Specialist Dietitian

NHS; Royal Borough of Greenwich; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 6 Dietitian for the Greenwich community. The role focuses on home visits using the Food First dietetic approach, with clinics across the borough and support for Home Enteral Nutrition when required.

The post requires HCPC registration and a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, with opportunities to train in gastroenterology and malnutrition services. This is a permanent, full-time position within a supportive NHS team.

Qualifications

• Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics required.
• HCPC Registration as a Dietitian required.
• Postgraduate training or short courses relevant to dietetics preferred.
• Registered with the British Dietetic Association recommended.
• Member of a specialist interest group advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-standard dietetic services in community settings for Greenwich GP practices.
• Deliver tailored dietary advice and support patient lifestyle changes.
• Work autonomously within a multi-disciplinary team and provide supervision as needed.
• Lead education, training, and presentations for clients and healthcare professionals.

Skills

Nutrition Support

Clinical Dietetics

Gastroenterology

Multi-disciplinary Team

Autonomous Practice

Education

Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics

HCPC Registration as a Dietitian

Postgraduate training / short courses

British Dietetic Association membership

Specialist interest group membership

Job description

Main area Adult Community Physical Health Services Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 277-8284829-CPH

Site Memorial Hospital Town London Salary £45,953 - £54,254 pa inc Salary period Yearly Closing 16/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

***Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post***

We are looking for a friendly and motivated dietitian to join our fast paced Greenwich community team. This role will primarily consist of home visits following the Food First dietetic approach. The post holder will also need to on an ad hoc basis cover clinics across the borough which are on the primary care caseload and also support Home Enteral nutrition team as needed. Training will be provided where necessary.

The Food First dietetic caseload: include assessment and on-going reviews of housebound patients and care home residents at risk of malnutrition. The service will include training programs to up-skill community catering teams and nursing homes on the 'food first' approach.

The Primary Care dietetic caseload: GP practice based dietetic service in the London borough of Greenwich. The role will involve delivering GP based clinics including gastroenterology (Low FODMAP diets or inflammatory bowel disease management) and nutrition support services for malnourished patients.

The Home Enteral Nutrition dietetic Caseload : provide aftercare for patients following discharge from hospital to deal with any problems that arise associated with tube feeding and advise accordingly. Patients will also be supported to return to oral feeding if appropriate.

Main duties of the job

• To provide a high standard of dietetic service to clients referred to the community based dietetic service for those registered with a GP in the London Borough of Greenwich;
• To provide tailored dietary advice underpinned by theory to bring about patient centred lifestyle changes to improve health
• To work as part of a multi and interdisciplinary team as an autonomous practitioner within the Trust, ensuring the highest possible standards of practice.
• To prepare and deliver presentations and training programs to clients and healthcare professionals at primary care level, using current evidence- based resources
• Participate in outcome evaluation to direct the service development

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes. We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We Listen
• We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Food First Dietetic Service provides a community-based clinical dietetic service for immobile adults in Greenwich. The service delivers one-to-one interventions for malnourished patients in their own homes and care settings, develops training programmes for healthcare and care staff, provides assessment and care planning to support behaviour change, ensures timely responses to referrals, and works collaboratively with other dietetic and healthcare services across Greenwich.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and implement oral nutrition support programmes within the community, including dissemination and promotion of MUST across care homes, district nursing teams, GPs, bedded units, catering services and other healthcare providers.
• Provide specialist dietetic assessment, treatment and monitoring for adults referred by GPs, consultants and other healthcare professionals.
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge in nutrition support, weight management and gastroenterology, including low FODMAP dietary approaches, underpinned by evidence-based practice.
• Work autonomously to assess complex patients, interpret clinical information, biochemistry and anthropometry, calculate nutritional requirements and develop individualised care plans.
• Use advanced clinical reasoning when managing patients with multiple pathologies, incomplete referral information or complex nutritional needs.
• Triage referrals and determine appropriateness for dietetic intervention or onward referral.
• Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams and wider clinical networks to coordinate patient care.
• Obtain informed consent in accordance with professional and organisational standards.
• Maintain accurate electronic clinical records and correspondence in accordance with Trust, professional and legal requirements.
• Manage a community caseload, prioritising workload effectively and coordinating care transitions across services and boroughs.
• Provide support, supervision and guidance to junior staff, assistants and students.
• Participate in mandatory training and continuing professional development activities.

