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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 CLINICAL

To be professionally and legally responsible for all aspects of work, including the management of patients in your care.

To be able to carry and prioritise your own designated clinical caseload, working as an autonomous practitioner with direct supervision.

To take responsibility for certain patient conditions or clinical areas, as delegated by Senior Acute Dietitian, and to develop specialised assessment and treatment skills in these areas with support from the senior acute team staff.

Provide sound evidence based clinical advice as required to staff and patients.

To determine the patients understanding of the dietetic intervention in order to gain valid, informed consent and to be able to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools when communicating with patients/carers to maximise the patient understanding of dietetic principles. This will include communication with people with complex communication difficulties such as dysphasia, deafness, dementia, mental health problems, those who have difficulty accepting their diagnosis and young children.  To communicate with people who speak English as a second language through the use of an interpreter.

To use good communication skills to agree dietetic goals with individual patients using previous experience to ensure goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and appropriately timed.

To involve all members of the multidisciplinary team in this process when appropriate.

To provide comprehensive documentation of assessment and treatment according to departmental, professional and legal standards.

To undertake proficient and relevant dietetic assessments in line with department and professional standards, to form diagnoses and/or establish accurate nutritional care plans.

To communicate devised complex care plan and progress of care plan delivery to medical, nursing and other professional staff, through clear and accurate documentation in medical and nursing notes and dietetic records, in line with Trust and Dietetic department policies and through regular participation in ward rounds and in both in and outpatient multidisciplinary team meetings.

To demonstrate autonomy with nutritional diagnosis (interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometrics, clinical condition and dietary intake information) the development of treatment plans (frequently including complexities surrounding calculation of nutritional requirements, development of patient centred goals and considering medical, physical, social and psychological needs).

To use clinical reasoning, understanding of the medical diagnosis, previous experience and knowledge of treatment options to plan and implement individual dietetic interventions for all patients including those with complex conditions.

To interpret and analyse relevant clinical and non-clinical facts to formulate accurate prognoses and develop appropriate discharge plans.

To monitor and evaluate treatment to measure progress and to ensure effectiveness of the intervention and to identify quickly when treatment requires modifying.

To use clinical reasoning skills to modify treatment interventions and to recognise when advice/assistance from supervisor is required.

To attend and/or organise multi-disciplinary team meetings such as case conferences, ward rounds and discharge planning meetings to communicate information about individual patient progress and prognosis, including potential discharge dates.

To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all dietetic equipment in line with department standards. E.g. Enteral feeding pumps.

Promote and maintain a safe therapeutic environment for patients, their families and staff, according to national and local Infection Control guidelines, Health & Safety legislation, safeguarding legislation and procedures and Trust policies and objectives.

Understand the Trust clinical governance framework, and participate in the promoting and safeguarding of high standards of care, through effective risk management & governance, and adherence to the Trust values.                                                                                          

PROFESSIONAL

To comply with the Health and Care Professions Council codes of professional conduct at all times.

To maintain professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.

To be responsible for personal continuous professional development by the use of self-education, reflective practice, active participation in the in-service training program including giving presentations and attendance at postgraduate courses as agreed in your personal development plan. 

and to maintain an up to date CPD portfolio.

To ensure that all mandatory training is completed within the required timescales.

To carry out an evidence-based project during specified time, communicate findings to other therapists in that team and make recommendations for change.

Have an awareness of current professional and clinical developments within your area of practice and promote this to others

To participate in the appraisal system as appraisee and be responsible for fulfilling your agreed objectives and personal development plan.

To ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times.

To role model Trust values at all times.

ORGANISATIONAL

To demonstrate good time management and organisational skills during daily management of own workload and to be able to adapt flexibly to sudden changes in workload.

To carry an identified bleep as required by each clinical area and be able to respond to frequent interruptions.

To ensure timely communication of assessment findings, treatment and outcomes to other involved disciplines through the provision of social services reports, discharge letters etc.

To make appropriate and timely referrals to other members of the multidisciplinary team when required.

To keep accurate and up-to-date patient records and statistics at all times in line with departmental, professional and legal standards.

To be responsible for the safe use of all dietetic equipment. E.g. enteral feeding pumps.

To delegate specific tasks to dietetic assistants in line with departmental and professional guidelines.

To understand and apply clinical governance principles to your own caseload and to be involved in departmental clinical governance sessions.

To contribute to service and policy developments.

To develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with other professional groups, and staff generally within the Division and the Trust.

To assist in the delivery of induction / orientation of new staff.

To provide clinical support and guidance to staff and to act as a resource for clinical knowledge to staff.

To understand and manage local change with team members, including the embedding of new projects.

Communication

Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward. 

Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.

These duties are not exhaustive and will be reviewed with the post-holder, allowing for amendments within the broad scope and band level of the role

All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level.  If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.