Band 7 Head and Neck Dietitian

• Provide specialist assessment/management of patients experiencing nutritional late effects following head & neck cancer treatment for both inpatients & outpatients
• Manage complex symptoms affecting oral intake including dysphagia, xerostomia, trismus, taste changes, fibrosis, strictures from surgery & radiotherapy
• Develop/monitor individualised nutrition care plans to optimise nutritional status, quality of life & long-term health outcomes
• Lead management of enteral feeding patients, including tube-feeding reviews, home enteral feeding discharges & long-term PEG/RIG support
• Work as a core member of the multidisciplinary late effects team, collaborating closely with SLT, oncology, surgery, dentistry, nursing, psychology & rehabilitation services
• Support survivorship and rehabilitation, helping patients return to oral intake, maintain muscle mass, improve function, and self-manage ongoing symptoms
• Coordinate & prioritise a specialist caseload including triaging referrals and ensuring timely follow-up of complex patients
• Develop/improve clinical pathways, guidelines & patient resources to enhance care for people living with and beyond head & neck cancer
• Lead audit, service evaluation & quality improvement projects to demonstrate outcomes and drive service development

Essential

• Evidence of relevant GCSE, NVQ, GNVQ, AS and A levels
• Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics or equivalent
• Registration with HCPC

Desirable

• -MSc or equivalent experience e.g. advanced level of clinical practice / relevant postgraduate, professionally accredited courses

Essential

• Significant post-graduate experience in relevant specialist area
• Practical skill & in-depth experience in a multi-disciplinary setting in relevant specialist field evidenced by a learning portfolio and leading to advanced theoretical knowledge in area/s of clinical practice
• Significant to substantial postgraduate experience of working in a specialist capacity in multi-disciplinary teams leading to the acquisition of advanced theoretical knowledge and highly developed skills.
• Experience of training Dietetic students
• Evidence of relevant continued professional development in following areas
• Clinical e.g.
• Accredited specialist training courses
• Attendance at specialist group meetings of BDA
• Advanced Diploma in Dietetic Practice
• Attendance at relevant multi-disciplinary courses/conferences
• Teaching e.g.
• Presentation skills
• Clinical supervisory skills training for student training
• Communication skill training / counselling skills training
• Cognitive behaviour therapy training (CBT)
• High level of dietetic knowledge gained through attendance at postgraduate specialist courses
• In depth knowledge of research and audit
• In depth knowledge of nutritional assessment / nutritional screening tools
• Knowledge and experience of all types of nutritional support
• Maintains excellent knowledge of clinical developments

Desirable

• Evidence of ongoing regular attendance on post-graduate training courses and clinical development at highly specialist level
• Evidence of attendance at national conferences
• Knowledge of the Strategic direction of the Trust
• Experience of teaching professional and patient groups

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and team working skills
• Ability to absorb, interpret and summarise complex verbal information
• Ability to cope with a variety of personal and professional approaches to patient care
• Ability to discuss and influence with healthcare professionals across multidisciplinary teams and other agencies
• Ability to communicate where there are barriers to understanding in addition to any communication impairment
• Ability to analyse, interpret and explain complex information on diagnosis, management plan and their implications in a clear and precise manner to patients, their relatives and members of the multi-professional team
• Ability to use skills of motivation, negotiation and problem solving with colleagues, members of the multi professional team and other professionals on a daily basis
• Ability to absorb, interpret and summarize verbal information in a pressurised clinical environment
• Skills in planning treatment for patients with complex and changing needs
• Ability to manage a dietetic team
• Organisational skills with the ability to organise own workload and work in a systematic way
• Excellent time management
• Excellent interpersonal and team working skills
• Demonstrates interest and enthusiasm for nutrition
• Motivated to develop the service
• Flexibility in the approach to a day in the knowledge that pressure of demand and throughput of patients will impact on original aims of the day
• Willingness to travel all sites as required by the job role
• Work onsite due to the clinical caseload

Desirable

• -Active member of relevant professional groups