Dietitian - Lead Eating Disorders

Job overview

Band 8a (0.4 WTE): Dietitian Lead Eating Disorder Role: fixed term 12 month role

We are looking for an enthusiastic Dietitian with good networking and team working skills to take on a leadership role to support team members within the acute eating disorder pathway. Experience in acute advanced nutrition support is essential with extensive knowledge of the community pathways and services. The successful candidate will be taking on training, supervision and strategic oversite and will also support a small complex caseload.

The postholder will  undertake projects relating to nutrition trust–wide.  They will contribute to service and policy development and support strategic, clinical and professional work regarding the Nutrition and Dietetics service to North Bristol NHS Trust. Examples include liaison with MHLT to support, review and evaluate  admission policies.

The ideal candidate will therefore  have experience in leadership, behavior change and clinical reasoning skills who can integrate well into multidisciplinary teams   and provide an effective link between acute to community services.

The post holder will also be involved in our training programme for B and C placement student Dietitians.

As part of our commitment to service improvement and quality, we would expect you to undertake audit and research projects relevant to the post. In return, we will encourage and support relevant CPD.

Main duties of the job

• Day-to-day leadership and supervision of the dietitians working with eating disorders/disordered eating patients including; Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, ARFID, RISH or other highly complex disordered eating patients.

• Provide highly skilled dietetic input with acute eating disorders patients at Southmead.

• To actively contribute to service and policy development within the Nutrition and Dietetic Service, pertaining to eating disorders.

• To support nutrition specific projects related to eating disorders.

• To support strategic, clinical and professional work regarding the Nutrition and Dietetics service to North Bristol NHS Trust, social services, educational institutions, charitable organisations and other external agencies, to enable planning and implementation of service developments.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

• Responsible for the management of a highly specialist and complex caseload of eating disorders patients.

• Work as an autonomous and advanced level of clinical practice dietitian having professional and legal accountability in accordance with occupational standards and codes of practice.

• Feed into the Trust’s Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group when relevant.

• Prioritise workload and balance clinical, non-clinical and professional demands appropriately.

• Ensure that accurate and comprehensive patient records are kept by the Nutrition and Dietetics service.

• Assess capacity for consent with patients and whenever possible ensure that valid informed consent is agreed with the patient working within the legal framework.

• Communicate with patients who have complex emotional, physical and psychological conditions.

• Maintain competency to practice through continuing professional development activities and maintain a personal portfolio.

• Evaluate current Nutrition and Dietetics practice through the application of evidence-based outcomes, audit, research, etc.

• Attend regular clinical supervision sessions.

• Attend meetings, multidisciplinary discussions and case conferences as required.

• Negotiate with clients and carers in relation to individual case management.

• Recognise potential breakdown or conflict and generate solutions.

• Deal with complaints sensitively and in accordance with the Trust’s Complaints Procedure.

• To collaborate with other services and agencies to support delivery of care and clinical pathways for eating disorders patients.

• Undertake advisory work and provide expert second opinion where necessary.

Professional Management and Leadership

• Day to day management and leadership of the ward dietetic team involved in eating disorders. To include organisation of ward cover, prioritisation, onward referrals and supporting junior staff.

• To participate in service planning, review and evaluation to ensure a modern and clinically effective service. To advise the Head of Nutrition and Dietetics of new or changing service needs.

• Interpret national and local strategy and policy relevant to Nutrition and Dietetics and evaluate the implications to service delivery and development.

• Undertake appraisal (including KSF) and performance management of team members according to Trust guidelines

• Maintain continuing professional development in the areas of management and leadership.

• Ensure that all team members undertake mandatory training in line with the department post-qualification training policy

• Monitor and manage sickness absence in line with Trust policy.

• In conjunction with the Head of Service to be responsible for recruitment to the acute team to include advertising, short-listing, interviewing and induction of new personnel into roles responsible for the care of eating disorders patients.

• Promote evidence-based reflection, ensuring that clinical effectiveness is embedded into practice.

• Supporting policy development and implementation, ensuring compliance with legal and statutory requirements.

• Identify and develop information technology provision as necessary.

• Be accountable for own and others’ professional actions and recognise professional boundaries through the interpretation of clinical and professional policies.

• Be accountable for the strategic delivery, evidence base and clinically effective dietetic services with this complex patient group, working collaboratively with other senior leaderships to provide quality patient focused care.

• Work with other AHPs to ensure seamless, co-ordinated care and contribute to the overall strategy for Therapy services.

• To be responsible for the team’s compliance with Trust and Directorate policies, including Health and Safety and departmental policies. Identify areas for development and review

• Delegated management or deputy responsibilities as requested by the Head of Dietetics.

Service Evaluation and Planning

• To lead the development and introduction of best-practice nutritional policies and guidelines for the ward Specialties at NBT, particularly around eating disorders.  This will require you to influence a wide range of health professionals including pharmacists, nurses and medical staff

• To represent the Nutrition and Dietetic Service on relevant working groups and committees at NBT and nationally and to make the Head of Service aware of the issues under discussion and any implications for the service.

• To make the Head of service aware of capacity and demand issues to ensure that service objectives are met.

• To incorporate feedback from service users to improve services.

• To support and participate in the Nutrition and Dietetics service clinical governance programme.

Education, Research and Development

• Identify training needs within the Nutrition and Dietetics service and co-ordinate the development of others to reflect organisational priorities.

• Support the development, implementation and evaluation of training provided by Nutrition and Dietetics staff.

• Develop and deliver training programmes as appropriate.

• Ensure that a robust programme of student placements and assessments is in place.

• Provide clinical and management supervision as appropriate.

• To inspire dietetic team members to take part in R+D activities, leading by example and undertaking research and audit projects in line with the department R+D strategy.

• To disseminate the results at local and national level e.g. by poster or oral presentation or by submission to peer-reviewed journals.

Resource Management

• Identify resources to support research and audit projects