Managerial and Leadership Responsibilities

• Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of clinical practice.
• Participate in the induction, training and development of new staff.
• Maintain CPD through supervision, reflective practice, study days and professional development activities.
• Undertake supervision and appraisal responsibilities for support staff where appropriate.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of the dietetic service in line with local and national standards.
• Ensure compliance with HCPC, BDA, Trust and departmental policies and standards.
• Participate in relevant professional interest groups and networks.
• Support service development initiatives and identify opportunities to improve community dietetic provision.
• Provide flexible cross-cover when required to maintain service delivery.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Monitor, review and adapt nutritional care plans based on clinical outcomes and patient goals.
• Provide evidence-based nutrition education and advice to patients, carers and relatives.
• Identify and manage clinical risks within own caseload.
• Produce high-quality clinical documentation, discharge summaries and reports.
• Deliver training and education to healthcare professionals, carers and partner organisations.
• Support the use of MUST and basic nutrition screening skills across community services.
• Supervise and support assistants involved in nutrition screening and monitoring activities.
• Maintain nutritional supplement stock and liaise with suppliers when required.
• Organise and manage workload effectively to ensure safe and efficient caseload management.
• Maintain activity data and provide statistical information as required.
• Participate in team meetings, case conferences and Trust-wide activities.
• Work sensitively with patients experiencing distress, anxiety, cognitive impairment or challenging circumstances.
• Work in a variety of community settings, including environments with occasional exposure to unpleasant conditions and bodily fluids.
• Undertake additional duties consistent with the grade of the post as required by service needs.

Research and Quality Improvement

• Participate in audit, service evaluation and quality improvement projects.
• Present findings and share learning to support service development.
• Support colleagues undertaking audit, research or service improvement work.
• Maintain knowledge of current evidence, NICE guidance and best practice standards.
• Contribute to monitoring and improving quality through clinical audit and evaluation activities.

Communication

• Communicate complex nutritional information clearly to diverse patient groups, including those with communication barriers.
• Use effective motivational and behaviour-change techniques to support patients in achieving nutritional goals.
• Manage sensitive, emotional and challenging conversations with empathy and professionalism.
• Work closely with GPs, social services, community nursing teams, care homes, housing providers, acute dietetic teams and other agencies involved in patient care.
• Deliver presentations, training sessions and educational workshops to both small and large groups.

On-Call / Unsocial Hours

The post currently does not involve weekend, on-call or unsocial-hours working. However, the post holder may be required to participate in a future weekend rota should service requirements change.

Education and Qualifications

• Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics
• HCPC Registration as a Dietitian
• Postgraduate training/short courses or equivalent relevant experience
• Registered Member of the British Dietetic Association
• Member of a specialist interest group

Experience

• Experience in Nutrition Support
• Experience in working with clients with complex needs
• Experience of multi-disciplinary and inter- agency working
• Experience in motivating and counselling clients
• Experience in presenting to groups including health professionals and service users
• Experience in student training
• Experience in supervising junior members of staff and students
• Experience of Audit and Research

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of Clinical Dietetics
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Excellent time management skills and organisational skills
• Self-motivated and able to prioritise own workload
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Good understanding of the use of Nutrition Screening Tools
• Ability to assess and educate
• Awareness of the issues faced by people with a life threatening illness individuals requiring nutritional support
• Effective interpersonal skills (including the ability to negotiate)
• Computer literacy- familiarity with dietary analysis programs, word processing, database management
• Ability to apply the issues related to cultural diversity practically
• Knowledge of Nutrition Support Products
• Experience and Knowledge in FODMAPS and HEN feeding

Effort and Environment

• Using anthropometric equipment, such as varied weighing scales and standiometer
• To deal sensitively with clients that may be suffering from conditions that may lead to anxiety, fear or aggressive behaviour
• To work in an environment where work patterns may be disrupted by frequent demands from clinical staff, assistants and administrative staff
• To be exposed to unpleasant working conditions, which may involve exposure to bodily fluids such as vomit, urine, saliva and unpleasant smells
• Car owner/driver
• Current valid driving license

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage: https://oxleas.nhs.uk/armed-forces-community/

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you're applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.

Name Ajanaye Wilson Job title Team Manager for HEN and Malnutrition Services Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07584641955