Communication and working relationships

• To work as an integral member of the specialist weight management MDT
• To communicate and establish working relationships with:
  • • Specialist weight management MDT members, including consultant endocrinologists, psychologists, physical activity specialists, support workers and administrative staff
    • County wide Tier 3 weight management teams
    • Local dietetic teams, including acute, community and diabetes dietetic teams
    • Other weight management dietitians, locally, regionally and nationally to share best practice
    • General Practitioners and other primary care staff
    • Allied Health Professionals 
    • Other health and social care professionals
    • Other private and public organisations
    • Media
    • Self-help groups
    • Patients, relatives and carers
    • Students – dietetic and other professions

·       To interpret and communicate the science of nutrition to the community and multi-agency professionals that reflects evidence-based practice at local, national and strategic level

·       To actively participate in regular specialist weight management multidisciplinary team meetings

Analytical and judgement

• To collate evidence to assist evaluation of service provision, patient activity statistics, health outcomes and patient satisfaction (e.g. Friends and Family Tests)
• Support the evaluation of the specialist weight management service, in conjunction with the wider Tier 3 MDT and dietetics team
• To critically appraise own dietetic practice, identifying learning needs as appropriate

Planning and organisation

• Assist in the planning, development and delivery of specialist weight management, multicomponent group education programmes.  Programmes may be delivered within a variety of community settings, within Torbay and South Devon
• To manage own clinical caseload and service demands as an autonomous practitioner within the specialist weight management service
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• To plan, deliver and evaluate education and training sessions to a variety of groups including health and social care professionals and patients.  Training may be face to face or using Microsoft Teams

Physical skills

• Manual dexterity to assess height, weight and anthropometry using a range of measurements

·       Ability to undertake the manual handling of group programme resources and equipment, including bariatric seating, IT equipment and teaching resources

·       Keyboard, presentation and IT skills

·       Dictaphone use for letter dictation 

Patient and client care

• To provide dietetic weight management support to patients with long term medical, psychological and social complexities both individually and within a group setting
• To reassess and amend advice dependent on medical, emotional, ethical and social developments and multidisciplinary decisions made on the patients care pathway
• To participate in regular multidisciplinary team discussions regarding specialist weight management service patients
• To explain nutritional recommendations in an easily understandable way to patients, carers and relatives
• To be a patient advocate for individuals engaged in their weight management journey, providing practical and empathic support to patients, carers and relatives
• Use behaviour change, motivational interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and advanced communication techniques daily to support patients to make long term, sustainable lifestyle changes
• To maintain accurate and timely electronic documentation of patient interactions and clinical care provided in line with record keeping standards
• To undertake nutritional assessments by examination and history taking.  This includes calculation of nutritional requirements; interpretation of biochemistry results and assessing the efficacy and safety of tailored weight management support plans where appropriate.  Assessments and dietetic support may be undertaken either face to face or remotely as clinically indicated and may require participation in joint appointments with medical colleagues
• Dietetic advice and support may be provided within a clinic or group setting, both virtually and face-to-face.  Face-to-face group support will typically be provided within a variety of community venues within the geographical boundaries of Torbay and South Devon
• To provide high quality, individualised dietetic advice enabling patients to make informed choices about their own health
• To provide resources such as patient information leaflets, recipes and menu plans as required
• To have active involvement in MDT discussions and decisions around nutritional care for medically, socially and ethically challenging patients 
• To be aware of, identify and raise safeguarding issues observed during clinical practice
• To provide support where quality or safeguarding issues have been identified
• Some work may need to be done out of normal working hours, for which lieu time may be taken

Policy and service development

·       To contribute to the writing of policies, resources and guidelines relevant to this role, with the support of the specialist weight management and wider dietetic teams

·       To develop resources such as patient information leaflets, recipes and menu plans as required

·       To contribute to the wider service development of the dietetic service

·       To follow Trust Policies and Procedures

·       To undertake clinical practice in line with local and national policy and guidelines, including NICE and BOMSS

·       To promote the role and value of the Dietitian in all aspects of nutritional care

·       To attend other relevant team meetings which may include weight management and dietetic team meetings

Finance, equipment and other resources

• The post carries no budgetary responsibility
• To take anthropometric measurements to assess nutritional status, including the use of weighing scales and height stands
• To review and update community and clinical venue risk assessments as required

People management and training

• Assist in the development, delivery and evaluation of a variety of nutrition education and training programmes for lay and professional people, as required

·       To mentor / supervise a Band 3 support worker as required

·       To participate in the training of student dietitians and students of other professions

·       To actively support own wellbeing, as well as to support the wellbeing of the other members of the team

Information technology and administrative duties

·       To use Trust IT systems including infoflex, clinical portal, IHCS and ICE

·       To use Attend Anywhere or equivalent for virtual patient appointments, when clinically appropriate

·       To use MS Teams to attend meetings and in the delivery of virtual group sessions

·       To prepare own presentations, reports and documents as required

·       Maintain clinical records including dietetic records, in line with professional and department standards.  Use electronic patient records, including Infoflex where available

·       To work within the requirements of data protection legislation and access to health records

·       To communicate via email, social media and other internal IT systems

·       Use IT within audits, project management and data collection for service evaluation

Research and development

• Assist in the ongoing audit and evaluation of all weight management team programmes, initiatives and projects, formulating and implementing action plans as appropriate
• Participate in the development and review of nutrition related resources, including departmental diet sheets/information leaflets
• To be responsible for own continued professional development and be proactive within annual personal development reviews and monthly 121s with team lead
• To maintain and improve professional knowledge through continued professional development, for example, journal review, shadowing, attendance at courses/conferences/webinars as agreed with the weight management team and the wider dietetic department
• To liaise with other specialist dietitians both locally and nationally
• To work within the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and the BDA (British Dietetic Association) Code of Professional Conduct
• To proactively identify and undertake project work to develop the service to provide high quality, evidence based nutritional care to patients

Freedom to act

• To deliver dietetic care to a caseload of complex adult patients under the supervision of the dietetic team lead and in collaboration with the specialist weight management MDT and other MDTs as required
• To provide a source of expert knowledge and advice on nutrition to the weight management service and other dietetic peers
• To carry out other duties as agreed with the Head of Nutrition and Dietetics