Community Clinical Dietitian

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

About

When we formed our integrated care organisation in October 2015 we became the first Trust in England to join-up hospital and community care with social care. As one organisation, we are working with our partners to improve the way we deliver safe, high-quality health and social care. Learn more about .our vision of health and care

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is an integrated organisation providing acute health care services from Torbay Hospital, community health services and adult social care.

The Trust runs Torbay Hospital as well as five community hospitals, stretching from Dawlish to Brixham. We also provide health and social care to the local population.

We have around 500,000 face-to-face contacts with patients in their homes and communities each year and see over 78,000 people in our A&E department annually. We serve a resident population of approximately 286,000 people, plus about 100,000 visitors at any one time during the summer holiday season.

We employ approximately 6,500 staff including frontline health and social care staff, such as nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, consultants, and physiotherapists who work in your home and from a range of different premises across Torbay and south Devon such as community hospitals and clinics. We also have over 800 volunteers who make a difference each and every day to the people we care for.

Our purpose is to provide safe, high-quality care and social care at the right time and in the right place to support the people of Torbay and South Devon to live their lives to the full. This means that as an organisation we want people to:

Be empowered to manage their own health and care needs

Work in partnership with professionals

Only tell us their story once

Access seamless care easily

Have care in or close to home, whenever appropriate

Work together as a community to look after health and care needs.

We receive the majority of income from our commissioners, South Devon and Torbay NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, who receive an allocation of NHS money from the government each year and decide on the healthcare priorities for the local population. The responsibility for the adult social care budget is delegated to us via Torbay Council, and we have an understanding with Devon County Council to run social care services in a joined up way.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has a budget of £420m for 2017/18.

The Trust is well supported by the League of Friends in Torbay Hospital and those of our community hospitals. They work tirelessly to raise vital funds to support the work we do and help improve our services.

We have been an authorised NHS Foundation Trust since 2007 and have over 12,000 public members, including 6,000 staff members. To become a member please visit our membership pages.

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Key details

Location

SiteHengrave HouseAddressTorbay HospitalTownTorquayPostcodeTQ2 7AAMajor / Minor RegionDevon

Contract type & working pattern

ContractFixed term: 18 months (Possible extension or permanent hours (depending on available funding))Hours26.25 hours per week

• Part time
• Flexible working
• Home or remote working

Salary

Salary£29,970 - £36,483 pa pro rotaSalary periodYearlyGrade(Band 5)

Specialty

Main areaDietitianInterview date02/04/2025

Job overview

Are you a newly qualified Dietitian or due to qualify imminently? Or do you have some Band 5 experience and looking to expand your skills in the community?

We are looking for a Dietitian to provide a Dietetic service to adult patients across the community services in Torbay and South Devon. The case load will consist of a wide range of clinical conditions including frailty and older people with multiple long-term, complex conditions. The Dietitian will assess and treat patients in community settings including care homes, patients own homes and community hospitals, with the focus on malnutrition and nutritional support. The post holder may also spend time with other Dietetic specialities.

You will be a Dietitian with a dynamic, self-motivated and innovative approach to your work. You will be passionate about patient care, with excellent communication and engagement skills, team working and strong time management.

The role will involve working in community locations across Torbay and South Devon, as well as working from home. You must be able to travel independently and have access to a car daily.

Applications from Dietetic students who are shortly due to graduate are welcome. There is the possibility of temporarily working in a band 4 role whilst awaiting HCPC registration.

Advert

Dietetic assessment and support for patients living in their own homes and in care homes. The patient caseload will consist of patients with a wide range of clinical problems including dementia, frailty, pressure damage, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), neurological problems, learning disability etc.

Provide dietetic clinical service and support to community hospitals.

Contribute to the wider development of the dietetic service and nutritional provision within Torbay and South Devon, with support from the Clinical Community Team of Dietitians and Team Lead.

Working for our organisation

The Community Clinical Dietitians are a friendly, supportive, proactive and professional team, which has increased in size over recent years following investment in several areas.

The Community Clinical team of Dietitians are based at Torbay Hospital and are part of the wider dietetic team including Acute, Diabetes, Paediatrics, Lifestyles, and Cancer Services. The team has over 40 staff members – dietitians, dietetic support workers and admin support.

