Band 7 Highly Specialist Learning Disabilities Dietitian, Bristol

NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000

Job description

Band 7 Highly Specialist Learning Disabilities Dietitian, Bristol

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Dietitian with clinical and team working skills to join the Multidisciplinary Team at the new Learning Disability and Autism unit opening in Bristol as part of Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health NHS Partnership Trust.

If successful, you will work as a Highly Specialist LD Dietitian to provide a safe, effective, and evidence-based dietetic service to the service users in this 10-bedded inpatient unit.

You will work as an integral member of the LD MDT assessing, advising, managing, and rehabilitating service users with complex nutritional and social needs. Your team working, leadership, supervision, and communication skills will be invaluable, as well as your ability to work autonomously to manage your caseload.

AWP are working with SW NHSE to provide a new inpatient unit as part of the transformation of end-to-end pathways in the region. We aim to be a centre of excellence. The services are being designed and developed with clinicians and people with lived experience. We expect to open in 2025.

If you would like further information prior to submitting your application, contact: [e-mail] Trust wide Head of Nutrition and Dietetics telephone [phone]

Main duties of the job

To provide highly specialist dietetic assessments and interventions to the service users with complex physical, psychological, and mental health or learning disabilities needs, working as a member of the multi-disciplinary team in various settings as part of an integrated service.

To utilize extensive and highly specialist knowledge within this specialist dietetic field and demonstrate the application of a wide range of behavioural skills in one-to-one and group contexts as required.

To develop and deliver pathways and protocols for service users across the Learning Disability and Autism pathway in line with Trust Wide Dietetic pathways.

To lead on an area of specialty within Mental Health services or Learning Disability.

To provide specialist liaison and advice to collaborative organisations.

To be an essential member of the LDA unit MDT.

To link in with the wider Nutrition and Dietetics team.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP, we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities, and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

To be the clinical expert in your specialist field within this setting. To be responsible for the development and provision & evaluation of a comprehensive and effective, evidence-based dietetic service in the Mental Health setting.

To have a working knowledge of national & best practice guidelines.

To work as an autonomous practitioner. This includes working in the hospital setting and working closely with patients, carers, and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

To undertake detailed dietetic assessments (some highly complex in specialty area) to include: calculation of nutritional requirements, formulation of nutritional goals based on the interpretation of biochemical, anthropometric, physiological, and psychosocial parameters. To monitor and change treatment plans based on new evidence.

To provide highly complex nutritional counselling and behavioural therapies to patients where there are significant barriers to change.

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness using evidence-based outcomes and to be able to deliver safe clinical outcomes where there is conflicting information or expert opinion differs.

To make recommendations to the medical and pharmacy teams on the prescription of nutritional supplements and products for patients requiring nutritional support and therapeutic diets. To work with prescribing advisors as required.

Required to accurately use anthropometrical equipment on a regular basis for dietetic assessment and research.

To organise, implement, and evaluate group education sessions for different client groups e.g. clients, healthcare professionals.

To actively participate in general health promotion, in line with government policies and local priorities, liaising closely with the public health departments.

To actively participate in health promotion activities as required for the specialist area and oversee the provision of health promotion/public health activities/projects appropriate to the needs of the local community and in support of the Trust's health improvement priorities.

To be responsible for the operational departmental standards and policies within your specialist area.

To undertake audit work within this setting to improve clinical care.

To maintain accurate client records and activity statistics in accordance with departmental & Trust policies and procedures.

To ensure that targets & outcomes are set and met in line with trust and departmental objectives and contractual requirements.

To carry out good office practice in accordance with the department's policies and procedures.

To work as a team member in the Nutrition and Dietetics team, which may involve providing leave cover and any other duties commensurate with the post, as requested by the Head of Nutrition and Dietetics.

COMMUNICATION

With Patients

To communicate highly complex medical and nutritional information to patients, carers, and healthcare professionals in a clear and easy to understand manner.

To effectively engage with patients to help them understand, accept, and overcome difficult diagnoses and complex dietary changes.

To communicate sensitively and effectively with patients and carers particularly where there are significant barriers to understanding such as mental illness, hearing/sight impairment, cognitive impairment, behavioural problems, dementia, etc.

