Job summary
- Main area
- Allied Health Professionals
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 216-LH-S7392914
- Employer
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- HPB Specialist Dietitian
- Town
- Plymouth
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 £38,682 - £46,580 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist HPB Dietitian
NHS AfC: Band 6
Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Specialist HPB Dietitian to join our dynamic and expanding Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, based at Derriford Hospital.
This is an exciting opportunity to work in a tertiary referral centre providing specialist dietetic care to patients undergoing complex HPB surgery, including those with pancreatic, liver, and biliary disease. You will work closely with the established HPB Specialist Dietitian Lead, dietetic assistant, surgical and nursing teams, contributing to high-quality care across both inpatient and outpatient settings.
You will act as an autonomous practitioner, managing a varied clinical caseload while contributing to service development, education, and regional collaboration across the South West HPB network. The role includes involvement in prehabilitation, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), and long-term nutritional management, including pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) and enteral feeding.
This is a rewarding role for a dietitian with strong clinical experience in gastrointestinal or surgical dietetics who is ready to further specialise in a supportive, innovative team.
***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
The postholder will provide specialist dietetic care for patients with Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) conditions, managing a varied caseload across inpatient, outpatient, and prehabilitation settings. Key responsibilities include nutritional assessment, support with pancreatic enzyme replacement, enteral and parenteral nutrition, and active participation in MDTs and ward rounds. The role involves delivering education to healthcare staff, collaborating with regional dietetic teams, and contributing to service development, audit, and research.
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 team on 01752 432100. 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
1. To work independently to provide specialist advice to HPB patients on the Surgical Wards (and other wards if outliers) at UHP. To include the interpretation of biochemical, haematological, observational, faecal and anthropometric measurements.
2. To provide dietetic input and liaison to the Nutrition Support Team (NST) for HPB patients providing in-patient parenteral nutrition (PN). To include the interpretation of biochemical, haematological, observational, fluid balance and anthropometric measurements.
3. To attend MDT meetings and ward rounds and provide Dietetic advice to patients, nursing, and surgical staff within this setting.
4. To assess HPB patients as outpatients in preparation for elective surgery and provide pre-operative nutritional support. This requires a comprehensive nutritional assessment including measurements of muscle strength e.g. hand grip dynamometry as well as the interpretation of the results as well as biochemical, haematological, observational, and fluid balance measurements.
5. To advise on the prescription of pancreatic enzyme supplements, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements, both in the inpatient and out-patient setting.
6. To provide ongoing outpatient follow up for the post-operative patients.
7. To act as a clinical resource, providing specialist knowledge to members of the dietetic department on HPB patient management.
8. To provide a source of expert knowledge and advice on HPB dietetic problems. Review patient’s nutritional status and adapt care plans accordingly.
9. To maintain accurate and timely dietetic record in the patient records in line with national and local record keeping standards.
10. Monitor the delivery of services as advised by HPB specialist dietitian lead or service line management team.
For further details please see the attached JD & PS
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • BSc in Human Nutrition and Dietetics or equivalent.
- • Professional registration (HCPC)
- • Completion of Clinical Supervisory Skills course
Desirable criteria
- • A teaching qualification or demonstrable experience of teaching groups.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- • Demonstrable experience in clinical dietetics within a large clinical setting in GI surgery
- • Demonstrable experience of Enteral feeding in complex nutritional requirement states
- • Proven knowledge and demonstrable experience of oral and enteral nutritional support
Desirable criteria
- • Proven evidence of peer-reviewed publications and presentations
- • Demonstrable experience of developing policies/ protocols/guidelines
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential criteria
- • Effective communication skills with an ability to communicate with all levels of healthcare personnel (ward staff, kitchen staff, dieticians, senior and junior medical staff, senior managers) as well as patients and their carers.
- • Able to work within a team.
- • Ability to work well in a busy environment
Desirable criteria
- • Ability to lift feeding equipment / deliver feeding supplies to patients on wards.
- • Demonstrable experience of advanced communication skills (certified course)
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
- Claire Gimingham
- Job title
- HPB Specialist Dietitian Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01752 432247
- Additional information
Vickie Edwards
Service Line Manager
01752 439279
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