Diabetes Dietician

Surrey Downs Health & Care

This is an exciting new post that offers an integrated role within our Surrey Downs Health and Care Diabetes Specialist Service as the Diabetes Specialist Dietician.

The Diabetes Specialist Dietitian is responsible for the nutrition and dietetic management of all adult diabetes patients' under the care of the specialist diabetes team. The post holder will assume the role of nutrition educator to student dietitians, medics, nursing staff, dietetic assistant and other AHP's as required. The post holder would be responsible for the development and provision of specialist, evidence based dietetic diabetes nutrition services to patients with diabetes.

The service provides dietetic support to the Insulin Pump's, Diabetes technologies i.e. FSL, CGM, App's Type 1 structured education including Carbohydrate counting principles, Multi-disciplinary clinics including renal patients.

Main duties of the job

• Communicate effectively with medical, nursing and other professional staff in both acute and community services.
• Provide expert dietetic advice to the multidisciplinary team through attendance and participation in multidisciplinary team meetings, educational meetings and clinical governance meetings.
• Be responsible for ensuring that patients and carers have consented prior to dietetic intervention in line with professional guidelines.
• Ability to utilise developed communication and teaching skills to educate the diverse and multicultural diabetes population with barriers to understanding the essential, highly complex carbohydrate counting principles both on a one to one basis and in groups.
• Provide highly complex nutrition counselling using complex strategies (such as cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational skills) to engage, educate and reassure patients, helping to overcome barriers to change.
• Advise the medical/obstetric team regarding adaptation of medications for the management of diabetes based on interpretation of biochemical parameters and current dietary intake, social situation and preference of the patient.
• Give specialised advice on physical activity in line with current Diabetes UK and British Dietetic Association.

About us

Surrey Downs Health and Care deliver care closer to people's own communities through our Primary Care Networks, Community Hospitals, Specialist Services and our innovative partnership of local NHS organisations.

Surrey Downs Health and Care has a track record of providing person centred care that goes beyond organisational boundaries to do what is best for the individual. This partnership includes:

• The three GP federations GP Health Partners, Dorking Health Care and Surrey Medical Network representing practices that operate in the Surrey Downs area
• CSH Surrey
• Epsom and St Helier's University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Surrey Council County

Historically, there have been boundary lines between the organisations that provide care to people in their homes, in GP surgeries and in hospitals, but we have always been united in our mission to provide great care to the people who need us.

It's on those grounds that the Surrey Downs Health and Care was formed - we want local people to receive the care that they need in the right environment. By bringing together our expertise, we can improve patient care and enable local people to access the right support, care and treatment more easily than ever before.

In bringing this partnership together, we are working to the same set of values that will translate into better care for our residents.

Job description
Job responsibilities

• Support the Diabetes team to meet the competencies of the job role by undergoing training in house or if required externally.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of junior members of staff.
• Responsible for the clinical supervision of junior dietetic staff.
• Responsible for the ordering and maintenance of adequate stock levels of patient related resources within the clinic.
• Information and reporting
• Ensure safe practice through development of a caseload management plan.
• Undertake risk assessment and reporting of critical incidents as outlined in the Trust policy.
• Contribute to and participate fully in team, interdisciplinary work practice and service delivery, and communicate and work in co-operation with other team members to provide integrated quality care for the service user.
• Be an active member of the BDA specialist interest group (where appropriate).
• Be an active team member of the Dietetic Department in the Trust
• Technology or system support
• Provide expert training in the use of monitoring equipment and training in review of results in various evolving applications
• Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin infusion education
• Flash monitoring and CGM training
• Service improvement & Policy Development
• Participate in mandatory training and recommended training programmes in accordance with departmental/hospital guidelines
• Organise, coordinate and plan diabetes courses.
• Training of staff to be competent in this area
• Research, develop, produce and publish evidence-based departmental literature in the area of specialisation, including use of patient forums and questionnaires.
• Trained to trainer level in the use of blood glucose monitoring meters and technologies.
• Develop specific diabetes related nutritional teaching programmes for groups of medical staff, multi-professionals, Midwives and medical students within the trust
• Develop and lead the teaching of the nutritional management of the specialist area as opportunities arise.
• Actively participate in the departmental working groups to improve dietetic services as required.
• Responsible for the development and undertaking of the specialist diabetes training programme of the departments junior staff.
• Contribute to operational and strategic planning for the diabetes dietetic service
• Initiate and participate in regular research and audit within the area of diabetes medicine in line with departmental research and audit procedures
• Maintain standards of practice and levels of clinical knowledge by participating in continuous professional development initiatives and attendance at relevant courses as appropriate

Communications and Engagement

• To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained
• during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act and its amendments
• Participate fully in the appraisal process and develop a strategy for continuing
• professional development encompassing a portfolio-based assessment in line with national legislation.
• Carry out good office practice in accordance with the departments policies and procedures.
• Provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence.
• Undertake any other duties that may be considered necessary. Must be able to alter working patterns to include working extended hours, unsociable hours and weekend working
• Work in other areas of the Trust as required.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• BSc Nutrition & Dietetics or equivalent .
• State Registration (hcpc)
• Type 1 structured education trainer

Experience
Essential

• Evidence of relevant Post Graduate experience/Relevant Recent Experience
• Audit/research experience
• Multidisciplinary team working
• Experience of working autonomously
• Experience of CSII, Flash monitoring and CGM

Desirable

• Diabetes Technologies experience
• Quality Improvement

Knowledge
Essential

• In depth knowledge of current practice
• Holistic patient assessment
• Clinical governance
• Research / clinical audit

Desirable

• EMIS IT systems Knowledge

Skills
Essential

• Ability to manage own workload
• Able to recognise own boundaries of practice
• Able to communicate efficiently and effectively with other departments and healthcare professionals
• Ability to be flexible to meet the needs of the team, the service and the Trust
• Teaching staff and patients

Employer details
Employer name

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Leatherhead Community Hospital

Poplar Road

Leatherhead

KT22 8SD

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

343-SDH&C-6224341-B