Job summary
This vacancy is for a Specialist Dietitian, maternity leave cover. The post is based at our Weston General Hospital, alongside other Dietitians & Dietetic Support Workers delivering high quality nutritional care. The role will focus on acute inpatient beds & outpatients, across a number of pathways but primarily within specialist areas of ICU and medical inpatient wards. Input to surgical wards is also required, particularly when patients initially step down from ICU.

You will require to demonstrate core skills in oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition support along with behaviour change strategies.

Work will be augmented with wider service development, education and student training.

All members of the team work one Bank Holiday a year.

Main duties of the job
The post will provide expert nutritional care across a range of pathways, notably critical care & medicine.

The role works closely with a wide range of professionals within the MDT

Ensure effective communication at all levels of health care professionals regarding the nutritional care of individual patients.

Impart information to patients in situations which could be distressing / emotional for the patient, therefore require use of holistic skills.

Use negotiation skills to motivate and negotiate dietary change this will require using a variety of evaluation strategies and adapting communication techniques if necessary.

Educate, support and direct patients by advising on therapeutic dietary regimens which may involve significant and continuous lifestyle changes.

Translate nutritional concepts into practical everyday terms for patients, staff and professional colleagues of all levels.

As a key member of the multi-professional team, provide expert dietetic advice at case conferences, care and discharge planning meetings.

Liaise with partners including clinical MDTs, pharmacy, catering and the community to ensure continuity of care across service providers.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Date posted: 20 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 10 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 387-D&T6051-LH
Job locations: Weston General Hospital, Grange Road, Uphill, Weston, BS23 4TQ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential

• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Degree/Post Graduate qualification in nutrition or dietetics
• Clinical Supervisory Skills (Basic)

Desirable

• BDA Membership
• PEN Group Clinical Update Course and/or Behaviour Change Course

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Proven experience in: -Enteral Nutrition Support -Chronic Disease Management -Nutrition support in acute illness
• Working as part of a multi-professional Team
• Student Training
• Teaching Experience

Desirable

• Audit Experience
• Experience of supervision of junior staff
• Experience of writing protocols & guidelines
• Experience of working in the community
• Experience of Home Enteral Nutrition

Skills and abilities
Essential

• Good communication skills at all levels -Oral -Written -Interpersona
• Good organisational skills
• Teaching/presentation skills in a variety of settings & to professional groups/ grades
• Computer skills & use of dietary analysis programmes
• Advanced clinical reasoning
• Behaviour & motivational interviewing skills
• Able to maintain effective working relationships across different professions
• Insight & sensitivity
• Team player & able to maintain effective working relationships
• Ability to process highly complex information or situations
• Ability to work under own initiative
• Ability to deal with challenging behaviours of patients, carers & students
• Time Management

Desirable

• Active/committee member of BDA Specialist Interest Group
• Access to transport in order to deliver community working

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce.