Band 6 Dietitian: Neurology and ICU
1.0 WTE band 6, permanent
North Bristol NHS Trust are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated dietitian to work within the acute dietetic team here at Southmead Hospital . This B6 post would suit a dietitian who has experience of nutrition support in a variety of clinical conditions, specifically neurolog y.
The acute work will provide nutrition support to the neurology inpatient ward and to the intensive care unit. In addition, set up and run a monthly Parkinson’s clinic a nd continue the monthly Hunt i ngton’s clinic. With t he 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 and facilitate student 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.

Caseload on the Neurology ward (34a) covering a variety of neurological conditions
Hold a daily caseload on ICU , providing additional cover in times of staff shortages
Develop this post alongside our Neurology specialist Dietitian (Band 7) to set up a monthly Parkinson’s and continue the Huntington’s clinic
To integrate into the neurology service
To work closely with PEG-J patients on Duodopa – supporting decision making, post placement train ing and discharges
Undertake relevant audit and service development within ICU and Neurology
Assisting the department in the training of student dietitians from The University of Plymouth & Birmingham City University
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 monthly Huntington’s clinic and set up a monthly Parkinson’s .
This means;
Providing expert advice to patients, carers and 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 the appropriate nutritional prescription / management for their condition.
To be responsible for and 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 senior Dietitian
To be trained (to green card level) to use the Nutricia feeding pumps. To advise and deliver training on safe usage of enteral feeding pumps to ward-based staff, patients and carer (daily event).
To contribute towards training other health care professionals in NG and nasal bridle placement
To be able to state Trust enteral nutrition policy. To be able to set up an enteral feed and advise medical and nursing staff, patients and carers about safe placement of enteral feeding tubes (NG, PEG, jejunal)
To deliver enteral training to patient/family/carers to facilitate safe discharge into the community with enteral tubes
To contribute towards changes to the Trust enteral nutrition policy, identifying any training needs as a result and implement a clear dissemination programme
To undertake nutritional assessment of patients based on history taking and interpretation of biochemistry and other diagnostic tests, anthropometry and clinical condition
To develop nutritional care plans which are both realistic and practical for the patient and carers, taking into account medical, social, cultural and psychological factors
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 medical targets
To assess suitability of patient’s current medical treatment in relation to their symptoms and dietary patterns and recommend changes in treatment to physician or GP
To facilitate behaviour change and negotiate dietary and lifestyle changes with patients, enabling them to achieve agreed dietary and medical targets even where there are significant psychological, social or cultural hurdles to overcome. This will be aided by postgraduate training in counselling, motivational approaches and behaviour change
To monitor and review the outcomes of nutritional and behaviour change interventions and adjust care plans to facilitate achievement of required goals
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 implementing appropriate nutritional prescription / management for their condition
To attend and actively participate in ward rounds and MDT meetings to provide expert nutrition and dietetic opinion and communicate with other health professionals to contribute to the most effective treatment and safe discharge of patients
Take steps to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other members of the MDT and wider PCT-based care teams
Within defined caseload, to review patients prior to insertion of NG or Gastrostomy tube to verify appropriateness of procedure and to advise the Endoscopy Unit/Interventional Radiologists of the findings. To supervise and co-ordinate, on behalf of the MDT, all aspects of the safe and timely discharge of patients on artificial nutrition support including liaison with the Avon Home Management Service (HMS) and social services
To maintain adequate written and electronic records and statistics of all assessments and interventions in line with local and national standards. To ensure that all records are stored securely
To record and submit clinical and professional activity data according to departmental and national standards
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 nutritional products
In conjunction with colleagues, to review, update, produce or procure educational resources which are acceptable to users of the service and their carers . To evaluate resources to ensure they are effective. To use all resources efficiently and with care
To provide cover for colleagues during periods of absenc