, trust-wide guidelines - to be a resource to other dietitians as specialist oncology practitioners, writing and compiling diet sheets, protocols and advice.

To provide specialist training and supervision of dietetic colleagues and students using skills of reflective practice.

To cover for other dietitians when sickness or leave necessitates.

PROFESSIONAL

Be accountable for own actions within the professional, ethical and legal framework for dietetics set out in the Health and Care Profession Councils code of practice for Dietitians and the British Dietetic Associations professional standards for Dietitians.

To take responsibility for own continuing professional development and providing evidence for this by maintaining a CPD portfolio. CPD involves critical evaluation of scientific papers, attending professional development meetings, working as a reflective practitioner and attending relevant internal/external courses.

Participate in annual appraisal, identifying own developmental and training needs and setting personal developmental objectives.

To participate in departmental audits and initiate audit within own work area in order to monitor and evaluate whether local/national/international standards are being met and make recommendations for change. To be involved with the planning of departmental clinical effectiveness and audit strategies.

Actively contribute to the dietetic student training program, facilitating the development of skills and knowledge, being involved in the assessment process and acting as a mentor to students.

To provide specialist advice, teaching and training to dietetic colleagues, students or members of the multidisciplinary team, regarding the nutritional management of patients, particularly with respect to patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatment and/or radiotherapy.

To have a detailed understanding of different SACT treatments and their side effects.

To take the lead on corporate departmental projects.

ORGANISATIONAL

To determine priorities for own work area based on clinical need and balance patient caseload with professional demands.

To collect data as required by the department, trust and outside agencies.

To maintain accurate and up to date documentation of patient interventions on electronic records. To communicate dietetic interventions to appropriate members of the multidisciplinary team by documentation within nursing/medical notes or by means of generating a letter/report.


This advert closes on Monday 4 Aug 2025

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