Specialist Bariatric Dietitian

at  Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical To be professionally and legally responsible for the management of own clinical caseload and completion of related patient administrative tasks in a timely manner in line with HCPC and BDA (record keeping standards) and NHS trust policies/standards Manage and prioritise your own designated clinical caseload and work as an autonomous practitioner without direct supervision Demonstrate autonomy with obtaining diet histories, interpreting medical /nutritional diagnosis (e.g. biochemistry, anthropometrics, drug treatment and clinical condition), calculating nutritional requirements (and interpreting any other relevant information) to develop patient centred goals and dietetic treatment To determine the patients understanding of the dietetic intervention in order to gain valid, informed consent and to be able to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment To communicate patients dietetic treatment and progress of this to medical, nursing and other professional staff, through clear and accurate documentation in medical and nursing notes and dietetic records, in line with Trust and Dietetic department policies and through regular participation in multidisciplinary team meetings and ward rounds to ensure specific patient needs are met To use clinical reasoning, understanding of the medical diagnosis, previous experience and knowledge of treatment options to plan and implement individual dietetic interventions for all patients including those with complex conditions whilst being able to recognise when advice/assistance from supervisor is required Monitor and evaluate dietetic treatment to measure progress and effectiveness of the intervention, and be able to identify when treatment requires modifying Where required to devise oral nutrition support and enteral feeding regimes and prescribe appropriate formulas based on medical condition, nutritional requirements, anthropometry and biochemical markers whilst taking into account religious, social and cultural factors Taking responsibility for the ordering and maintenance of sufficient levels of feeds and supplements at ward level To participate in the development and delivery of education sessions including group sessions for patients (and their carers) To participate in the development and delivery of nutritional teaching/education for staff within the trust Play an active role in the bariatric patient support group meetings During staff absence to monitor caseloads of other staff and contribute to service cover arrangements Demonstrate accountability for personal CPD to include; maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills in bariatric surgery and obesity management and sharing relevant information with the team To attend and contribute to the bariatric multi-disciplinary team meetings, ward rounds (and any other relevant meetings) to provide expert dietetic advice and/or information about individual patient progress, discuss concerns and prognosis Play an active role in identifying and contributing to audit and service improvements and audits within the bariatric pathway To be responsible for the assessment and planning of patient discharges (including enteral feeding, pump training) and arranging appropriate follow up after discharge with community teams, GPs and nutrition companies. Ensuring there is efficient communication and liaison with the GPs and community teams regarding nutrition related prescriptions and the nutritional management of patients Participate in the supervision and training of more junior members of staff and dietetic students To provide comprehensive documentation of assessment and treatment according to departmental, professional and legal standards Promote and maintain a safe therapeutic environment for patients, their families and staff, according to national and local Infection Control guidelines, Health & Safety legislation, safeguarding legislation and procedures and Trust policies and objectives Understand the Trust clinical governance framework, and participate in the promoting and safeguarding of high standards of care, through effective risk management & governance, and adherence to the Trust values Professional To maintain professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and comply with professional codes of practice, professional guidelines and trust policies at all times To be responsible and accountable for keeping accurate and timely records and completing patient related letters in line with local hospital, HCPC and BDA record keeping standards To be responsible for personal continuous professional development by the use of self-education, reflective practice, active participation in the in-service training program including giving presentations and attendance at postgraduate courses as agreed in your personal development plan and to maintain an up to date CPD portfolio To ensure that all mandatory training is completed within the required timescales To carry out an evidence-based project during specified time, communicate findings to other therapists in that team and make recommendations for change. Have an awareness of current professional and clinical developments within your area of practice and promote this to others To participate in the appraisal system as appraisee and be responsible for fulfilling your agreed objectives and personal development plan To ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times To role model Trust values at all times Organisational To demonstrate good time management and organisational skills during daily management of own workload and to be able to adapt flexibly to sudden changes in workload To carry an identified bleep as required by each clinical area and be able to respond to frequent interruptions To ensure timely communication of assessment findings, treatment and outcomes to other involved disciplines through the provision of social services reports, discharge letters etc To make appropriate and timely referrals to other members of the multidisciplinary team when required To keep accurate and up-to-date patient records and statistics at all times in line with departmental, professional and legal standards To be responsible for the safe use of all dietetic equipment e.g.
enteral feeding pumps To delegate specific tasks to dietetic assistants in line with departmental and professional guidelines To understand and apply clinical governance principles to your own caseload and to be involved in departmental clinical governance sessions To contribute to service and policy developments To develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with other professional groups, and staff generally within the Division and the Trust To assist in the delivery of induction / orientation of new staff To provide clinical support and guidance to staff and to act as a resource for clinical knowledge to staff To understand and manage local change with team members, including the embedding of new projects Communication Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions These duties are not exhaustive and will be reviewed with the post holder, allowing for amendments within the broad scope and band level of the role This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and his/her manager All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff

Please refer the Job description for details