Senior Dietitian - Neuro / Frailty

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities 
Development, application and dissemination of expertise   
• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of work in compliance with the ethical 
code of practice set out by the Health and Care Professions Council.  
• To work with the dietetic and multidisciplinary teams to formulate and deliver individual dietetic 
treatment plans for patients based on a sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment 
options using clinical assessment, critical thinking, reasoning skills and knowledge of a wide range 
of dietetic treatments.  
• Contribute to the local development and delivery of structured education programmes.  
• Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the 
capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.  
• Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment regimens as required.  
• To manage clinical risk within own patient caseload.  
• Work within Trust clinical guidelines and to have good working knowledge of national and local 
standards and monitor quality of practice as appropriate.  
• To be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in line 
with British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards 
of practice.

Team working, decision making and communication   
• Represent the dietetic service and/or individual patients at multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure 
the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate dietetic therapy into the treatment 
programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge 
planning.  
• To provide nutrition counselling to patients and carers relating to highly complex treatments using a 
broad range of counselling techniques and experience, reassurance and motivational skills to 
encourage change particularly where there is non-compliance.  
• To be responsible for ensuring that patients and carers have consented to dietetic intervention in line 
with national professional guidelines.  
• To make clinical decisions in collaboration with the Nutrition Support Team about the appropriate and 
safe administration of parenteral nutrition or alternative forms of artificial nutrition support. This will 
involve nutritional assessment and monitoring; including the calculation of nutritional requirements 
based on the interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometry, clinical condition and other physical 
parameters.  
• To directly prescribe nutritional supplements, vitamin and minerals as agreed with consultant medical 
staff.  
• To communicate and liaise with the wider healthcare community, locally, regionally and nationally, 
regarding nutrition prescription and nutritional care of patients. Providing appropriate information, 
education and professional support to clinicians, patients and carers. This will include delivering 
service and expertise off-site.  
• To be responsible for the discharge planning of patients going home on artificial nutritional support.  
• Liaise with the Catering department to promote optimal nutrition for patients.  
• To demonstrate flexibility in providing cover in times of staff shortage within clinical areas appropriate 
to the grade with senior support.  
• To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade as requested by the Head of Nutrition and 
Dietetics. 

Audit and research 
• Undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use 
of evidence based practice projects, audit and outcome measures either individually or with more 
senior dietitians or other healthcare providers.  
• To initiate and participate in regular research and audit within the specialised area. This includes 
coordination and supervision of research projects for undergraduate dietetic students. Relevant 
findings will be published or presented at appropriate conferences.  
• To undertake as directed the collection of data for use in service audit and research projects. To 
manage and undertake research into specific areas of clinical practice and service delivery using 
a range of research methodologies as part of MDT audit and departmental research initiatives.  
• To research, develop, audit and publish evidence based departmental patient information 
literature for use within and outside the trust. Development will involve involvement of appropriate 
patient groups. 

Development activities  
• Be actively involved in professional clinical groups such as department’s development groups and 
other appropriate professional development activities   
• To participate in the development, implementation and update of operational and professional 
standards and policies for the specialist dietetic service.   
• To be an active team member of the dietetic department at King’s participating in departmental 
developments and attending monthly staff and continuing professional development meetings.   
• To advise and liaise with the catering staff about the dietary needs of patients and to assist in 
instructing diet kitchen chefs on preparation of special meals as required. To adapt and analyse the 
menu cycle to ensure suitability for the inpatient population and make recommendations to the site 
Catering Dietitian and Manager.   
• Participate in the staff Performance Review scheme as an appraisee and be responsible for complying 
with your agreed personal development programmes to meet required knowledge and competency 
goals.   

Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the main responsibilities of this post.