Community Dietitian

Clinical To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients in your care, some of whom will be complex. To ensure high standards of clinical care for the patients under your management and support others to do likewise. To act as a point of contact and source of expertise for internal and external enquiries to the service concerning your area of expertise. To provide dietetic care to patients in a range of venues including: community clinics; learning disability homes; nursing/residential homes; community hospital ward and domiciliary visits.

To provide a dietetic service to Beccles Community Hospital, working collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team to create dietetic care plans for the identified inpatients. To promote the use of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool, adapting this if applicable for nursing and residential homes. To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise their potential and to ensure understanding of the condition and the care plan. Communication skills of persuasion, motivation and explanation will be used with a variety of patients.

Some of which may have difficulties understanding or communicating. Communicate effectively with all members of the integrated community teams, GPs, Consultants and other professions to ensure a collaborative approach to the management of patients conditions. To assess capacity, gain valid consent and have the ability to work with the legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. Participate in the clinical cover for community colleagues on annual, sick or study leave when required.

To use clinical judgement to refer clients to other services and professions when appropriate. Professional To maintain own clinical professional development by keeping abreast of evidence based practice and developments and incorporate them as necessary into your work. To be an active member of the in-service training programme. To adhere to the standards of conduct, performance and ethics and the Dietitians standard of proficiency of the Health Care Professions Council.

Maintain accurate and up to date documentation in line with legal and departmental requirements and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters. To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with the MDT colleagues across the health economy to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated integrated service. Identify objectives for personal development and participate in the staff appraisals scheme and personal development programme. Organisational: Responsible for a designated area of work, as agreed with the team lead.

Plan and organise this effectively and efficiently with regards to patient management and use of time. Decide priorities for own work area balancing other patient related and professional demands and ensure that these remain in accordance with those of the service as a whole. To be actively involved in the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department. To comply with the organisational and departmental polices and procedures and be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.

To lead by action and inspire others activity as a role model, demonstrating the leadership behaviours and values identified by the organisation aims and objectives. Promoting the organisation, the role of the dietitian and the importance of nutritional care. Any other duties which might be considered appropriate by the clinical and professional lead. All roles within East Coast Community Healthcare CIC (ECCH) require staff to demonstrate our Values and Signature Behaviours in the care and service they provide to patients, service users, stakeholders and colleagues.

All members of staff should consider these as an essential part of their job role. Our Values outline the core behaviours that we can all achieve and are summarised as an acronym within the word CARE. These stand for: Compassion, Action, Respect and Everyone. Underpinning our Values are our Signature Behaviours which highlight by taking the right actions we continue to build a strong culture.

**Our four Signature Behaviours are**: Compassion - We Listen, We Learn, We Lead| Action - My Accountability, My Responsibility | Respect - Respect Our Resources: People, Time and Money | Everyone - Work Together, Achieve Together.