Job summary
- Main area
- Dietitian
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 350-MHC8170262
- Employer
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Eleanor House
- Town
- Liverpool
- Salary
- £39,959 - £48,117 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/08/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 28/08/2026
Employer heading
Specialist Dietitian
Band 6
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Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.
Using AI to support your application
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a helpful tool when preparing your application, supporting you to organise and structure your application and present your experiences clearly. However, we want to hear about your experiences and achievements. Please ensure everything you submit is truthful, accurate, and reflects your own work and experience. Your authentic story is the best way to help us understand who you are and what you can bring to the role. If content appears to be copied or misrepresented, it may impact the outcome of your application. We encourage you to use AI responsibly as a support tool, not a substitute for your own voice.
For tips and guidance, please refer to our applicant guidance.
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Applications that appear mostly or fully generated by AI, without clear personal examples linked to the person specification, may be rejected.
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Job overview
The post is an exciting opportunity to be based across In-Patient mental health care services. You will manage a diverse case load of complex patients in Weight Management with co-morbidity and Nutritional support patients. Regular supervision and support as you gain your confidence and competencies in these areas will be provided.
You will provide daily in-patient ward based clinics to assess and review patients. You will attend MDT's to communicate your treatment care plan and monitoring, this will involve frequent networking with all health-professionals. You will deliver Nutritional Screening training to a variety of staff and will support audit and the objectives in the Nutrition and hydration Strategy.
Using evidence based practice and working within the British Dietetic Association Professional code of conduct is paramount. You will be encouraged to attend training and courses to support and enhance Learning and development and apply skills in your practice.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is responsible for the delivery of clinical care to a defined population.
Supported by senior practitioner, they will deliver care within the boundaries of their role.
They will work effectively and collaboratively within the team to meet the needs of patients, support the delivery of policy and procedures and provide clinical leadership.
Ensure the delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area incorporating establishment of systems and processes.
Working for our organisation
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Mental Health Care Division Dietetic Team is an ever developing specialist Mental Health team and has strong links with all professions including Nursing, Allied health, Dr's and local Dietetics including The British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Mental Health Specialist Group of the BDA. Our dynamic dietetic team is supported by the Lead Dietitian and highly skilled dietitian.
You will work as part of the team and will be professionally accountable for your own caseload of patients, working autonomously in a variety of complex mental health settings including liaising with the service users families and when they transition to other areas. You will develop and implement dietary intervention plans and provide advice to people with a variety of dietetic needs and a range of learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions.
There are regular specialty dietetic team meetings to develop your skills in Mental Health and to provide peer support. The post holder will have access to both formal and informal training. We have a robust clinical supervision structure and, if you are newly qualified, we are able to offer a preceptorship programme.
Dietitians work closely with other health care professionals and Multi-disciplinary team work is integral to dietetic care. Our Trust is committed to providing regular opportunities to participate in first class Continuous Professional Development (CPD), policy development, audit, research activities, pathway development, staff and student training. There are regular opportunities to network with colleagues; to share best practice; and to celebrate our successes as a profession working within Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.
**Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details**
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BSc. Nutrition and Dietetics or relevant degree with postgraduate diploma in Dietetics
- Current Health and Care Professions Council Registration for Dietetics
- Mentorship and/or Student Training qualification e.g., SAS training.
Desirable criteria
- Full member of British Dietetic Association
- Demonstrable post registration/qualification
- Completion of parenteral and enteral nutrition group (PENG) course
- Management and clinical leadership course or qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of successful multi- agency working
- Demonstrable experience in relevant area of practice
- Evidence of being able to communicate complex Application form, interview, presentation Management and clinical leadership experience Motivational interviewing and behavioural change training. Experience using eregistration systems for home enteral feed discharges. Membership of Application form, interview, presentation information and advice on healthcare to patients/clients, carers and colleagues
- Previous experience working as a Dietitian either in the inpatient or outpatient setting.
- Providing training or shadowing for other health professionals or trainees
- Experience delivering patient education or health promotion.
- Experience of clinical audit, service development or quality improvement
- Enteral feeding or nutrition support experience
- Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT).
Desirable criteria
- Management and clinical leadership experience
- Motivational interviewing and behavioural change training.
- Experience using eregistration systems for home enteral feed discharges.
- Membership of specialist group of British Dietetic Association
- Experience of being an appraiser
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Evidence of CPD/Short courses
- Awareness of current national and local health and social care strategy and policies
- Understanding of partnership working
- Understanding of the principles of care management
- Awareness of factors that contribute to good health and the importance of promoting these in line with organisational public health policy.
- Knowledge of the trust vision, goals and values
- Knowledge and experience in the reporting and investigation of patient safety incidents
Skills
Essential criteria
- Able to prioritise a defined clinical caseload.
- Time management and organisational skills
- Ability to carry out anthropometric measurements
- Able to undertake a nutritional assessment considering all relevant factors to formulate a Dietetic diagnosis and care plan and setting goal- based outcomes with service users
- Knowledge of current best practice in Dietetics
- Autonomous practitioner
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
- Awareness of local and national guidelines relevant to Dietetics e.g., NICE, BDA.
- Awareness of research methods and audit skills to inform and evaluate practice.
- Basic knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and health and safety and risk awareness.
- Understanding of professional conduct and confidentiality
- Ability to build effective working relationships.
- Effective personal organisational skills.
- Keep an up-to-date CPD portfolio
- Written and oral communication skills in English sufficient to communicate effectively with patients to gain consent, explain treatment interventions and gain information required for the patient’s medical/ social history relevant to Dietetics
- Basic computer skills e.g., word processing, MS Teams, email, internet skills. Access to a suitable means of transport to enable the post holder to commute across the Trust footprint
- Ability to comply with Trust Policy
- Willingness to be flexible to deliver unexpected or unusual circumstances relating to patient care.
- A commitment to continuous learning and personal development of self
- Support the learning and development of others including Dietetic Assistants, Assistant Practitioners, Student Dietitians, Apprentice Dietitians, Band 5 Dietitians and other AHPs.
- Satisfactory DBS clearance.
- Satisfactory references.
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
- Natalie Sutton
- Job title
- Physical Health Matron
- Email address
- [email protected]
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