To negotiate patient care plans with patients and carers, overcoming barriers to change & using persuasion and motivational interviewing techniques to achieve client compliance. Post-graduate training in Behavior Change or similar is required.

With Colleagues

To effectively communicate complex nutritional information to healthcare professionals.

To effectively liaise with multidisciplinary teams regarding client care and to actively participate in multi-agency work and liaise with statutory and voluntary agencies as appropriate. To work collaboratively with ward teams to maintain existing assessment standards and systems, meeting patients' needs in collaboration with Hotel Services.

To produce timely and accurate client-related correspondence in line with local and national guidelines.

To communicate effectively in highly complex situations where sensitive information is to be discussed e.g. dealing with complaints to avoid escalation, client medical conditions.

To use negotiation & persuasion skills to manage conflict across a range of situations.

To present clinical and service data in a formal setting to a large group of people e.g. as an invited speaker on an external accredited course.

To support the Head of Nutrition & Dietetic Services when representing the department at internal and external forums. This involves regularly presenting service information, formulating & delivering plans to various sizes of groups of professionals, peers, senior managers, and client groups.

To have a high level of keyboard skills and working knowledge of computer packages (e.g. excel, windows, power point & nutrition analysis software) for the production of patient and service reports and information on a daily basis.

MANAGEMENT

To effectively and efficiently prioritise and time manage a workload. To ensure safe practice through caseload management taking into account risk management.

To work as an autonomous practitioner and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

To set up, chair and/or attend meetings as required by the post, including supporting existing programmes of development/change.

To effectively supervise junior staff and students as required.

To support staff in client care in your related specialty.

To participate fully in the appraisal process and develop a strategy for continuing professional development encompassing a portfolio-based assessment in line with HCPC legislation.

To contribute to operational and strategic planning for the dietetic service, with an annual service review.

To document and report critical incidents and near misses as outlined in the Trust policy.

To undertake any other duty, appropriate to the post, as requested by the Head of Nutrition and Dietetics.

To work closely with the Head of Nutrition and Dietetics, especially concerning clinical governance, staffing, cover, and service provision.

Person Specification

Education and Qualification

• Recognised degree level qualification in Nutrition and Dietetics
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Dietitian
• Masters/Post Graduate diploma level qualification in relevant clinical field or equivalent knowledge developed through evidenced experience
• Member of the British Dietetic Association
• Member of Specialist Interest Group Relevant to the post i.e. Mental Health Specialist Group or similar

Experience and Knowledge

• Significant post-registration experience in a wide range of clinical nutrition areas
• Evidence of working in the specialist field of learning disability, autism, and mental health
• Experience of using electronic patient records and IT systems. To be fully IT literate, including accurate keyboard, word processing, and data inputting skills
• Experience of producing and reviewing patient information leaflets/resources
• Excellent knowledge of clinical guidelines and governance
• Experience of delivering education sessions to other dietitians, patients, or healthcare professionals, to be able to engage others to learn
• Experience of supervising, facilitating, and mentoring student dietitians
• Experience of clinical audit/research
• Understanding of professional ethics and their application in practice
• Experience of working closely within the MDT and have the necessary team-working skills to do this effectively
• Experience of facilitating patient-centred MDT meetings and having a holistic understanding of the clinical, social, and ethical considerations of complex chronic conditions
• To be able to work in a challenging clinical environment with exposure to blood, vomit, and unpleasant smells
• Published clinical audit/research
• Evidence of regional/national policy and practice development

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills - articulate in all forms
• Experience of supervising more junior dietitians, assistants, and/or students
• Able to adapt in the role to changing priorities
• Ability to work well within a team and on your own
• Good organizational skills and ability to work to deadlines
• Experience of communicating regularly and effectively with teams and individuals at all levels
• Understands the importance of listening and listens effectively
• Experience of communication complex information
• Experience of report writing and presenting
• Motivation and enthusiasm to use opportunity for personal development and service development
• Integrity and honesty; to ensure practice is always in line with the HCPC code of conduct

Other Requirements

• Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour that may be challenging at times
• Demonstrates an understanding of social and cultural issues and their relevance to mental health care
• Builds relationships with staff and service users based on compassion, dignity, and respect
• Actively seeks feedback and evaluation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.