Advanced Dietitian – CYP inpatients Tier 4 Provision

Job summary

Advanced Dietitian - CYP inpatients, Band 7 (Full Time; hybrid working supported) - Darwin Centre (Tier 4 provision)

We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and innovative Dietitian with an interest in children and young people's mental health to join our friendly multi-disciplinary team, who is ready to take their next step and keen to make a difference to our service users.

You will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of key policies, standard operating procedures and pathways to support our children and young people with eating disorders, disordered eating and those identified as being at high nutritional risk. A large part of the role will involve working closely with the Darwin team, providing education and support as required.

This is a varied, challenging and exciting role in which you will be in a unique position to lead on changes making a significant difference to our service users. You will be well supported in your development by the Trust Lead Dietitian, Darwin nursing team and multi-disciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

To provide a highly specialist dietetic service to CYP Eating disorder patients receiving treatment from the Trust's inpatient service (Tier 4) based within the Darwin Centre. To provide a dietetic clinical lead role for those YP suffering with an eating disorder within the Darwin Centre.

To act as a source of expertise on the dietary management of eating disorders to medical staff, therapy staff, other health professionals, GPs, external agencies such as local community mental health teams and the dietetic department.

To make recommendations for the purchasing of supplements, food provided on the ward and equipment within the budget held by the Team Manager.

Providing clinical supervision and Training for clinical staff and students within the Darwin Centre.

About us

As a Trust we remain bold and ambitious with plans for both service and system collaborative transformation over the coming years to improve the health and wellbeing of our local people through high quality care.

We pride ourselves onensuring our team has their wellbeing put first and as such provide a range of wellness opportunities including flexible working.

We are committed to the Greener NHS national ambition to becoming the world's first 'carbon net zero' national health system by 2045 (Greener NHS ( As part of this, sustainability is embedded in our strategy as one of our four key enablers. In order to deliver on this commitment, we recognise that we need a workforce that is as passionate as we are about achieving these goals, for the benefit of our service users, workforce, local communities and the planet alike. For 2024/2025, we have launched our "Proud to be Green" engagement campaign which is aligned to the targets set out in our Green Plan. As a Trust, you can be assured that we will commit to supporting you in working towards our net zero ambitions, set out in our Green Plan, through our sustainability programme".

The Trust is committed to ensuring that a diverse workforce is representative and inclusive at all levels. We would very much welcome applications from all under-represented groups including women, people with disabilities, people from global majority backgrounds, and those from the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide specialist dietetic service to young people presenting with eating disorders. This involves working with young people and their families and MDT members to identify and address the complex psychological and social factors that affect compliance with dietary treatment, thus enabling long term / permanent lifestyle changes.

To provide specialist advice to patients and their parents/carers with eating disorders deemed to be a high physical risk.

To undertake comprehensive assessments of each patients diet and lifestyle to formulate individualised management and treatment plans ensuring optimal outcome whilst minimising risk. The assessments include interpreting biochemical data and using quantitative / qualitative analysis of nutritional information.

To be aware of and be able to identify patients at high physical risks, including the risk of refeeding syndrome and nutritional deficiencies and provide appropriate nutritional advice regarding the management of risk together with the MDT regarding the management of risk in these patients, linking with medical and dietetic colleagues in acute medical services as necessary.

To be aware of and able to identify patients at high psychiatric risk (eg of suicide) and liaise with the MDT regarding the management of risk in these patients.

To communicate effectively with patients and their family. This involves giving dietary advice to patients with multifaceted emotional, physical and psychological problems where acceptance is potentially difficult and providing advice for parents/carers. This will also occasionally involve working in conditions requiring the ability to react sensitively where patients have a history of physical, sexual and / or mental abuse.

To communicate with referring agents and other agents as necessary through personal, written, telephone contact and email.

To work autonomously within the team.

To act as a resource to junior members or unqualified support staff with placements / working within the Darwin Centre.

To run teaching sessions on dietetic issues for staff, carers and patients to aid recovery from their eating disorder.

To write, implement and monitor guidelines for management of patients with eating disorders.

To provide support an advice to the paediatric ward staff as appropriate.

The post holder will provide teaching to medical, nursing and other staff on eating disorders on a regular basis.

To provide input for the training of student Dietitians.

To provide training and supervision to nursing and therapy staff to enable them to give basic dietetic advice to patients of low physical risk treated by the Darwin team and to advise the medical team on nutritional care of the patients.

To co-facilitate support groups as required and resources for young people/ carers

The post holder will require peer mentoring and regular clinical supervision.

To develop skills and knowledge within the field of ED.

Identify training needs and development needs and undertake education as required.

The post holder is expected to keep up to date with new developments in practice by regular review of literature, internet resources and attending courses / conferences.

To take the lead on research and audit of the dietetic interventions of CYP Eating Disorders.

To publish and present research and audit internally and / or at conferences external to the Trust.

To implement NSF, NICE, RCP and clinical governance legislation within ED.

To contribute to the EDS and Trust clinical governance and quality agenda.

To participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of dietetic practice, care pathways, policies and protocols within ED.

To liaise with the ED team and attend case conferences and CPA meetings.

To liaise with the Dietitians in acute hospitals and advise on management of ED patients during their admission.

To provide supervision to junior staff within the service and provide supervision to dietetic staff working for external agencies as appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

oBSc (Hons) in Dietetics or post graduate diploma in Dietetics

Experience

Essential

o post registration experience in mental health or paediatrics

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