Inpatient Mental Health Dietitian

Job overview

This role is offered on a permanent basis. The hours are part-time, 30 hours per week.

We have an exciting opportunity to expand our Inpatient Mental Health Dietitian Team. This development post will see the successful applicant develop from Band 5 to Band 6. You will be supported in this development phase using competencies and with support and guidance from our Highly Specialist Dietitian and the Multi-Disciplinary Team.

The post holder will:

• Provide specialist Dietetic intervention to service users with severe / complex mental health needs and / or learning disabilities. (80% of time)
• Provide evidence based, dietetic assessment and intervention to optimise service users’ outcomes and recovery.
• To be responsible for a designated workload with access to the support, advice and management from a senior clinician whilst not directly supervised.
• They will assess, plan, deliver and evaluate patient centred programmes of care ensuring that they practice within their sphere of competence and knowledge.
• The post holder will work to professional protocols and regulatory body codes, standards and guidance at all times ensuring that their practice is grounded in the best available evidence based theoretical and practical knowledge.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialist nutrition advice/input and training throughout mental health and learning disabilities (LD) services within the Trust
• To provide a Trust wide Nutrition and Dietetic Service for mental health and LD and work as an autonomous practitioner and with supervision from the lead Dietitian.
• To work with catering services to ensure the Trust's catering provisions are fit for purpose and meet national guidelines for hospital food standards
• To provide dietetic assessments and interventions to individuals or groups of clients with mental illness or learning disabilities
• To provide clinical supervision and support to Dietetic Students
• To carry out delegated tasks in policy and service development reviews

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical:

• Use analytical and judgmental skills to plan safe, effective and appropriate individualised dietetic treatment based on a sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options
• To plan and deliver nutrition education and training of other health professionals, catering colleagues, and associated patient groups on a regular basis.
• To undertake individual dietary assessments as required, and produce specialist 1-1 treatment plans for dietetic patients
• Provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information where motivational, persuasive, empathetic, negotiating and reassurance skills are required whilst demonstrating an understanding of barriers to communication.
• To deliver a quality assured service in line with the departments agreed Standards of Care and evidence-based practice
• To assess and document all patient information as per Trust health records policy, BDA code of conduct and HCPC standards of practice

Professional:

• Responsible for collecting and inputting the appropriate clinical information for activity monitoring
• To participate in clinical governance and audit
• To work in accordance with agreed objectives and uphold professional standards
• To liaise with other colleagues of all disciplines to ensure good communication and effective service delivery
• To continue with personal development in order to maintain and develop knowledge, skills and competence in therapeutic nutrition and dietetics
• To participate in student training
• To be involved in service improvement, innovation and research initiatives in order to facilitate enhanced patient care
• To comply with statutory registration requirements as appropriate to your profession
• Works with managers and colleagues to identify, manage and minimise risks within the overall organisational risk management frameworks. This includes understanding and applying knowledge of clinical role in safeguarding and incident management
• Acts as an advocate for patients and their families/carers recognising the boundaries of their clinical knowledge; liaising and referring on to other services / agencies as required
• Undertakes any training required to develop or maintain their proficiency within the clinical area and demonstrates competence within professional body requirements
• Reflects on and evaluates own practice and identifies areas of development by setting appropriate objectives via appraisal and clinical supervision
• Is committed to delivering and sharing learning opportunities with students, team members and other agencies in order to develop self and others

Leadership:

• Ensures that a professional service and image is maintained at all time, thereby acting as a role model to all staff
• Provides a leadership style which is underpinned by strongly held values around equality, diversity and openness; effectively builds and maintains relationships with direct reportee(s) and other key individuals across the organisation.
• Ensures the effective and efficient use of resources within their own sphere of responsibility.
• Demonstrates clinical leadership in everyday practice through identifying creative and innovative solutions, engaging in leadership development appropriate to level and encouraging development as part of the team.
• In the absence of senior clinicians, the post holder will be able to delegate, organise and prioritise to ensure the safe delivery of the service including the management of referrals and discharges utilising locally agreed support mechanisms e.g. on call manager
• Demonstrates resilience when responding to challenge, change and complex or difficult situations
• Inspires others to be positive in their support of continuous improvement.
• Ensures that individual objectives are clearly defined within the wider Directorate framework and in line with Trust’s objectives, using the appraisal process as a vehicle for this.
• Takes responsibility for their own and others’ health and safety in the working environment.
• To work alongside the Specialist Mental Health Dietitian in order to provide a Dietetic Service to the mental health older adults, working age adults and recovery units in Gloucestershire and our 8 bed inpatient learning disability unit. This includes accepting and prioritising new referrals, attendance at relevant MDT discussions, reviews, and arranging follow on care following discharge
• To support promotional activities on the wards such as Nutrition and Hydration Week, Dysphagia Week etc.
• To be part of our staff training programmes and support student placements
• To be a proactive member of the Dietetic Team