Job Description
We are looking to recruit a Specialist Dietitian to work within our Acute Inpatient team, primarily supporting our Stroke pathway. We are interested in applications from anyone keen to experience this field including those currently working as a Band 5 or who are newly qualified. The successful candidate will be supported to develop their skills and knowledge in order to become an autonomous Band 6 practitioner.
We appreciate that everyone has different needs with regards to their development and will work with you to ensure that we offer the support which best complements your unique learning style. We want you to progress in the role at a rate that is comfortable for you.
The NNUH has two specialist Neuroscience wards where you will undertake much of your work as you integrate into the MDT, including attending red to green meetings on a regular basis. You will be supported by experienced dietitians within the Acute Team and by our colleagues in the Speech and Language Therapy Team.
Our department covers both adult and paediatric patients across a variety of specialties. Everyone brings something unique to their role and so to make sure our new starters and newly qualified team members get the benefit of our wide range of experiences and practices Preceptors and Clinical Supervision is provided by team members from across the department. We also have regular department-wide team meetings and CPD to keep everyone up to date with our teams.
When you first arrive with us you will have a 4 week induction period where you will be slowly introduced to the clinical caseload. You will then be supported to take on your own patients
On an ongoing basis your responsibilities will include:
- Day to day patient care
- Prioritisation and organisation of caseloads
- Research and audit
- CPD activities
- Mentoring & supervising junior Dietitians, Dietetic assistants and Practitioners, Apprentices and students
- Involvement or leading projects to support departmental improvement
- Active involvement in team meetings and discussions
You will be encouraged and supported in your CPD, and as you progress in the role we’ll want you to share your knowledge with the wider department, helping to inform and develop departmental policies where required.
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
The following skills and experience will be required and are essential for the successful candidates:
- To act as an independent advanced practitioner and be professionally and legally accountable and take responsibility for all aspects of own specialist clinical caseload.
- To work independently to undertake nutritional assessments and calculate nutritional requirements of patients with complex conditions using anthropometry.
- To communicate evidence based nutritional and dietary advice in an understandable form.
- To use highly developed communication and informal counselling skills such as reflective listening, open questioning, empathy, explanation and reassurance to communicate dietary intervention to patients and carers.
- To gain valid consent to treatment and negotiate change with patients by breaking down barriers, using motivational skills, to enable them to achieve dietary targets set.
- To devise, monitor and review complex nutritional care plans against outcome measures taking into account social, psychological, cognitive, behavioural and cultural needs, as well as taking into account the needs of the carer and adjust care plan to facilitate achievement of goals.
- To work in an often-stressful environment of looking after patients with a terminal illness and helping support the patient and carers through the emotional responsibility this can entail.
Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.