Acute Team Lead and Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian

NHS; Swindon; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in the UK is seeking an Acute Team Lead and Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian. This role involves managing a complex caseload and leading service development in dietetics for gastroenterology patients. The ideal candidate will have a master's level education in Dietetics, relevant HCPC registration, and a passion for patient care. Excellent opportunities for professional growth and a supportive team environment are provided.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Masters level education in Dietetics or equivalent training and experience.
• Registration in Dietetics with Health & Care Professions Council.
• Significant experience in dietetic process and patient care.
• Experience working with diverse groups.

Responsibilities

• Lead on developing and evaluating dietetic services for gastroenterology patients.
• Provide specialist advice for GI conditions.
• Manage a specialized clinical caseload with complex GI patients.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams for service development.

Skills

Leadership

Dietetic assessment

Communication skills

Clinical reasoning

Education

Masters level in Dietetics

Registration in Dietetics with HCPC

Member of British Dietetic Association

Job description

Acute Team Lead and Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian

The closing date is 28 October 2025

Are you a passionate and experienced dietitian ready to take the next step in your career? We are looking for a dynamic and compassionate leader to join our friendly team. Your skills will shape the care of our acute and gastroenterology services.

In addition to team lead responsibilities, you will have responsibility for a defined cohort of specialist gastroenterology patients.

You will be expected to lead on service development, audit and quality improvement projects, collaborate with MDT colleagues and support student training and CPD activities across the wider team. We offer excellent opportunities for professional development.

The dietetic team at the Great Western Hospital consists of registered Dietitians and Support workers covering a range of specialties including gastroenterology, critical care, oncology, home enteral feeding, paediatrics, diabetes and weight management services. The team also includes a Dietetic ACP and Nutrition nurses.

If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch.

Main duties of the job

1. Lead on developing, planning, delivering and evaluating an evidence-based, highly specialist dietetic service for gastroenterology patients referred to the dietetic service at the Great Western Hospital.
2. Act as a lead expert clinician providing relevant and timely highly specialist advice and guidance on dietetics for patients with GI conditions.
3. Be fully responsible for a defined highly specialised clinical case load of patients with a range of complex GI conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings. This may include a number of gastroenterology clinics at GWH including dietetic led clinics and those in a variety of community settings (general and specialist – some may be joint with other members of the GI MDT).
4. Undertake the highly specialist, holistic assessment of gastroenterology patients’ nutritional status, many of whom have a complex presentation, using advanced investigative, communication and analytical skills, taking account of medical, social, cultural and psychological states across all clinical settings.
5. Act as an expert practitioner formulating individualised management plans, using advanced clinical reasoning/reflection and utilising a wide range of highly developed treatment skills. Nutritional treatment plans will be formulated that enable patients to optimise their nutrition and be discharged from hospital as quickly as possible or to avoid admission.

About us

Our STAR values – Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect – are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.

Job responsibilities

1. Deliver a highly specialised programme of care and make necessary adjustments as required to support gastroenterology patients, carers and relatives throughout all stages of their disease, from diagnosis to end stage. This will include prioritising clinical need and delegating where appropriate to provide an effective and efficient Dietetic service.
2. Make decisions and inform wider decision‑making processes based on evidence‑based guidance, clinical judgement, management information, family and carer beliefs and financial/budgetary constraints where a range of options may be appropriate.
3. Advise on the prescription of specialist dietary products which may include prescribing and/or authorising changes to prescribed products, ensuring appropriate monitoring of the nutritional status of the patient.
4. Work with the relevant multidisciplinary teams (MDT) including consultants, specialist nurses and other dietitians to lead development of the service and protocols for the dietetic care of this group of patients.
5. Have expert communication skills and demonstrate these on a continual basis with patients/carers where needs are highly complex, sensitive and distressing. Demonstrate empathy and understanding with patients, carers and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved particularly where barriers to communication exist.
6. Use behaviour change techniques including active listening, motivational and negotiating skills to support clients/patients with difficult dietary and lifestyle changes as well as helping them to recognise and overcome any barriers to these changes.

Full details can be found on the attached JD.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level in Dietetics or equivalent training and experience
• Registration in Dietetics with Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Member of relevant BDA special interest group (e.g. GI/PEN Group, Community Group)
• Have completed a range of specialist CPD e.g. nutritional support, behaviour change, IBD management
• Student Supervisory Skills training
• Member of British Dietetic Association
• Management or leadership training or courses
• Evidence of postgraduate learning in gastroenterology and/or experience gained in the field of gastroenterology equivalent to that gained at Masters level

Experience

• Significant experience in applying the dietetic process to include dietetic assessment, interpretation, individual care planning, motivation, monitoring and evaluation of highly specialised dietetic treatment.
• Wide experience of working with a diverse range of groups e.g. patients, doctors, specialist nurses etc.
• Demonstrate experience and knowledge of safeguarding practices in the clinical area and safeguarding procedures
• Experience and knowledge of management processes to be able to provide line management to other staff members
• Experience of working with parenteral nutrition
• Experience of other elements of management such as business case development
• Experience in report writing for a variety of purposes

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust