Job summary
The post is an exciting opportunity to be based across In-Patient mental health care services. You will manage a diverse case load of complex patients in Weight Management with co-morbidity and Nutritional support patients. Regular supervision and support as you gain your confidence and competencies in these areas will be provided.

You will provide daily in-patient ward based clinics to assess and review patients. You will attend MDT's to communicate your treatment care plan and monitoring, this will involve frequent networking with all health-professionals. You will deliver Nutritional Screening training to a variety of staff and will support audit and the objectives in the Nutrition and hydration Strategy.

Using evidence based practice and working within the British Dietetic Association Professional code of conduct is paramount. You will be encouraged to attend training and courses to support and enhance Learning and development and apply skills in your practice.

Experience within mental health care setting and NHS settings would be desirable to support candidates in practice

Main duties of the job
The post holder is responsible for the delivery of clinical care to a defined population.

Supported by senior practitioners, they will deliver care within the boundaries of their role.

They will work effectively and collaboratively within the team to meet the needs of patients, support the delivery of policy and procedures and provide clinical leadership.

Ensure the delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area incorporating establishment of systems and processes.

Staff will be required to travel across multiple sites within the Mersey Care footprint to support our service users and team in their current location

About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles

Job responsibilities
The Mental Health Care Division Dietetic Team is an ever developing specialist Mental Health team and has strong links with all professions including Nursing, Allied health, Dr's and local Dietetics including The British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Mental Health Specialist Group of the BDA. Our dynamic dietetic team is supported by the Lead Dietitian and highly skilled dietitian.

You will work as part of the team and will be professionally accountable for your own caseload of patients, working autonomously in a variety of complex mental health settings including liaising with the service users families and when they transition to other areas. You will develop and implement dietary intervention plans and provide advice to people with a variety of dietetic needs and a range of learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions.

There are regular specialty dietetic team meetings to develop your skills in Mental Health and to provide peer support. The post holder will have access to both formal and informal training. We have a robust clinical supervision structure and, if you are newly qualified, we are able to offer a preceptorship programme.

Dietitians work closely with other health care professionals and Multi-disciplinary team work is integral to dietetic care. Our Trust is committed to providing regular opportunities to participate in first class Continuous Professional Development (CPD), policy development, audit, research activities, pathway development, staff and student training. There are regular opportunities to network with colleagues; to share best practice; and to celebrate our successes as a profession working within Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• BSc Nutrition and Dietetics or relevant degree with post graduate diploma in Dietetics
• Health and Care Professions Council registration for Dietetics

Desirable

• Full member of British Dietetic Association
• Mentorship and/or Student Training qualification e.g., SAS training
• Any postgraduate study or qualifications relevant to role

Experience
Essential

• Health and Social Care experience, preferably within the NHS
• Experience of clinical audit, service development or quality improvement
• Enteral feeding or nutrition support experience
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT)

Desirable

• Previous experience working as a Dietitian either in the inpatient or outpatient setting
• Experience delivering patient education or health promotion
• Experience using e-registration systems for home enteral feed discharges

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of the trust vision, goals and values
• Knowledge or experience in the reporting of patient safety incidents
• Knowledge of current best practice in Dietetics

Desirable

• Providing training or shadowing for other health professionals or trainees
• Motivational interviewing and behavioural change training

Skills
Essential

• Able to prioritise a defined clinical caseload
• Time management and organisational skills
• Ability to carry out anthropometric measurements
• Able to undertake a nutritional assessment considering all relevant factors to formulate a Dietetic diagnosis and care plan and setting goal-based outcomes with service users
• Autonomous practitioner
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
• Awareness of local and national guidelines relevant to Dietetics e.g., NICE, BDA
• Awareness of research methods and audit skills to inform and evaluate practice
• Basic knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and health and safety and risk awareness
• Understanding of professional conduct and confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships
• Effective personal organisational skills
• Keep an up to date CPD portfolio
• Written and oral communication skills in English sufficient to communicate effectively with patients to gain consent, explain treatment interventions and gain information required for the patient's medical/social history relevant to Dietetics
• Basic computer skills e.g., word processing, MS Teams, email, internet skills
• Ability to comply with Trust Policy
• Willingness to be flexible to deliver unexpected or unusual circumstances relating to patient care
• A commitment to continuous learning and personal development of self
• Support the learning and development of others including Dietetic Assistants, Assistant Practitioners, Student Dietitians, Apprentice Dietitians and other AHPs
• Satisfactory DBS clearance
• Satisfactory references

Desirable

• Accurate anthropometric skills
• Presentation skills
• Experience taking minutes or chairing meetings
• Experience using electronic documentation systems e.g., EMIS

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.

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

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.