Main area Integrated Community Diabetes Service Specialist Dietitian Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Part time
* Flexible working
30 hours per week (Some home/remote working may be possible. Offering 30 or 37.5 hours.) Job ref 418-AHP7737-SJ
Employer: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Bedford Hospital
Town: Bedford
Salary: £37,338 - £44,962 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 07/03/2025 23:59
Specialist Community Diabetes Dietitian
NHS AfC: Band 6
Job overview
Due to retirement, an exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Nutrition and Dietetic department at Bedford Hospital as a full time or part time integrated community diabetes team specialist dietitian. The post holder will be responsible for providing a specialist clinical community service to patients with diabetes in North and mid Bedfordshire, women with gestational diabetes and supporting structured type 2 diabetes education.
Quote from a previous post holder: “I have loved the variety that this role has brought. From training health care professionals to joint clinics with DSNs to group education sessions with patients with type 2 diabetes, it’s always interesting. The ICDS and diabetes education teams are brilliant teams to be part of and learn from.”
Main duties of the job
You will be joining a friendly and highly skilled department that is valued and respected throughout the Trust and part of the wider therapies directorate. You will work closely with the other specialist diabetes dietitians, specialist diabetes nurses, diabetes educators and dietetic assistant practitioners. You will be supported by the Diabetes Dietitian Team Lead and practice development dietitian.
The post is offered as part-time (30 hours) or full-time (37.5 hours) depending on the applicant’s preferences and the workload will be adjusted accordingly. Occasional working on a Saturday and at weekends is required.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To manage a complex caseload of diabetic patients in the community.
2. To deliver and support the structured type 2 diabetes education programmes as part of the Diabetes Education Team.
3. To deliver and support the group education sessions for women with gestational diabetes.
4. To contribute to improving the understanding of diabetes management by advising and developing and delivering training around first line dietary advice for healthcare professionals, patients and their carers.
5. To develop innovative and culturally appropriate educational resources to support the teaching of patients and healthcare professionals on the nutritional management of diabetes.
6. To co-ordinate service improvement projects within diabetes dietetics.
7. To represent the dietetic department at MDT meetings.
8. To have a good understanding of and contribute to the effective running of the diabetes dietetics service.
9. To take appropriate action using advanced problem solving skills to assist patients and healthcare professionals.
10. To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients.
11. To work as an autonomous practitioner by planning and prioritising own workload.
12. To develop and maintain a specialist knowledge of evidence-based practice.
13. To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients.
14. To give expert opinion on complex nutrition related issues.
15. To negotiate and agree dietary interventions with patients.
16. To make recommendations for appropriate prescription of nutritional products.
17. To ensure adequate monitoring and review of patients.
18. To assess the suitability of incoming referrals.
19. To co-ordinate appropriate follow up and referrals.
20. To recognise and act appropriately if vulnerable patients are at risk.
21. To maintain accurate and comprehensive patient records.
22. To liaise with healthcare professionals within the wider community.
23. To communicate complex information with empathy.
24. To work as an integral part of the diabetes dietetics team.
25. To plan, deliver, evaluate and develop training and education sessions.
26. To work within Trust, departmental, HCPC and BDA guidelines.
27. To contribute to the development and updating of policies and resources.
28. To support the team lead in ensuring guidelines are implemented.
29. To report and review information required for managing the service.
30. To plan and deliver audit, research and service evaluations.
31. To help the Trust meet the CQC standards for nutrition.
32. To maintain own development and competency through CPD activities.
33. To participate in the department's CPD programme.
34. To be an active member of the department.
35. To participate in the department appraisal scheme.
36. To provide supervision and support for the diabetes dietetic assistant practitioner.
37. To support the induction and recruitment of new staff members.
38. To contribute to the upskilling of the diabetes dietetic assistant practitioner.
39. To supervise and assess students during their placement.
40. To comply with the lone worker policy.
41. To work flexibly to support the team.
42. To provide cover for other departments.
43. To undertake any other duties as identified by the team lead.
Person specification
Qualifications
* HCPC registration as a registered Dietitian (or working towards)
Experience
* Caseload management
* NHS experience
Knowledge
* Diabetes knowledge
* Organisational skills
* CPD
* Research/audit/service improvement
Other
* Car owner/driver
* Ability to travel around Bedfordshire
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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