Specialist Paediatric Dietitian

NHS; Reading; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job description

Job summary

Are you looking for a new and exciting community-based role, working within a supportive and friendly team?

We have a vacancy within our team for a Specialist Paediatric Dietetic on a fixed term contract for one year.

We are looking for somebody who is passionate about working with children and young people (CYP) with complex health needs who are enterally fed and/or those who have feeding difficulties across Berkshire.

You will be based at a University of Reading site but will be required to work with CYP and their families across a wide range of community settings within Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham including their home, special schools and respite or short break settings, delivering high-quality dietetic, support, training and advice.

You will manage a designated case load, working within a multi-disciplinary team and with multi-agency colleagues.

For this role you will need to have good clinical and organisational skills and the ability to work independently and autonomously, whilst also remaining part of the wider team. Effective communication with the multi-disciplinary team is vital with a good knowledge of safeguarding.

Your working pattern will be 22.5 hours per week between Monday - Friday. Flexible hours will be considered.

Main duties of the job

• To provide expert clinical dietary/nutritional assessment, management and education for CYP with complex needs who require enteral feeding.
• To manage and balance nutritional requirements against other co-morbidities, including the calculation of nutritional requirements based on interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometry and clinical condition(s).
• To provide specialist skills and knowledge to CYP with disabilities and/or complex needs who are at risk of nutritional imbalance.
• To provide specialist supervision and support to newly qualified dieticians and students within the team using expertise and learning to share best practice.
• To set up and manage feeding delivery accounts and relevant equipment for enterally fed CYP from home delivery companies, managing issues related to financial prudence and effective use of resources.
• To work in partnership with Community Children's Nurses, Specialist School Nurses, Special Needs Schools, Primary Care, Short break settings, Children's Services, and other appropriate agencies, to develop, plan and implement individualised care plans.
• Work within Berkshire Safeguarding Children's Board and Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BHFT) policy and procedures, prioritising attendance at Case Conferences, reviews, and planning meetings. To be responsible for the provision of case conference reports and court reports as required, contributing to safeguarding of all children.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority.
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services.
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions.

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance.
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell.
• Generous NHS pension scheme.
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities.
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles.
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services.
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants.
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality.
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave.
• Free parking across Trust sites.

FOR SECONDMENT ROLES ONLY - If the secondment role becomes permanent, the successful candidate may be offered the permanent position.

Date posted: 17 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £48,270 to £54,931 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Part-time

Reference number: 371-CFS482-A

Job locations:

Erlegh House, Whitenights Road, Reading, RG6 6BZ

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

• UK registered with Health Professional Council.
• Member of the British Dietetic Association.
• Post graduate training in Paediatric Dietetics or equivalent experience in a specialist area of dietetics that complements the role e.g. Enteral nutrition.
• Ability and willingness to travel across the BHFT footprint.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Claire Thompson on 07760 415776 who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.