Dietitian

SCOPE OF THE JOBThe role will join our established team of dietitians and will specifically work to improve the nutrition and diet of the population of Bay PCN in line with the PCN DES. This will include the diagnosis and treatment of diet and nutritional problems across a wide range of areas including weight management, diabetes, frailty and gastroenterology. The post holder will also translate public health and scientific research on food, health and disease into practical guidance to provide the Practice with up-to-date information and enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices. The post holder will uphold and demonstrate the values of Bay Medical Group/Bay PCN.

Exercise autonomous professional responsibility for advice relating to the nutritional needs of patients in primary care. Provide specialist nutrition and diet advice to patients, their carers and healthcare professionals through treatment and education plans and prescriptions. Independently manage a caseload of complex patients with a broad range of conditions, using evidence-based interventions to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions Educate patients with diet-related disorders on how they can improve their health and prevent disease by adopting a healthier eating and drinking habits. Make recommendations to PCN and Practice staff regarding changes to medications for the nutritional management of patients, based on interpretation of biochemical, physiological and dietary requirements.

Provide dietetic assessment and care plans to patients via face to face clinics, video group consults and telephone consultations. Provide a seamless nutrition support service in conjunction with secondary care and community dietetics that is aimed at continuously improving standards of patient care and wider MDT working. Provide an enhanced dietetic service to patients in Bay PCN, living with frailty or with complex chronic health conditions. Promote appropriate prescribing of oral nutritional supplements in line with local guidance.

Where necessary, recommend and authorise changes to prescribed products, ensuring appropriate monitoring of nutritional status by other members of the multi-disciplinary team Ensure best practice in clinical practice, caseload management, education, research and audit to achieve corporate PCN and local population objectives. Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to gain patients cooperation and understanding in following recommended dietary treatments. Make recommendations and inform other dietetic colleagues, health care professionals and external agencies including GPs of issues concerning patients nutritional and dietetic management or transfer of care as appropriate to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach. Ensure best-practice in clinical practice, caseload management, education, research and audit, to achieve corporate PCN and local population objectives.

Support the identification of non-nutritional causes of weight loss and refer onwards as needed Collaborate with other members of the Primary Health Care Team including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and AHPs, accepting referrals and referring to them for specialist care. Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures. Ensure a high standard of clinical practice is maintained by ensuring care is based on current best practice, embarking upon further training if required and continuing to update clinical knowledge. COMMUNICATION The post holder will recognise the importance of effective communication and will develop and maintain communication with people about difficult matters and/or in difficult situations including: Communicating complex nutrition and dietetic information in an understandable form to healthcare staff, patients and carers using negotiation, persuasion, motivation and counselling skills.

This may include situations where there are barriers to understanding. Encourages effective communication between all involved. Adapts communication to take account of others culture, background and preferred way of communicating. Provides feedback to others on their communication where appropriate.

Shares and engages thinking with others. Maintains the highest standards of integrity when communicating with patients, colleagues and the wider public. Adheres to confidentiality rules are understood and adhered to. Communicates effectively and calmly in difficult situations and with difficult people.