We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced dietitian to join the team on a fixed term contract for 30 hours a week or a secondment, for 12 months to cover maternity leave. As part of a large dietetic department, you will be supported by dietetic managers and colleagues and will contribute to the overall dietetic service including clinical supervision, student training and CPD activities.
The successful candidate will gain experience in oncology in a range of cancers but 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.
You will be encouraged to participate in research and audit and will be supported to share this work nationally to improve outcomes.
The department participates in student training, education, audit and research and networking at a local and national level. The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer;
As a senior specialist oncology dietitian you will:
Be clinically responsible for the nutritional care of patients, you will be responsible for overseeing a designated clinical area including haematology and TYA and the supervision of band 6 dietitians within your inpatient team.
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.
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 level.
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.
We are a supportive and dynamic department of 29 dietitians and 3 nutrition specialist nurses who work closely together, daily. The teamwork in line 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 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, inhouse 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 AHP’s.
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 inhouse / 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.
1. As an oncology specialist to 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. To plan, organise and prioritise patient related and professional demands.
3. To supervise band 6 dietitians on a daily basis, carrying out regular one to one meeting and carrying out annual PDR process.
4. To nutritionally assess oncology patients using the interpretation and evaluation of anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary data, whilst considering the patients social and ethnic circumstances, prognosis and treatment.
5. To convey complex specialised dietary advice and lifestyle changes to patients and carers using advanced counselling and communication skills.
6. To diagnose malnutrition and/or risk of Refeeding Syndrome and to liaise with the appropriate consultant with an aim of optimising treatment outcome by recommending the appropriate method of nutrition intervention.
7. To attend appropriate ward rounds and multidisciplinary meetings to provide expert advice to clinicians regarding provision of nutritional support for oncology patients and carers based on clinical evidence.
8. To communicate/ liaise with nursing staff, AHP’s, catering and other health care professionals on steps required to implement patients’ dietary prescription.
9. To prescribe the appropriate dietary regimen for clients using evidence-based practice and to manage, monitor and reevaluate the treatment plan as necessary.
10. To initiate, facilitate and coordinate the setting up of a home enteral feed to ensure a safe discharge.
11. To refer patients to primary, secondary or alternative tertiary care for monitoring and therapeutic support following transfer or discharge.
12. To work with the catering department to ensure suitable meal provision to meet the special needs of the oncology patient in line with national standards.
13. To 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, AHP’s, dietitians, other health care professionals, patients and carers.
14. To act as a clinical educator by participating in student dietetic placements.
15. To take an active role in the research, development, implementation and audit of departmental resources such as diet sheets, policies and standards and to ensure they remain in line with evidence-based practice including Standards of proficiency: Dietitians, The National Dietetic Standards, and Code of Professional Conduct.
16. To take an active role in the research, development, implementation and audit of evidence-based trust wide nutrition strategies and standards with medical staff, nursing staff, pharmacy and other AHP colleagues to promote safe effective practices of nutrition support.
17. To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date documentation on individual patients in line with local and national standards and be responsible for the appropriate storage of d with the Health Care Professions Council (H.C.P.C) and trust policy on confidentiality.
18. To record and submit patient data and statistics as required by the manager and provide information for annual reports and service planning.
19. To be responsible for the ordering, delivery and monitoring of specialist prescribable nutritional supplements for individual client needs.
20. To attend and participate in departmental, professional update meetings and trust nutrition related meetings leading them when required.
21. To attend and contribute to the trust nutrition steering committee.
22. To be responsible for own clinical professional development (CPD) to maintain competency and to ensure best practice.
This advert closes on Tuesday 25 Mar 2025
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