Job summary
- Main area
- Dietitian
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 216-LT-DA8157724
- Employer
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Derriford Hospital
- Town
- PLYMOUTH
- Salary
- £39,959 - £48,117 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist Acute Medical Dietitian
NHS AfC: Band 6
Job overview
· University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is a large teaching hospital trust serving Plymouth and nearby areas of Devon and Cornwall.
· We have a fantastic opportunity to join our team as a Specialist Acute Medical Dietitian. The Nutrition and Dietetic Department has approximately 40 WTE staff.
· Derriford Hospital has approximately 1000 beds. Mount Gould Hospital currently has 24 general rehab beds.
· This post will have a split base between the Nutrition and Dietetic Department of Derriford Hospital and Mount Gould Hospital.
· The postholder will have a supervisory responsibility for junior dietitians, dietetic assistant and dietetic students and will contribute to resource management.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
· To provide a specialist dietetic service to patients on urgent care, acute medical, respiratory and rehabilitation wards across different sites e.g. Mount Gould and Derriford hospital.
· To work with MDT members and multi-agencies to provide a co-ordinated patient centred nutrition service
· To support other areas of the Dietetic service during absence of colleagues, where necessary
· The post holder is involved in all nutrition and dietetic departmental activities and contributes to the delivery of a Trust wide dietetic service.
· The ability to travel between hospital sites, including Mount Gould Hospital and Derriford Hospital is an essential criteria for this post.
· The post will involve weekend and bank holiday working.
Provide education and act as a source of knowledge and expertise in dietetics.
Develop ward based nutritional protocols and plans, participate in audit and research to improve clinical outcomes and develop the role and service.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
· To provide expert evidence-based advice to patients, carers and health care professionals regarding the provision of nutritional care for urgent care, acute medical, respiratory and rehab patients. This will involve nutritional diagnosis (including interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometrics, clinical condition and diet history) and the development and monitoring of treatment goals and plans. Including oral nutritional support and enteral nutrition as appropriate.
· To act as a clinical resource, providing specialist knowledge to members of the dietetic department (and other staff as required) on nutrition support required in general medical/respiratory patients including in both an acute and non-acute setting.
· Participate as a core-member in multidisciplinary team meetings. Attend ward rounds as necessary.
· To provide clinical support and cover for other staff as requested by the team lead.
· Be proactive and collaborative in clinical decision making underpinned by an enhanced level of theoretical and practical knowledge.
· Demonstrate a level of knowledge in relation to pattern of disease or disorder, marker of condition progression and range of treatment available at each stage of disorder or condition.
· To be experienced in the use of anthropometric equipment for assessment of nutritional status, such as weighing equipment, hand grip dynamometer and interpretation of results.
· To maintain accurate and timely dietetic patient records in line with national and local record keeping standards.
· To supervise and co-ordinate the safe and timely discharge of patients on artificial nutritional support, liaising with hospital and community services.
· Monitor the delivery of services and participate in audits as advised by the Line Manager or Head of Department.
For further information please see attached job description
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BSc in Dietetics or equivalent
- HCPC registration as a Dietitian
- Evidence of recent CPD
- Completion of a Clinical Supervisory skills course
Desirable criteria
- Completion of BDA PENG clinical update course
- Completion of a behaviour Change /Motivational interviewing course
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable evidence of significant dietetic experience in a wide range of clinical areas in particular general medicine and respiratory.
- Demonstrable experience of working with patients with long term conditions
- Demonstrable experience of enteral feeding and enteral feeding tubes
- Demonstrable experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
- Demonstrable training, supervisory and teaching experience.
- Sound knowledge of relevant clinical guidelines for a broad range of patients, including respiratory diseases, neurological conditions, learning disabilities and mental health conditions (i.e. disordered eating and eating disorders).
Desirable criteria
- Demonstrable experience of managing junior staff
- Demonstrable experience of clinical audit and service improvement
- Demonstrable experience of developing evidence-based resources, guidelines or protocols
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Able to work autonomously and organise a varied workload
- Competent with using technology including electronic records, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, data collection and dietary analysis
- Effective teaching and presentation skills
- Demonstrable evidence of experience of practical skills of nutritional support
Desirable criteria
- Proven ability to lift feeding equipment / deliver feeding supplies to patients on wards
Other Factors
Essential criteria
- Proven ability to travel between UHP sites
Desirable criteria
- BDA member
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Carleen Andrews
- Job title
- Acute Medicine Dietetic Team Leader
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01752432243
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