We are looking for a specialist dietitian to continue to develop and provide evidenced-based, collaborative, and effective clinical pathways, interventions, and processes for a number of key health conditions and presentations prevalent within the current dietetic learning disability and adult caseload. The postholder will work alongside our current dieticians and will focus on delivering outcomes for specifically agreed health conditions as well as offering more specialist support for those on the dietetic caseload presenting with highly complex nutritional needs. In the Neurodevelopmental service, the successful candidate will also be responsible for setting up and running an exciting new health and well-being intervention designed to meet the specific needs of people with learning disabilities.
In the Adult Community Service (6.75 hours a week), the post holder would primarily be offering a domiciliary service and also supporting the current postholder in duties associated with the Neurology Team and the 25-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit at Teddington Memorial Hospital.
Main duties of the job
The Neurodevelopment (NDS) service provides a service for adults with learning disabilities living in Kingston and Richmond boroughs. You would work independently in the community but also be an integral part of a well-established and dynamic multi-disciplinary team. We can offer flexibility in working schedule (15 hours a week).
In our Adult Community Service, the postholder would primarily provide to patients referred from the local acute hospital, other community AHPs, and GPs. These patients could present with a range of conditions of Care of the Elderly and the general Adult caseload.
As a specialist clinician within both services, you may also be asked to contribute more generally to multidisciplinary interventions and developments provided by our service, so excellent communication and clinical skills are required, as well as emerging leadership skills.
The postholder would be supported by current postholders in each service and by the line management of each service. There would be joint working on personal development and training. Hours for this post can be flexible in discussion with the relevant services. The Organisation has a Flexible Working Policy, and this post would be provided under this guidance in discussion with the Service Leads.
About us
The Organisation works as part of the NHS service provision. We support personal development, and we actively link to other organisations that work with us locally to provide our services.
If you would like to discuss any aspects of this role, please contact: Deborah Green, Principal Speech and Language Therapist (NDS), Tel: 0208 339 8005 or email Deborah.Green@yourhealthcare.org or Andy Hamilton, Principal Therapist, Adult Community Services, Tel 07974945859 or email andrew.hamilton@yourhealthcare.org. Due to the post including clinical contact with vulnerable adults, the successful candidate will be required to undertake or evidence an Enhanced DBS check.
If you are successful at interview, please note we will take up references covering your last 3 years work history.
CLOSING DATE: 2nd February 2025
SHORTLIST: 3rd February 2025
INTERVIEWS: 13th February 2025
Your Healthcare is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.
Job responsibilities
Job Purpose
The postholder will provide a specialist dietetic service within the Neurodevelopmental Service for adults with learning disabilities and Adult Community Therapies services based at Hollyfield Road Surbiton, covering adults living in both Richmond and Kingston boroughs. They will act as a source of expertise and training in the specialist dietetic care of their learning disability and adult caseload and co-occurring health conditions to carers and other health professionals. They will be an integral part of their services, providing specialist dietetic input and contributing to the development of relevant clinical pathways and protocols.
This post will establish and provide specialist assessments and interventions within key clinical areas in the dietetic service for people within their services in Your Healthcare.
The post will contribute to the activity of their teams working across Richmond and Kingston boroughs.
Clinical
* To provide a specialist dietetic service to the Neurodevelopmental service for adults with learning disabilities and Adult Community Therapies, which includes the independent provision of specialist dietetic assessment and interventions for a complex caseload.
* Within the Neurodevelopmental service, to take a designated lead on managing the weight management pathway for adults with a learning disability.
* To provide a community service in liaison with other related dietetic posts in partner organisations e.g., Kingston Hospital, Home enteral feeding services, Nutricia, GPs.
* To communicate effectively with service users and carers to maximise specialist advice taken by the service user, including information that is both complex or sensitive.
* To provide a specialist dietetic service to the clients on their caseloads with clinical needs that may be distressing in nature, including end-of-life care, disease progressions, nutritional neglect, and complex health needs.
* To communicate with referring agents and other agents as necessary, such as nursing staff, therapists, and social workers through personal, written, or telephone contact.
* To undertake comprehensive assessments of all service users' diets and lifestyles to formulate individualised management and treatment plans.
* To attend and contribute to team meetings and case conferences as necessary and to take the role of complex care navigator or transition coordinator when clinically appropriate.
* To be a key member of the integrated dietetic service for Your Healthcare with a responsibility to develop and promote nutritional awareness and knowledge across the organisation.
* To work autonomously with day-to-day support and management from their management lead in that area of work.
* To provide domiciliary visits to service users as required.
* To accept clinical responsibility for the specialist dietetics service user caseload and to plan and deliver this effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
* To maintain accurate and up-to-date service user records which meet the service standards as monitored within care record audits.
* To enter information onto data systems as detailed by the immediate line manager and to maintain an effective data collection system.
* To demonstrate a level of physical skill through practice e.g., use of wheelchair scales, other weight measurement equipment, use of a keyboard.
Service Delivery
* To take a designated lead when required on the development of agreed policies and protocols for the dietetic service within the relevant service.
* Deliver services in line with codes of practice, professional guidelines from the British Dietetics Association and HCPC, and other universal health policies and relevant legislation.
* To provide services in a variety of community sites as required and to be able to travel between sites using suitable transport.
* Support multidisciplinary team working, by facilitating colleagues to effectively prioritise, plan and manage their caseloads in light of nutritional priorities.
* Contribute to the development and implementation of guidelines, protocols, and service user care pathways for use across the relevant clinical service.
Management
* Train, supervise and performance manage technical instructors, assistants, and students on the specialist area of work.
* To participate in clinical supervision and support other junior staff in effective decision-making with regard to caseload management.
* To promote and develop quality improvements through supervision, audit, and other CPD activities as appropriate to the needs of dietetics.
Quality
* Be responsible for ensuring appropriate risk assessments are undertaken and reported.
* Contributes to meeting national and local performance measures contributing to reports as necessary.
* Takes a designated lead in the development and completion of audits around specialist dietetic interventions as agreed.
Person Specification
Experience
* Experience of working with adults and/or children with a range of nutritional problems.
* Experience of working in community and in-service user environments as part of undergraduate and post-qualification experience.
* Experience of contributing to clinical education of staff and service users.
Personal Qualities
* Able to work as part of a complex multi-disciplinary and multi-agency service.
* Evidence of skill around clinical reflection and practice-based evidence.
Skills and Ability
* Ability to work independently and flexibly to manage own caseload and prioritise workload pressures.
* Ability to negotiate and influence, and collaborate across professions.
* Excellent IT skills (Word, Email, and Excel) and report writing skills.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
* Ability to work independently on complex communication issues where required.
Qualifications
* BSc in Nutrition & Dietetics or relevant Science plus a graduate diploma in Dietetics.
* At least 18 months post-graduate experience in a dietetic role.
* Evidence of continued CPD development.
* HCPC registration.
* Registered Member of the British Association of Dietetics.
Knowledge
* Understanding of national policy governing the delivery of specialist dietetic care to adults with physical and learning disabilities.
* Expertise in treating complex service users in community environments.
* Knowledge of the range of dietetic assessment protocols and interventions relevant and effective for people with learning disabilities.
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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Principal speech and language therapist (NDS)
£42,939 to £50,697 a year inclusive of HCAS per annum pro rata
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