Band 6 Dietitian: Neurology and ICU
1.0 WTE band 6, permanent
North Bristol NHS Trustarelooking for an enthusiastic and dedicated dietitian to work within the acute dietetic team here at SouthmeadHospital. This B6 post would suit a dietitian whohas experience of nutrition support in a variety of clinical conditions, specificallyneurology.
The acute work will provide nutrition support to theneurologyinpatient ward and to the intensive care unit. In addition,set up and runa monthlyParkinson’s clinic and continue the monthlyHuntington’s clinic.With the opportunity to provide clinical support to the wider department during periods of annual leave or unplanned leave.
Our department is heavily involved in student training and this post will support our student lead to plan andfacilitatestudent work.
The post is supported by a team leader and by the wider acute team.
To learn more about working as a dietitian at NBT, click here to watch the video.
The post holder’s responsibilities include:
• Caseload on theNeurology ward (34a) covering a variety ofneurologicalconditions
• Hold a daily caseload onICU, providingadditionalcover in times of staff shortages
• Develop this post alongside our Neurology specialist Dietitian (Band 7) to set up a monthly Parkinson’s andcontinue theHuntington’s clinic
• To integrate into the neurology service
• To work closely with PEG-J patients onDuodopa– supporting decision making, post placement training and discharges
• Undertake relevant audit and service development within ICU and Neurology
• Assistingthe department in the training of student dietitians fromTheUniversityof Plymouth& BirminghamCityUniversity
As part of our commitment to service improvement and quality, we would expect you to undertake audit and be involved with research projects relevant to the post, and our department encourages and supports CPD.
To provide an evidenced based inpatient service to the Neurology, Elective Surgical and Complex medical wards. To provide cover to a monthlyHuntington’s clinic and set up a monthly Parkinson’s.
Thismeans;
• Providingexpert advice to patients,carersand clinicians (both within NBT and areas served by the specialist units) about the most effective nutritional treatment.
• Liaising with members of the health care team in hospital and in the community to ensure they are fully informed and able to support the patient in implementing theappropriate nutritionalprescription / management for their condition.
• Tobe responsible forand manage a defined clinical caseload alongside this training role. The caseload will include complex cases, with multiple pathologies, which the post-holder will manage with minimal supervision from a more seniorDietitian
• To be trained (to green card level) to use theNutriciafeeding pumps. To advise and deliver training on safe usage of enteral feeding pumps to ward-based staff,patientsand carer (daily event).
• To contribute towards training other health care professionals in NG and nasal bridle placement
• To be able tostateTrust enteral nutrition policy. To be able to set up an enteral feed andadvisemedical and nursing staff,patientsand carersabout safeplacement of enteral feeding tubes (NG, PEG, jejunal)
• To deliver enteral training to patient/family/carers tofacilitatesafe discharge into the community with enteraltubes
• To contribute towards changes to the Trust enteral nutrition policy,identifyingany training needs as a result and implement a clear disseminationprogramme
• To undertake nutritional assessment of patients based on history takingand interpretationof biochemistry and other diagnostic tests,anthropometryand clinicalcondition
• To develop nutritional care plans which are both realistic and practical for the patient and carers,taking into accountmedical, social,culturaland psychologicalfactors
• To ensure that patients and their carers understand their condition / diagnosis, the options for nutritional treatment and the implications of compliance or non-compliance. To discuss and agree dietary and medicaltargets
• To assess suitability of patient’s current medical treatment in relation to their symptoms and dietary patterns and recommend changes in treatment to physician orGP
• To facilitatebehaviourchange and negotiate dietary and lifestyle changes with patients, enabling them to achieve agreed dietary and medical targets even where there are significant psychological,socialor cultural hurdles to overcome. This will be aided by postgraduate training in counselling, motivationalapproachesand behaviourchange
• Tomonitorand review the outcomes of nutritional and behaviour change interventions and adjust care plans tofacilitateachievement of requiredgoals
• To act on the findings of dietetic assessment and planning, liaising as necessary with members of the health care team in hospital and in the community to support the client in implementingappropriate nutritionalprescription / management for theircondition
• To attend and activelyparticipatein ward rounds and MDT meetings to provide expert nutrition and dietetic opinion and communicate with otherhealth professionals to contribute to the most effective treatment and safe discharge ofpatients
• Take steps to develop andmaintaineffective working relationships with other members of the MDT and wider PCT-based careteams
• Within defined caseload, to review patients prior to insertion of NG or Gastrostomy tube to verify appropriateness of procedure and toadvisethe Endoscopy Unit/Interventional Radiologists of the findings. To supervise and co-ordinate, on behalf of the MDT, all aspects of the safe andtimelydischarge of patients on artificial nutrition support including liaison with the Avon Home Management Service (HMS) and social services
• Tomaintainadequate written and electronic records and statistics of all assessments and interventions in line with local and national standards. To ensure that all records are storedsecurely
• To record andsubmitclinical and professional activity data according to departmental and nationalstandards
• To prescribe nutritional items from the Dietetic Formulary and to advise on their safe usage. To take responsibility for the monitoring of patients who are prescribed specialist non-Formulary nutritionalproducts
• In conjunction with colleagues, to review, update, produce orprocureeducational resources which are acceptable to users of the service and theircarers. To evaluate resources to ensure they are effective. To use all resources efficiently and with care
• To provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence
This advert closes on Tuesday 18 Mar 2025