Dietetic Assistant

We are looking for a Dietetic Assistant to join our busy hospital-based team of Dietitians. Our team of Dietetic Assistants work across both the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals. The Dietetic Assistant plays a critically important role in supporting our service.

This role will involve working directly with patients, healthcare professionals and catering; administrative tasks; and the ordering, movement, and stock control of nutritional products.

Applicants need to be interested in nutrition and working in a hospital environment. Although not essential to the role, a background or qualification in human nutrition is desirable. We welcome individuals who are organised, flexible, who can communicate well and can work independently and as part of a team.

To support the department’s role in patient catering by helping to analyse, code and provide allergy information for patient menus; under the guidance of a dietitian, help patients requiring a special diet to choose and obtain their required meals / snacks / etc; act as an intermediary between the dietetic and catering departments and enhancing communication to achieve the optimal provision of nutrition for patients in hospital.

To assist Dietitians and Secretaries in completing general administrative tasks, such as registering or amending patient registrations on the Abbott Hospital to Home Service, keeping track of feeding pumps given to patients, stock control, data input or letters.

To assist Dietitians to enable patients to be discharged from hospital promptly, for example to provide patient information, feeding pump or equipment, needed by patients prior to hospital discharge; and to co-ordinate supplies of nutritional supplements or tube feeds for patients.

After training, to support dietitians in delivering aspects of dietetic care by reviewing, monitoring, and advising patients and undertaking related administration.

To participate in project work and be involved with education and training of staff, such as housekeepers in aspects of nutrition or nutritional screening e.g. MUST training.

To undertake and oversee the ordering, delivery and payment of nutritional products (e.g. tube feeds and sip feeds).

OUH is a world-renowned centre of clinical excellence and one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the UK. We employ approximately 12,500 staff (including over 850 AHP staff).

The acute adult dietetics team is made up of ~45 Dietitians, plus, assistants and admin support. There are 7 acute clinical teams, each responsible for providing a service to specialist clinical areas while working collaboratively across all OUH sites.

This position is based at the Churchill Hospital based in Headington, Oxford. Headington, roughly 3 miles from the centre of Oxford, has exceptional public transport to and from the hospital. If you are considering relocating, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist with advice. Oxford is well known for its University but aside from being drenched in academic history its city centre has recently had a redevelopment including a new shopping centre and a selection of new bars and restaurants, it has something for everyone

CLINICAL

1) After training, to review and monitor a small case load of named patients under the supervision of a dietitian, e.g. patients on established tube feeds, limited nutritional intake and those following therapeutic diets. This may involve:
a) Gathering relevant clinical information from electronic patient records, nursing staff or housekeepers, patients and carers

b) Liaise with nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team, for example, Speech and Language Therapists (SALT), Occupational Therapists about the patient’s nutritional plan

c) Calculate patients’ intake from food record charts, which may involve using a dietary analysis computer package

d) Monitor patient in order to achieve optimum nutritional intake

e) Assess patient’s tolerance to tube feeding

f) Regularly liaise with the supervising dietitian about all aspects of patients nutritional care

g) Record all interventions and actions on electronic patient records (EPR) ensuring that all entries meet the professional standards of the British Dietetic Association

2) Oversee the completion of daily menus for all patients on therapeutic diets. This involves face-to-face discussion with patients and/or their relatives or carers, working closely with Catering staff.

3) To be involved with education and training of staff, such as housekeepers in aspects of nutrition or nutritional screening e.g. MUST training.

PROFESSIONAL

Participate in the induction of new ward and dietetic staff; demonstrating the role of the Dietetic Assistant as well as informing them about the provision of therapeutic meals, nutritional supplement products and raising nutritional awareness in their ward areas.

If required, participate in training the Diet Chefs, Catering Assistants or ward staff, about t