Job summary
- Main area
- Senior Specialist Oncology Dietitian
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed Term - 12 months)
- Hours
- Full time - 33.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 413-109216-CSSS-TM
- Employer
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Dietetics - E00274
- Town
- Manchester
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 Pro Rata Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 04/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Specialist Oncology Dietitian
Band 7
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and motivated dietitian to join The Christie Nutrition and Dietetic Team on a Band 7 fixed-term contract or secondment (33.5 hours per week) for 12 months to cover maternity leave. This post is the clinical lead for the Head and Neck Outpatient Dietetic Service, working alongside the Band 7 Head and Neck Dietitian leads. You will work as part of a highly skilled and supportive Head and Neck MDT within our world-class cancer centre, while also contributing to the wider Nutrition and Dietetic Service. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading and developing the outpatient Head and Neck dietetic service, providing expert nutritional assessment and intervention throughout the patient pathway. The role includes service development, quality improvement, and supporting the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.
Main duties of the job
As a senior specialist oncology dietitian, you will
• Be clinically responsible for the nutritional care and management of head and neck outpatients and independently plan organise and prioritise patient related and professional demands daily.
• To act as a specialised resource on nutrition and cancer for head and neck patients, carers, medical staff, nursing staff, and other health care professionals associated with the Christie Hospital and at regional and national level.
• To provide education and training to medical staff, nursing staff and other health care professionals in the Trust.
• To provide support and supervision to band 6 rotation dietitians.
• To take an active role in the research and audit.
Working for our organisation
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, looking after more than 64,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 25% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We are the largest radiotherapy provider in the NHS with one in 20 treatments delivered at The Christie. We have up to 15 linear accelerators operating across our network of sites. We operate the largest chemotherapy unit in the UK on our main site and treatments are also provided at 13 other networked sites, and in patients homes. And as a specialist tertiary surgical centre, we focus on rare cancers, complex procedures, and multidisciplinary approaches to cancer surgery, specialising in colorectal, peritoneal, gynaecological, urological and plastic surgery.
We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We have been named by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), as one of the best hospitals providing opportunities for patients to participate in clinical research studies, with more than 800 studies open at any time, caring for over 3,000 patients.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilties
1. To be clinically responsible for a highly complex area of work, as agreed with the dietetic manager and independently plan, organise and prioritise patient related and professional demands.
2. To develop the head and neck dietetic service alongside the other band 7 head and neck dietitians with the support of the dietetic manager.
3. To work alongside the band 7 proton head and neck outpatient dietitian and provide cover when required including an evening clinic.
4. To nutritionally assess head and neck oncology patients by interpreting and evaluating anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary data, whilst considering the patients social and ethnic circumstances, prognosis and treatment.
5. To convey complex specialised dietary advice and lifestyle changes, to head and neck oncology patients and carers using advanced counselling and communication skills.
6. To diagnose malnutrition and to liaise with the appropriate consultant, with an aim of optimising treatment outcome, by recommending the appropriate method of nutrition intervention and reducing risk of Refeeding Syndrome.
7. To attend appropriate multidisciplinary meetings and outpatient clinics and wards to provide expert advice to clinicians regarding provision of nutritional support for head and neck oncology patients and carers based on clinical evidence.
8. To communicate, liaise and advise the head and neck team, key workers,
nursing staff, AHP’s and other health care professionals on the appropriate
evidence based nutrition care plan.
9. To prescribe the appropriate dietary regimen for head and neck oncology patients using evidence-based practice and to manage, monitor and re-evaluate the treatment plan as necessary.
10. To refer patients to other services for monitoring and therapeutic support following discharge.
11. To work with the catering department to ensure suitable meal provision to meet the special needs of the oncology patient in line with national standards.
12. To initiate, facilitate and coordinate the setting up of a home enteral feed to ensure a safe discharge.
13. To be responsible for the ordering, delivery and monitoring of specialist nutritional supplements (ACBS endorsed) for individual client needs.
14. To write, deliver and evaluate internal and external education and training sessions on head and neck nutrition and specialist dietetics in relation to oncology to medical staff, nursing staff, AHP’s, dietitians, other health care professionals, patients, and carers.
15. To act as a clinical educator by participating in student dietetic placements.
16. To provide supervision to allocated band 6 dietitians daily, carrying out regular one to one meetings, and carrying out annual PDR process.
17. To take an active role in the research and audit.
18. To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date documentation on individual patients in line with local and national standards and be responsible for the appropriate storage of d with the Health Care Professions Council (H.C.P.C) and trust policy on confidentiality.
19. To record and submit patient data and statistics as required by the manager and provide information for annual reports and service development and planning.
20. To attend and participate in departmental, professional update meetings and trust nutrition related meetings leading them when required.
21. To attend and contribute to the trust nutrition steering committee.
22. To be responsible for own clinical professional development (CPD) to maintain competency and to ensure best practice.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BSc Nutrition & Dietetics or BSc degree in relevant science subject plus Post Graduate Diploma in Nutrition & Dietetics
- HCPC registration
- Clinical supervision training Masters level or equivalent courses e.g. Advanced course in nutritional support (e.g., BDA PEN course)
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of post-graduate specialist counselling skills course in oncology, bereavement counselling or breaking bad news
Experience
Essential criteria
- Recent NHS experience of working in head & neck cancer
- Recent experience in palliative care
- Extensive experience of enteral and nutrition and home enteral feeding
- Presentations/ talks to large groups
- Clinical supervision
- Demonstrate evidence in Leadership
- Evidence of leading a small team, or direct line management of junior staff
- Experience in setting up patient pathways /service
- Evidence of recent CPD
- Evidence of recent audit/ research experience
- Evidence of multidisciplinary team working
- Student training
Desirable criteria
- Experience of leading or co-ordinating audit or research work
- Presented to conferences
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Good presentation skills and evidence of presentations to large groups
- Standard keyboard skills
- Ability to work effectively single-handed with individuals and groups
- Good organisational and time management skills
- Accurate anthropometrics measurement skills
- Ability to interpret complex information
- Evidence of leadership skills
- Supervision skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Understanding the complex effects of head and neck cancer and treatments on nutritional status of patients
- Conversant with enteral feeding systems
- Excellent up to date knowledge in head and neck cancer and current treatments
- Sound knowledge of current issues relating to cancer and nutrition support
- Knowledge of clinical governance
- Knowledge of national head and neck oncology strategies/ polices/ guidance / pathways
- Evidence of oncology / nutrition support courses
Values
Essential criteria
- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other
Essential criteria
- Self-motivated, reliable
- Able to recognise own limitations
- Positive mindset in respect of supporting organisational change; learning, and continuous improvement
- Effective interpersonal and intrapersonal skills including high degree of self -awareness and self-regulation
- Willingness to support preregistration students
- Demonstrate empathy, sensitivity and tact with patients and their families
Applicant requirements
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Catherine Ferguson
- Job title
- Deputy Manager Nutrition & Dietetics
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0161 918 7588
- Additional information
We encourage a visit to the department or telephone contact to discuss the role further.
List jobs with The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors



