Job Summary
We are looking for a driven and dynamic full-time senior specialist oncology dietitian (band 7) on a fixed-term contract for 30 hours a week, for 12 months to cover maternity leave.
The successful candidate will have recent acute experience in oncology in a range of cancers, particularly in haematology and Teenage Young Adults, and advanced nutritional support experience and skills (including enteral and parenteral feeding) along with excellent organisation and advanced communication skills.
If you are passionate about working in oncology and want to extend your knowledge and skills in a wide range of cancer types and treatments and have recent experience in advanced nutritional support and leadership, then this will be the post for you.
Working within a world-class cancer centre, you will have the opportunity to gain experience in a wide range of different cancer types and treatments including specialist surgery, haematology, stem cell transplants, CAR-T therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy (including proton beam therapy).
Having supervision skills will enable you to support the student training programme and band 6 dietitians in your ward team.
Excellent presentation skills will be required to carry out training and education to the HCPs on a regular basis.
Main Duties of the Job
As a senior specialist oncology dietitian, you will:
1. Be clinically responsible for the nutritional care of patients, overseeing a designated clinical area (haematology and TYA) and supervising band 6 dietitians within your inpatient team.
2. Provide an expert nutritional support and dietary education service for oncology patients attending the Christie Hospital to promote nutritional health and increased quality of life.
3. Act as a specialised resource on nutrition and cancer for patients, carers, medical staff, nursing staff, and other health care professionals associated with the Christie Hospital and at regional and national levels.
4. This role combines inpatient service to the designated clinical areas and input into the haematology CAR-T Multi-disciplinary outpatient service, alongside a team of band 6 dietitians.
About Us
We are a supportive and dynamic department of 26 dietitians and 3 nutrition specialist nurses who work closely together, daily. The teamwork aligns with the core values and behaviours of the trust.
The team's vision is to be an expert leader in oncology nutrition and dietetics, putting patients at the centre of everything we do through innovation, education, and research. We aspire to be the best department to work in by valuing and respecting each other, working as one team, and supporting and developing the current and future workforce through experience, education, opportunities, and a positive learning environment.
We provide a service to inpatients and outpatient areas and engage in and support research and audit. We encourage and support professional development with regular CPD, in-house courses, and training programmes on leadership, different disease groups, and advanced communication skills with the support of the School of Oncology. The trust supports and is currently developing career pathways for AHPs.
The department engages in student training, education, and networking at a local and national level.
We encourage continuous professional development with professional update sessions, journal clubs, and offer in-house/external courses and training programmes on leadership, different disease groups/treatments, and advanced communication skills with the support of The Christie's School of Oncology.
Job Responsibilities
1. As an oncology specialist, be clinically responsible for a highly complex area of work, as agreed with the dietetic manager, and independently plan, organise, and prioritise patient-related and professional demands.
2. Supervise band 6 dietitians on a daily basis, conducting regular one-to-one meetings and carrying out the annual PDR process.
3. Nutritionally assess oncology patients using the interpretation and evaluation of anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, and dietary data, considering the patients' social and ethnic circumstances, prognosis, and treatment.
4. Convey complex specialised dietary advice and lifestyle changes to patients and carers using advanced counselling and communication skills.
5. Diagnose malnutrition and/or risk of Refeeding Syndrome and liaise with the appropriate consultant to optimise treatment outcomes by recommending the appropriate method of nutrition intervention.
6. Attend appropriate ward rounds and multidisciplinary meetings to provide expert advice to clinicians regarding the provision of nutritional support for oncology patients and carers based on clinical evidence.
7. Communicate/liaise with nursing staff, AHPs, catering, and other health care professionals on steps required to implement patients' dietary prescriptions.
8. Prescribe the appropriate dietary regimen for clients using evidence-based practice and manage, monitor, and reevaluate the treatment plan as necessary.
9. Initiate, facilitate, and coordinate the setting up of a home enteral feed to ensure a safe discharge.
10. Refer patients to primary, secondary, or alternative tertiary care for monitoring and therapeutic support following transfer or discharge.
11. Work with the catering department to ensure suitable meal provision to meet the special needs of the oncology patient in line with national standards.
12. Write, deliver, and evaluate internal and external education and training sessions on nutrition and specialist dietetics in relation to oncology to medical staff, nursing staff, AHPs, dietitians, other health care professionals, patients, and carers.
13. Act as a clinical educator by participating in student dietetic placements.
14. Take an active role in the research, development, implementation, and audit of departmental resources such as diet sheets, policies, and standards to ensure they remain in line with evidence-based practice.
15. Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date documentation on individual patients in line with local and national standards.
16. Record and submit patient data and statistics as required by the manager and provide information for annual reports and service planning.
17. Be responsible for the ordering, delivery, and monitoring of specialist prescribable nutritional supplements for individual client needs.
18. Attend and participate in departmental, professional update meetings and trust nutrition-related meetings leading them when required.
19. Attend and contribute to the trust nutrition steering committee.
20. Be responsible for own clinical professional development (CPD) to maintain competency and ensure best practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* BSc Nutrition & Dietetics or BSc degree in relevant science subject plus Post Graduate Diploma in Nutrition & Dietetics.
* HCPC registration.
* Clinical supervision training.
* Masters level or equivalent course e.g., Advanced course in nutritional support (e.g., BDA PEN course), masters modules.
Desirable
* Teaching qualification course.
* Evidence of post-graduate specialist counselling skills course in oncology, bereavement counselling, or breaking bad news.
* BDA oncology group member.
Experience
Essential
* Recent experience of working in the NHS and in oncology.
* Evidence of multidisciplinary team working.
* Evidence of recent CPD.
* Evidence of recent audit/research experience and ability to critique research papers.
* Experience of enteral and parenteral nutrition.
* Experience in home enteral feed discharges.
* Presentations/talks to large groups.
* Clinical supervision.
* Leadership.
* Experience in setting up patient pathways/service.
* Student training.
Desirable
* Experience of undertaking annual appraisals and absence management.
* Experience of leading or coordinating audit or research work.
Skills
Essential
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
* Good presentation skills and evidence of presentations to large groups.
* Standard keyboard skills.
* Ability to work effectively single-handed with individuals and groups.
* Good organisational and time management skills.
* Accurate anthropometrics measurement skills.
* Ability to interpret complex information.
* Evidence of leadership and supervision skills.
Knowledge
Essential
* Understanding the complex effects of cancer and treatments on the nutritional status of patients.
* Conversant with enteral feeding systems.
* Excellent up-to-date knowledge in lung cancer and treatments.
* Sound knowledge of current issues relating to cancer and nutrition support.
* Knowledge of clinical governance.
* Knowledge of national oncology strategies/policies/guidance/pathways.
* Evidence of oncology/nutrition support courses.
Values
Essential
* Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours.
Other
Essential
* Self-motivated, reliable.
* Able to recognise own limitations.
* Positive mindset in respect of supporting organisational change; learning, and continuous improvement.
* Effective interpersonal and intrapersonal skills including a high degree of self-awareness and self-regulation.
* Willingness to support preregistration students.
* Demonstrate empathy, sensitivity and tact with patients and their families.
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