Why Work With Us

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication and working relationships

Communicate and establish working relationships with:

Patients, family and carers

Community Clinical Dietetics Team including Team Lead and Head of Nutrition and Dietetic

Dietetic Support Workers and admin support teams

Other acute and secondary care specialist dietetic teams

Health and Social Care Community teams to include Intermediate Care, Community Nursing, Pharmacists and Primary Care

Planning and organisation

Manage own community clinical caseload as an autonomous practitioner, including named wards in community hospitals. Regular support will be provided by named Community Dietitian(s), the wider Community Dietetic team and the Team Lead, as well as during weekly triage

Prioritise clinical referrals and manage the demands received from different parts of the service

Manage own time and organise diary, including agile working

Responsibility and accountability

Deliver evidence based Dietetic care to a caseload of adult patients in the community and in community hospitals. The focus will be on malnutrition and nutritional support

Provide support to care homes where quality or safeguarding issues have been identified, as requested by Community Health and Social Care Services Manager and/or QAIT, with support from the Clinical Community Dietetic team

Provide a source of expert knowledge and advice on nutrition to the community teams

Responsibility for patients and client care

Undertake nutritional assessments by examination and history taking. This includes calculation of nutritional requirements; interpret biochemistry results and assessing the efficacy, safety and routes of nutritional support. Assessments may be either face to face or remotely (e.g. telephone, Attend Anywhere) as clinically indicated

Commence tube feeding or safe transition from artificial tube feeding to oral nutrition where clinical condition indicates, liaising with other members of the multidisciplinary team as necessary

Policy and service responsibility

Contribute to the writing of policies, resources and guidelines relevant to this role, with support from the Clinical Community Team and Team Lead

Provide resources such as patient information leaflets, feeding regimens, recipes and menu plans

Follow Trust Policies and Procedures

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You will be joining the organisation at an exciting time. As the first fully integrated care organisation in England, we are working to improve the way we deliver safe, high-quality health and social care. We have a positive and vibrant working atmosphere, we are proud of our investment in our staff both in terms of developing potential career skills and valuing people.

If you provide support to a family member or friend with health or care needs, we aim to be a Carer-friendly employer. We have a ‘Staff Carers’ policy which includes flexible working where possible and a Carer’s Passport scheme that links you into support and discounts.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• We reserve the right to close vacancies early if we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we encourage you to apply promptly.
• Please read the job description carefully and tailor your application to reflect the requirements of the role.
• Applicants who identify in their application form they are a part of the Armed Forces community will be guaranteed an interview, provided they meet the minimum essential criteria outlined in the job description and person specification for the role. Step into Health guidance can be found on our NHS Employers website.
• Correspondence will be sent via Trac, text, and email. Please ensure you check your email and Trac account regularly.
• Applicants with no previous NHS experience will ordinarily be appointed to the minimum of the band.
• If you have not received an invitation to interview within 28 days of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
• It is your responsibility to ensure the timely receipt of appropriate references.

The Trust is committed to preventing discrimination, valuing diversity and achieving equality of opportunity. No person (staff, patient or public) will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of the nine protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. If you require support you can obtain this from our Equality Business Forum which has representatives from all protected groups.

Applicant requirements

warning You must have appropriate UK professional registration. info This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• • Degree or equivalent qualification in Nutrition and Dietetics
• • HCPC registration in Dietetics

Desirable criteria

• • Member of British Dietetic Association
• • Evidence of post graduate study in HEF, nutritional support, nutritional care of older people, malnutrition and/or community dietetics
• • Behaviour change training
• • Clinical Supervisory Skills Training

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• • Autonomous practitioner with the ability to seek guidance where appropriate
• • Ability to reflect and critically appraise own practice
• • Working knowledge of clinical dietetics relevant to nutritional support (e.g. clinical guidelines and frameworks)
• • Use of communication techniques to promote behaviour change

Desirable criteria

• • Post qualification experience as a practising Dietitian
• Other transferable experience e.g working in care or clinical setting, with public, catering or research

Specific Skills

Essential criteria

• • Ability to plan, prepare, deliver and evaluate training about malnutrition and nutritional support
• • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• • Excellent MDT working skills
• • Excellent organisational, time management and service development skills
• • Awareness of safeguarding and when to seek further guidance

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of providing support or supervision to others

Requirements due to work environment

Essential criteria

• • Ability to travel independently to various locations in the community on a daily basis
• • Keyboard skills and computer literacy

Documents

• B5 Clinical Community JD/PS (, 704.5)PDFKB

Further details / informal visits contact

NameJulie KemmnerJob titleClinical Community Dietitian and Team LeadEmail address [email protected]Telephone number07768640217Additional information

Working days Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday