Job summary
- Main area
- Prehabilitation
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 6 months (FTC until 30-Sep-2026)
- Hours
- Part time - 30 hours per week (Tuesday-Friday)
- Job ref
- 156-7399743
- Employer
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Cornwall Hospital
- Town
- Truro
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 pa pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 21/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Clinical Lead Prehabilitation Dietitian
Band 7
Job overview
This role has been approved for advertising; however, it is also being assessed as a suitable alternative employment opportunity. As a result, the vacancy may be withdrawn or there may be a delay before shortlisting can begin.
This role is open to all applicants. However, in line with Cornwall First recruitment principles, initial shortlisting will prioritise applicants from Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and the Integrated Care Board for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Prehabilitation is a multimodal service designed to optimise patients both physically and mentally in preparation for elective colorectal cancer surgery. Patients are referred from the point of cancer suspicion—prior to histological confirmation—allowing for earlier intervention, a longer optimisation period, and enhanced outcomes.
The service provides education, screening and triaging to support the implementation of needs-based interventions. Those identified as needing further prehabilitation input will be offered tailored one-to-one therapy support throughout their surgical journey.
Established in 2024, the prehabilitation service has secured ongoing funding and is now entering an exciting phase of development. We are seeking enthusiastic and committed individuals to join our team and help shape the future of this growing service.
Main duties of the job
The role of the Clinical Lead Prehabilitation Dietitian is to provide a highly specialist dietetic service; to include specialist assessments, treatment, and collaborative goal setting for patients. The post holder is tasked with the delivery and facilitating the continued development of the Prehabilitation Service at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.
Working for our organisation
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with
visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million.
We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School.
The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles.
Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is a research active organisation.
It’s established South West Clinical School in Cornwall exists to promote clinical academic career opportunities for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals interested in research and evidence-based activities. Read their research paper to find out more.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.
To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:
Identity Checks
Professional registration and qualification checks
Employment history and reference checks
Occupational Health clearance
Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check
Right to work in the UK
For further information please visit:
https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation
We reserve the right to close this advert early.
We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.
We may be able to offer sponsorship but this is not guaranteed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics or equivalent
- HCPC Registered
Desirable criteria
- Member of the British Dietetic Association, including prehabilitation and oncology specialist interest groups.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Evidence of further formal study e.g. Postgraduate qualifications, (Postgraduate certificate/Diploma, Masters modules, or equivalent management qualification).
Experience
Essential criteria
- Comprehensive post qualification experience covering a wide range of clinical areas and issues including surgery, oncology, complex nutrition support, complex weight management, high output stomas and the need for low residue advice.
- Proven experience of managing a service or change process.
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team, a good understanding of their roles and respect for the other professionals within the team
- Highly developed communication and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate contentious or complex information effectively, including at the times when there are barriers to communication
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of relevant leadership training.
- Experience working at Band 7 level.
- Experience in budget management and business planning.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Advanced communication skills – empathy and compassion, negotiation, and motivation, presenting of complex facts in an understandable way, reassurance, and support particularly to anxious people.
- Evidence of clinical audit/research activity.
- Knowledge of relevant national agendas and priorities.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of innovative working and use of digitalisation.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Kirsty Mitchell
- Job title
- Therapy Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01872 253773
- Additional information
07721237972
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