Band 7 Highly Specialist Paediatric Dietitian

Main Duties 1. To maintain a complex clinical caseload within highly specialist areas of Paediatric Dietetics. This involves liaison with other health professionals, suppliers, patients and carers to facilitate the provision of appropriate, timely and cost effective nutritional treatment for children receiving specialist nutritional products. 2.
To undertake comprehensive highly specialist assessments of patients clinical needs in a holistic manner using specialised clinical knowledge and skills and a broad range of nutritional assessment skills, measurements and techniques. This may include the use of dietary analysis software, anthropometric measurements, often in patients with diverse or complex nutritional and physical health needs. To negotiate and agree dietary or nutritional goals with individual patients and/or their parents and carers, including those with diverse or complex nutritional and physical health needs and end of life issues. The post holder will need to use motivational interviewing, counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy tools as applicable.
This may include identifying individual barriers to change and helping clients and carers to manage them. To aim to meet these goals using appropriate nutritional interventions including enteral feeding, oral nutritional supplements or specialised formulae. To reassess nutritional requirements and change clinical interventions as appropriate in line with current evidence based practice. To plan and deliver individualised nutritional care plans based on comprehensive highly specialist assessments of needs and knowledge of evidence based practice, modifying the care plans as required.
6. To respond appropriately to frequent requests for highly specialist Dietetic support which include those for children with complex physical health needs with complex clinical and social situations which require detailed analysis and decision-making. 7. To regularly communicate highly complex and sensitive information to families, carers and staff regarding diagnosis and prognosis and future expectations, gaining co-operation and trust in the ongoing management of the child.
Independently manage a caseload that includes children with complex eating and drinking difficulties, dealing with issues of mortality and ethical dilemmas. Diagnosing nutritionally related disorders and being alert to symptoms and signs of wider systemic disease. Directing referrals for specialist medical opinion where appropriate. Being alert to safeguarding concerns and consent issues for children.
12. To be prepared to deal sensitively with service users, families and carers living with difficult diagnoses and life limiting conditions. To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records in line with the HCPC Code of Conduct and Trust Policies. To provide dietetic leadership and expert opinion across the Trust in the area of common childhood nutrition disorders.
Provide support for children, their families and acute hospital Dietetic staff through the process of enteral tube fed placements. To have an understanding of alternative communication systems that may be used by service users including sign language, gestures, Makaton and other non-verbal methods that will assist optimising a childs health. To disseminate appropriate evidence/research findings and whenever possible ensure the integration of research/evidence based practice in the Department. 18.
To support Service delivery and offer clinical leadership within the Birmingham Community Nutrition team and Childrens Services to facilitate effective patient care, service development and multidisciplinary working. Professional 19. To adhere to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and the Dietitians' Standards of Proficiency of the Health and Care Professions Council. 20.
To act in a professional manner promoting the organisation, the role of the Dietitian and the importance of nutritional care, respecting clients, carers and colleagues views, promoting a positive working environment. 21. To be responsible for logging, maintaining and demonstrating own competence to practice through participation in appraisals process and continual professional development (CPD), within the framework of the professional portfolio. This may also include membership of a BDA Specialist Interest Group.
Planning & Organisational 24. To support the service by leading areas of operational development as appropriate. 25. To work autonomously, prioritising in own work area, balancing all service users related and professional demands.
26. To teach staff from social care and health, education, health, voluntary and other agencies to assist in the delivery and implementation of Dietetic advice as appropriate. 27. To develop the Dietetic Service, implement policy and propose policy changes which impact beyond own area of activity.
28. To develop highly specialist knowledge and expertise for an identified area of service provision,