Specialist Paediatric Dietitian

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

Be clinically competent to give specialist dietetic advice, treatment and dietary counselling to patients.

Work autonomously to manage own caseload in a designated specialist area providing dietetic advice to patients, their carers and staff within agreed protocols / guidelines.

Judge the appropriateness of referrals, action dietetic management and advise referring agents of inappropriate referrals.

Analyse and interpret complex information from a variety of sources regarding individual patients, e.g. biochemistry, medication, clinical condition, anthropometric measurements.

Undertake nutritional calculations e.g. calculating nutritional requirements, analysis of nutritional intakes using specialist IT systems.

Develop and modify dietetic treatment and discharge plans referring to other specialists and agencies as appropriate.

To recommend appropriate ACBS nutritional products, feeding equipment, changes to medication, diagnostic tests and procedures and monitor their use.

Communicate complex nutrition and dietetic information in an understandable form to staff, clients and carer.

Use negotiation, motivation and counselling skills including situations where there are barriers to understanding.

Work in conjunction with medical, nursing and health & social care professional colleagues, attending ward rounds, case reviews and meetings as necessary to facilitate good communications to provide high quality patient care.

Liaise and advise catering staff when necessary to ensure the appropriate provision of meals for patients.

Plan, implement and evaluate group education sessions for patients as required.

To liaise closely with referrers, GPs and other health professionals, and participate in multidisciplinary meetings or case reviews as appropriate.

Produce timely reports to referring Health Care Professionals regarding patient care.

Actively participate in the prevention and health promotion activities of the department.

Work flexibly to provide a dietetic service which meets the needs of the clients in the designated specialist area.

To identify opportunities to promote healthier lifestyles or more appropriate nutrition in the designated specialty, and, using innovative methods, develop initiatives to promote healthier nutrition in the area, and contribute to the development and delivery of guidelines and action plans.

Training and Education

Plan, organise and participate in the clinical supervision of student dietitians, including planning timetables and written assessments.

Preceptor or mentor junior members of staff and dietetic students.

Plan, implement and evaluate nutrition education & training for nurses, support workers, catering, social care, medical staff, patients & carers as required.

Professional

To actively participate in the forward planning of the department.

Ensure dietetic practice is up to date, evidence-based and / or based on best practice by participating in appropriate training and development activities.

Ensure relevant training is attended to maintain competency re medical devices required within the job role.

Actively participate and contribute to clinical supervision to ensure regular evaluation of practice through peer review.

Actively participate in dietetic operational meetings, sharing knowledge, evaluating and improving service delivery.

Actively participate / lead in the departments Clinical Governance programme including reviewing evidence / guidance, clinical and professional audits, research and reporting of clinical risks.

Propose changes to own and departmental practices based on current evidence and best practice.

To develop and update departmental clinical policies, guidelines and procedures relevant to relevant to designated specialist area.

Evaluate patient information in view of current evidence and update or produce new information/diet sheets as required.

To work as an autonomous practitioner working within the BDA Code of professional conduct and HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency (Dietitians).

Plan, prioritise and organise own workload working jointly with other professionals and agencies and evaluate own practice.

Monitor stock levels and ensure effective use is made of department / trust resources, equipment and prescribed nutritional products.

Be responsible for maintaining patient records in line with trust and department standards and Data Protection Act requirements.

Document patient activity data in accordance with trust and professional standards.

Contribute to the development and maintenance of the profile of the Dietetic profession.