Nursing Assistant - Nutrition Support

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; North Shields; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in North Shields seeks a motivated Nutritional Assistant to support patients with their nutritional needs. You will assist nursing staff in providing high-quality care, monitor nutritional stocks, and ensure patient dietary preferences are met. Previous experience in a caring environment is preferred. This role offers the chance to work flexibly within a busy ward environment.

Qualifications

• Experience of working within a hospital or caring environment is desirable.
• Ability to work flexibly in a ward environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist the qualified nursing staff in promoting and providing nutritional support.
• Keep an updated record of additional nutritional support provided.
• Monitor stock levels of nutritional supplements and snacks.

Skills

Ability to work independently

Experience in a hospital/caring environment

Knowledge of computer skills

Job description

Nursing Assistant - Nutrition Support

The closing date is 07 December 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen on Ward 6 North Tyneside General Hospital. We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Nutritional Assistant who will work within our Orthopaedic Team, providing support to patients with their nutritional needs.

If you feel you have the ability to work independently and as part of a pro‑active team within a ward environment, have a caring and pleasant manner to deal with patients and visitors and can work flexibly, this could be the role for you.

Experience of working within a Hospital / Caring environment is desirable. Knowledge and experience of computer skills is desirable; full training will be provided for the I.T systems required for the role.

Ward 6 is a busy 12‑bedded unit which provides both day and in‑stay orthopaedic joint replacements and procedures.

Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.

Main duties of the job

• Assist the qualified nursing staff in promoting and providing nutritional support for patients, including assisting patients with meals and promoting additional nutritional snacks.
• Assist patients with ordering their meals, ensuring dietary preferences are met and feeding where appropriate.
• Keep an updated record of any additional nutritional support required and provided.
• Monitor stock levels of nutritional supplements and snacks, and order appropriately to ensure sufficient stock is readily available for patients.
• Maintain high standards of nutritional support to patients.
• Assist in weight monitoring and risk assessments.
• Execute additional nutrition duties as designated by the Ward Manager, Sister, Charge Nurse, or Nurse in charge.

About us

We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick on Tweed, in addition to our state‑of‑the‑art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. We also care for people in their homes and provide services from local community facilities such as health centres. We give people greater choice and control over their care to help them to live independently at home and avoid hospital admission where appropriate. High quality patient care is at the heart of everything we do and we strive to ensure every single patient and service user has an exceptional experience with us.

All staff who are coming to work for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust or current staff who are new to the role of a Nutrition Assistant will be expected to undertake the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Care Certificate Programme. This is a development programme mapped against the standards of the Care Certificate and will facilitate your development as a Nutrition Assistant. Full participation in the programme is mandatory; you will not be able to commence clinical practice until you have completed the initial three days of the programme.

Job responsibilities

• Assist the qualified nursing staff in providing physical nutritional support for patients, including assisting with mealtimes and promoting additional nutritional snacks.
• Assist patients with ordering their meals and feeding patients where appropriate.
• Audit all nutritional interventions and report on nutritional intake to nursing staff.
• Keep an updated record of additional nutritional support provided.
• Monitor stock levels of nutritional supplements and snacks and order appropriately.
• Exercise accountability as set out in the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Maintain high clinical standards.
• Promote nutrition in the ward.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Previous knowledge of patient care and needs.

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.

Employer name

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust