Specialist Dietitian Oncology and Haematology
Job overview
We are looking to recruit a haematology dietitian to join the team based in the Oncology Department of Derriford
Hospital. The post-holder will be expected to, manage own caseload in
both inpatient and outpatient setting. Supervise the work of dietetic
assistants, students and junior dieticians as appropriate and contribute to
resource management. You will be supported a friendly team and have the
opportunity to develop your skills.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job- To be responsible for the provision of an effective and efficient Nutrition and Dietetic service haematology inpatients and outpatients
- To be a source of expertise in the dietetic management of palliative cancer patients including lung, upper GI/HPB patients within the Trust.
- To be responsible for giving expert nutritional advice and support to patients with cancer, their families/carers and to work as part of a multidisciplinary team promoting the role of nutrition in cancer.
- The post holder is involved in all nutrition and dietetic departmental activities and contributes to the delivery of a Trust wide dietetic service.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care.The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY.
If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles.
Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To be professionally responsible and accountable for the management of own clinical caseload and to organise this effectively with regards to clinical priority and effective use of time.
- To work as a team with other oncology dietitians to provide dietetic care to oncology and haematology inpatients and outpatients referred by Oncology Services.
- To manage a specialist caseload of patients referred to the Enhanced Supportive Care service within the Trust and contributes to the multidisciplinary team.
- To provide regular out-patient dietetic service to patients undergoing treatment including radiotherapy, chemotherapy and attending general consultant led oncology / haematology clinics
- To provide support on request to patients attending the Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre, including palliative care and supporting the weekly dietetic clinic.
- To attend ward rounds and clinical team meetings as appropriate to ensure that expertise contributes to multi-professional decisions on care.
- To work autonomously to provide highly complex advice to patients, carers and healthcare professionals. This will involve nutritional assessment (based on interpretation of biochemistry, anthropometry, clinical condition and dietary history) and development of nutritional care plans which are both realistic, practical and evidence based (based on assessment of medical, social, economic, cultural and psychological factors).
- To monitor and review the outcomes of nutritional care plans and adjust to facilitate achievement of the desired goals in the light of changing medical treatment and personal circumstances.
- To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise condition management, recovery potential, further disease prevention and during terminal care
- To formulate feeding regimes and prescribe a wide range of artificial feeds based on medical condition, fluid management, biochemical and anthropometric monitoring.
- To demonstrate a good working knowledge of types of enteral feeding tubes and the required care for tube patency.
For further details please see attached JD&PS.
Person specification
Knowledge and experience
Essential criteria- 2-3 years demonstrable experience in clinical dietetics within the NHS post registration
- Proven evidence of a particular knowledge/demonstrable experience in oncology and haematology dietetics and nutrition support
- Proven knowledge of national and international guidelines relevant to oncology dietetics
- Training, supervisory and teaching demonstrable experience
- Demonstrable experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
- Demonstrable experience in audit, standard setting and guideline development
- Computer skills in database use and statistical packages
- Demonstrable experience of enteral feeding
- Demonstrable experience with oncology/ palliative care patients
- Demonstrable experience with Stem Cell transplant patients
Qualifications
Essential criteria- BSc. in Human Nutrition and Dietetics or equivalent
- Professional registration (HPC)
- Completion of Clinical Supervisory Skills course
- Proven evidence of recent CPD
- Relevant validated BDA Clinical Update course e.g PENG or oncology/ haematology post registration education
- Registered for Diploma in advanced dietetic practice
- A teaching qualification or demonstrable experience of teaching groups
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential criteria- Effective communication skills with an ability to communicate with all levels of healthcare personnel (ward staff, kitchen staff, dietitians, senior and junior medical staff, senior managers) as well as patients and their carers
- Able to work within a team
- Expertise in the practical skills of nutritional support
- Effective teaching and presentation skills
- Computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets and presentations
- Good organisational and time management/ prioritisation skills
- Ability to supervise students and junior department staff
- Capable of producing good quality written information for staff and patients
- Ability to lift feeding equipment / deliver feeding supplies to patients on wards
- Ability to work within a busy environment
- Commitment to clinical governance
- Ability to interpret research findings and apply to practice
Disposition, attitude, motivation
Essential criteria- Effective team worker
- Proactive, with an ability to set up new initiative
- Self motivated
- Empathetic and approachable
- An enquiring mind with an enthusiasm for research and innovation
Circumstances
Essential criteria- Flexible regarding duties
- May be required to work over a 7 day period in the future
Other factors
Essential criteria- Maintains professional appearance
- British Dietetic Association (BDA) membership
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.
If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.
We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included.
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.
Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests.This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.
For Doctors Roles:
Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.
We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.
In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.
We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.
Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.
Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.
In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.