Dietetic Assistant Practitioner

NHS; Dartford; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the NHS as a Dietetic Assistant Practitioner at Darent Valley Hospital, providing essential support within the Dietetic team. In this role, you will assess nutrition needs, manage patient cases, and ensure effective dietary planning, contributing to the overall healthcare service across Dartford and beyond. Opportunity for professional development and training included.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of experience working with ill individuals preferred.
• Experience in a clerical or food service role.
• Experience delivering group education/information sessions.

Responsibilities

• Support dietitians in assessing patients' dietary needs.
• Manage a caseload of patients at risk of malnutrition.
• Provide first-line nutritional advice to patients and staff.

Skills

Communication

Organisational skills

Interest in nutrition

IT Literacy

Education

NVQ Level 3 qualification or equivalent

English Language and Maths GCSE

Membership of British Dietetic Association

Tools

ECDL or equivalent IT qualification

Job description

We need an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our friendly team, as a Dietetic Assistant Practitioner, to work within the Dietetic team, based at Darent Valley Hospital.

You will work closely with Dietitians and Ward Nursing staff to help in the management of patients identified as nutritionally compromised. This will include checking patients' weights, completing menu plans, and collecting and estimating calories and protein from reported food and drink intake from patients.

You will be part of the wider Nutrition & Dietetics Department, which currently has 27 Dietitians, 5 Dietetic Support Workers, 2 Dietetic Assistant Practitioners and good secretarial support

We provide a comprehensive and seamless nutrition and dietetic service across acute and community settings in Dartford , Gravesham & Swanley (with an outpatient dietetic service at Queen Mary's Hospital)

We are committed to staff training and continuous professional development, providing in-house and external courses and training opportunities

Main duties of the job

To provide clinical support to the Dietitians in; assessing patients dietary needs, planning provision of special diets, undertaking ward based audits, collecting and collating patient experience data.

Responsible for organising own delegated clinical workload and administrative tasks and activities and to be flexible to the needs of the service as indicated by the Acute Dietetic Team Lead.

Provide appropriate first line nutritional advice as agreed with Acute Dietetic Team Lead to patients, carers, nursing staff, medical staff and other healthcare professionals to ensure the patient's nutritional requirements are met.

• Work within an agreed framework for dealing with routine and urgent clinical problems/interactions, face to face or on the telephone, seeking guidance from Dietitians to agree action outside the framework.
• Manage and prioritise a selected caseload of adult patients who are at risk of malnutrition, while working to service standards under the guidance and supervision of the Acute Dietetic Team Lead

About us

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.

If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.

Job responsibilities

For full details about this position, please refer to the Job description and person specification provided

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working with people who are ill, at least 3 years preferred experience
• Previous clerical and /or food service experience
• Experience of working in face to face role with the general public
• Previous NHS experience
• Experience of delivering group education /information sessions

Education and training

• NVQ Level 3 qualification (or equivalent) or evidence of working towards it
• English Language and Maths GCSE (or equivalent) and good general education to GCSE level
• Leadership or management training
• Membership of British Dietetic Association
• IT qualification such as ECDL or equivalent

Physical Effort

• Able to undertake moderate physical effort, standing, sitting, walking within daily activities
• Able to carry out anthropometric measurements accurately and use relevant equipment

Knowledge and skills

• Basic Understanding of a balanced diet and a keen interest in nutrition
• Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal
• Good organisational skills
• Able to cope working in a stressful environment and with very unwell/ emotional patients
• IT Literate
• Able to work on own initiative

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.