Dietetic Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

This post is for a Band 4 Dietetic Assistant Practitioner at UHCW NHS Trust.  The post will cover a variety of specialities and areas across the Trust at both University Hospital, Coventry and St Cross Hospital, Rugby.  UHCW NHS Trust is a teaching hospital with a range of specialities including neurology, major trauma, stroke, elderly care, cardiology, respiratory, maternity, critical care, gastroenterology, surgery, oncology and renal.

Additionally we also provide Dietetic support in diabetes, specialist weight management, paediatrics and community settings.

The post holder will work under the supervision of the inpatient Dietitians to provide support with the oral dietary management and nutritional monitoring (documentation, anthropometrics, biochemical) of patients in both the inpatient and outpatient setting.  Additionally, they will also assist in the discharge planning process for patients going home on enteral nutrition.

Please be advised this position is not eligible for sponsorship.

Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.

Successful applicants will be required to provide an immunisation and vaccination report, from either their current UK occupational health provider or their UK GP.

Main duties of the job

• To work under the supervision of the inpatient Dietitians to review nutritional care plans aiming to maximise nutritional status.
• To support the inpatient teams in delivery of group education to improve nutritional management for inpatients.
• To support the Dietetic Department with the ordering and monitoring of Nutritional Products for the hospital.
• To work as part of the inpatient teams supporting the provision of high-quality feeding practice and nutritional support at ward level and dietary education to patients.
• To work under the supervision of the inpatient teams to provide follow up for patients referred to Dietetics for dietary advice, and nutrition support, using behavioural management techniques to overcome barriers to change.
• To liaise with catering, nursing and dietetic staff to ensure the provision of a satisfactory meal service for in-patients.
• To assist in menu planning including carrying out dietary analysis as appropriate
• To obtain patients, weight, height, calculate BMI and check Nutrition Risk Score (‘MUST’) as appropriate.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To obtain patients’ biochemical results using the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) System as requested by Dietitians using defined criteria.
• To review patients assessed to be at low or moderate risk of malnutrition, who have been assessed by Dietitians.
• To encourage patients to eat and drink their prescribed nutrition to maximise their nutritional intake and status.
• To liaise with Dietitians and ward staff regarding patients monitoring and progress.
• To review prescriptions of nutritional supplements and snacks within agreed boundaries.
• To calculate nutritional requirements for protein and energy.
• To process communications with GP's to arrange supplements in the community as requested by the Dietitian
• To deliver feeding products and equipment to wards for patients being discharged on artificial feeding as requested by Dietitians and community nutrition nurses and register patients on the internet based database
• To register patients on the internet based database for enteral feed and ancillary deliveries
• To provide telephone follow-up for patients as selected by the Dietitians
• To actively participate in the nutrition review process for in-patients.
• To develop dietetic displays for in-patients and to raise the profile of the Dietetic Department as required.
• To measure patient’s anthropometry (i.e. Mid upper arm circumference, mid arm muscle circumference, hand grip dynamometry and bed scale weights) in selected patients to monitor nutritional status

For Further Information Please See the Attached Job Description and Person Specification.