Job summary
- Main area
- Learning Disabilties
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed term: 18 months (18 month contract)
- Hours
- Part time - 24.5 hours per week (Days can be flexible)
- Job ref
- 363-CHB7203168
- Employer
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Twinwoods Clinical Resource Centre
- Town
- Bedford
- Salary
- £35,392 - £42,618 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- Today at 08:00
Employer heading

Specialist Learning Disability Weight Management Dietitian
NHS AfC: Band 6
ELFT has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for mental and health care, innovation and improvement. So it is a very exciting time for you to come and work for us. Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job overview
We invite you to apply to this novel and rewarding 18 month fixed term opportunity to provide dietetic leadership into the newly established weight management service for people with learning disabilities in Bedford Borough. This prevention service is designed to complement other clinical pathways within the Specialist Learning Disabilities Service in Bedfordshire in partnership with Bedford Borough Council. Your role will be up to 3-days per week, supervising a junior post-holder and working alongside multi-professional colleagues to promote access for this under-served group. If you would like to discuss the opportunity before applying, please be in touch with Simone Mingay or Iduna Heinrich.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will lead with the support of the Professional Lead Dietitian, the embedment of the ELFT Shape Up programme, a weight management service for people with learning disabilities in Bedfordshire, and will be the driving force behind its workstreams and service development. The Shape Up programme comprises service-user intervention and training in practical nutrition for carers and staff, and has been co-developed with service users and re-run in ELFT specialist learning disabilities services in other boroughs after demonstrable positive impact. This will involve working with the specialist learning disabilities service, care providers, primary care and community services to promote and deliver the programme effectively, and identify opportunities for improvement.
The post-holder will be both autonomous and team-spirited, proactive and organised, and approachable. The post-holder will work effectively with multidisciplinary professionals across sites, and will seek opportunities to support the weight management service to develop locally. This role is an exciting opportunity to address dietary health inequalities at a borough-wide level within the Trust, and expand current practices surrounding nutrition in the trust for the benefit of the disadvantaged people we serve.
Working for our organisation
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Provide dietetic input for adults diagnosed with a learning disability who have a Bedfordshire GP.
- Independently manage a complex caseload using advanced clinical reasoning to support assessments and interventions with the support of the Band 5 dietitian.
- Use a client-centred approach and current evidence base to assess, plan, implement, evaluate and document Dietetic interventions.
- Provide service for a caseload of weight management patients by working with the MDT and attending the Shape Up Programme, ensuring regular review.
- Manage a caseload of patients living with obesity who are at risk of metabolic complications, offering tailored dietetic advice in group and individual settings.
- Deliver and evaluate the accessible Shape Up Programme in collaboration with the Band 5 dietitian.
- Work closely with therapists and Band 5 dietitian to improve people's quality of life.
Person specification
Person Specification
Essential criteria
- • BSc in Nutrition & Dietetics or equivalent
- • UK registered with Health Professional Council
- • Evidence of the dietetic management of a wide range of complex clinical conditions including weight management and diabetes
- • Demonstrated ability to work autonomously
- • Knowledge of national policies and guidelines in the area of Weight management, Diabetes and Cardiovascular
- • Understanding of Obesity including the associated physical and mental health risks
Desirable criteria
- • Post-qualification training relevant to working with people living with Learning Disabilities and/ or Obesity.h
- • Experience of working in a community setting
- • Experience of working with people with obesity and/or Learning Disabilities or in a similar setting
- • Experience of developing protocols and evaluation
- • Experience of providing support to junior Dietetic staff
Interview
Essential criteria
- UK registered with Health Professional Council
- Member of the British Dietetic Association
- Post graduate professional practice in Dietetics
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working within the community setting
- Has an ability to use own initiative and to be self-motivated
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
- Simone Mingay
- Job title
- Clinical Nurse Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07833 294335
- Additional information
Iduna Heinrich [email protected]
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