Catering Dietitian

NHS; Sefton; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity is available for a Dietitian to lead on the nutritional aspects of care within the NHS Trust. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with multiple teams to develop and implement hospital menus that meet nutritional standards while also providing specialist assessments and education to staff and patients. As an integral part of the team, you will be responsible for ensuring the quality of dietary care provided across the Trust, making a real difference to the health and well-being of patients.

Qualifications

• Health and Care Professions Council Registered Dietitian required.
• Post registration experience working with a catering team expected.
• Evidence of participation in and contribution to the publication of research.

Responsibilities

• Provide highly specialist Dietetic assessment and treatment.
• Contribute to research and audit activities in the Dietetics field.
• Lead on implementing national and local policies and guidance.

Skills

Good interpersonal skills

Analytic and report writing skills

Highly developed communication and clinical skills

Presentation skills

Self-motivated and committed to best practice

Education

Master's degree in relevant area of practice

Degree in Dietetics or Science/Nutrition Degree

Clinical Supervisory Skills Course

Tools

Dietary analysis packages (e.g., Nutritics)

Job description

o To work in collaboration with the Catering and Dietetic Teams as the Trust Lead CateringDietitian.o To work with front line catering teams, catering managers, Dietitians, Speech and LanguageTherapists, Pharmacists, Nursing teams and other stakeholders to ensure the Trust delivers awide range of standard hospital menus, therapeutic, religious, and cultural diets.o To act as a source of expertise in the analysis, development, and review of hospital menus.o Ensure all hospital menus are nutritionally adequate and reflect best practice guidelinesincluding hospital food standards, allergen information and International Dysphagia DietStandardisation Initiative (IDDSI) recommendations.o To work jointly with patients/service users, catering, Dietetics and Speech and LanguageTherapy to initiate, plan and deliver Trust education and training in nutrition.o To represent dietetics and catering at the Trust Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group, PatientLed Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) audits and catering meetings.o Provide highly specialist Dietetic assessment, treatment, monitoring and management in one ormore speciality areas of Dietetics when required.o Act as a source of expertise in Dietetics practice locally, regionally and nationally.

Main duties of the job

Educationo Maintain up to date knowledge and competence in line with professional and servicerequirements and demonstrate critical thinking, decision-making and reflective skills to ensureown professional development.o Regularly involved in the practical training of student Dietitians and of health care professionalsand assistants.o Presents at internal, local and national conferences.o Create an environment in which learning, and practice development is fostered, evaluated, anddisseminated.o Is responsible for the training of catering and other staff in the role of nutrition.o Facilitates effective learning within the area of practise for all practitioners including students.Leadershipo When appropriate takes responsibility for clinical supervision/mentorship of junior qualifiedstaff and Student Dietitians.o Support staff within the same specialty areas in prioritising workload.o Sets objectives, by which performance can be managed.o Provides reports to the service lead as requested.o Undertakes clinical/service improvement projects and audits.Information Resourceso Maintains patient/service user records of care and activity analysis as required in written andelectronic format.o Participates in the updating and development of patient/service user information and teachingmaterials using Trust guidance on accessible patient/service user information leaflets and makeavailable for national use.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Job responsibilities

To represent dietetics and catering at the Trust Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group, PatientLed Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) audits and catering meetings. Provide highly specialist Dietetic assessment, treatment, monitoring and management in one ormore speciality areas of Dietetics when required. Act as a source of expertise in Dietetics practice locally, regionally and nationally. Be involved in the training and supervision of Dietetic Students and Dietetic Assistants as perBritish Dietetic Association (BDA) standards. Contribute to designing, planning, and implementing research and audit and contributes topublishing results, working in interdisciplinary teams or with other health professionals. Challenge professional and organisational boundaries to ensure that the role is focused onmeeting the needs of the patients/service users. Contribute to the development of policy and services to reflect the needs of the patients/serviceusers and services. To lead on the implementation of national and local policies and guidance such as the HospitalFood standards, the Nutrition and Hydration Strategy and BDA guidance. To have experience in working within physical health, mental health and learning disabilities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Health and Care Professions Council Registered Dietitian
• Master's degree in relevant area of practice or equivalent level of specialist dietetic experience and training
• Degree in Dietetics or Science/Nutrition Degree plus Post graduate Diploma in Dietetics
• Clinical Supervisory Skills Course and/or Teaching Certificate
• Clinical Supervisory Skills Course and/or Teaching Certificate
• Full member of British Dietetic Association

Knowledge & Experience

• Post registration experience in working with a catering team
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Evidence of developing practice in a specialist area
• Evidence of participation in and contribution to the publication of research and audit in one or more of the named speciality areas
• Experience of training Dietetic staff, students, and other healthcare staff
• Post graduate experience in the use of dietary analysis packages such as diet plan or Nutritics

Skills

• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to interpret current health service national and local policy and guidelines, including national and local public health agenda
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities and demands
• Analytic and report writing skills
• Highly developed communication and clinical skills
• Ability to facilitate / lead discussions in professional / multi agency meetings
• Evidence of professional development
• Presentation skills with the ability to present to large groups
• Proficient at time management, working to deadlines and good organisational skills
• Self-motivated and committed to best practice

Values

• Accountability
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented

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.

£46,148 to £52,809 a yearper annum pro rata