Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the detailed Job description attached

Clinical

Provide dietetic service to in-patients and outpatients treated in the specialism.

For each patient, collect all relevant medical, social, biochemical and pharmacological information required to inform practice.

Undertake nutritional assessment using weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference and skin-fold measurements as required.

Undertake dietary assessment, estimating intake of macro and micronutrients as appropriate.

Using all information gathered devise and agree with patient and or carer a nutritional care plan.

Inform all relevant health care professionals of main aims and objectives of nutritional care plan by completing relevant documents or writing in patients case sheets.

Monitor progress on the nutritional care plan according to local standards, amending as necessary to ensure improvement in health is achieved.

Establish and maintain effective communication when giving nutrition and dietetic advice to individuals and in groups; to ensure technical information is given in a way they can understand.

Keep patient records according to national and local standards.

Where appropriate use counselling skills to assess motivation and overcome barriers to change.

Liaise with contract caterers and other relevant staff to ensure provision of suitable meals and snacks for patients.

Attend ward rounds, case conferences and ward meetings to reinforce role of nutrition in patient care and of dietitian in the M.D. team.

Undertake as required supervision of student dietitians.

Liaise with colleagues in primary care, referring patients as necessary, to ensure continuity of care.

Assist wards in maintaining stock of nutritional supplements and enteral feeds.

Plan and prioritise own caseload using clinical judgement in collaboration with senior colleagues.

Provide cover for absent colleagues as required.

Clinical Governance

Always work in accordance with national and local standards, best practice and clinical guidelines when providing the dietetic service.

Participate fully in clinical supervision programme for clinical speciality.

Demonstrate commitment to CPD by participating in performance review, according to trust policy, identifying own training needs and actively assisting in creation of your own personal development plan.

Actively contribute to departmental activities such as update meetings, reviews, development of resources, and updating of standards, policies and procedures.

Actively contribute to multidisciplinary and uni-disciplinary specialist team meetings.

Follow trust guidelines when creating written resources to ensure patients’ needs are best met.

Participate in audits of existing service including specialist area and act on findings to help improve service delivery.

Keep measures of workload as directed by Trust Chief Dietitian, to assist future planning.

Work in accordance with trust and departmental policies – this includes Health & Safety, Caldicott, Personnel and Equality & Diversity.

Undertake mandatory, CPR and any other training requested by the trust.

Work within legislation and trust procedures on risk management.

Identify, assess and determine how best to manage risk in work activities.

Always inform departmental head of any identified risks relating to safety of dietitians, patients or any other hospital visitors.

All actions must be taken in accordance with H.P.C. “Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics” and “Standards of Proficiency”.

Follow trust policies when working with patients whose first language is not English.

In conjunction with Dietitian take part in development and implementation of multidisciplinary care pathways for own specialist area.

Training & Development

Attend relevant validated training courses appropriate to speciality.

Keep a personal professional portfolio, which will include evidence of reflection, to confirm continuing competence to practice and provide proof of development of own skills and knowledge in renal dietetics.

Actively participate in student training programme by guiding, supporting and providing feedback to students allocated to you.

In conjunction with senior colleagues use the most appropriate modes of presentation to educate other health professionals on dietetic practice, including updating on evidence-based practice.

Plan, deliver and evaluate education sessions for patients in groups.

Assist senior dietitian in identifying training needs of other health professionals, developing, implementing and evaluating programmes to meet those needs.