Job summary
We are looking for an experienced and motivated HCPC registered Dietitian to join our Community Dietetics as a Band 7 Clinical Specialist Dietitian in Sefton. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about leading high-quality community Dietetic services and supporting teams to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care across a range of community settings.

The post holder will have responsibility for the delivery of the clinical service within the defined area, providing visible leadership and clinical support. You will play a key role in ensuring services are efficient, effective, well-co-ordinated and responsive, with quality and patient experience at the centre of everything you do.

You will provide leadership, management and communication for the team, supporting team performance, service development and continuous improvement. The role includes ensuring delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area through the development of effective systems, processes, governance and assurance arrangements that support high standards of care.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide clinical leadership and day-to-day management to the clinical team and will be responsible for the delivery of the service within the defined area. You will work in partnership with other services and key stakeholders to help ensure patients and clients are treated in the most appropriate setting, supporting a co-ordinated and responsive approach to care. The role includes providing caseload oversight and clinical supervision to maintain high standards of practice, alongside full line management responsibility for the team, ensuring effective delegation, staff support and the safe delivery of patient care. You will also contribute to service development, quality improvement and the consistent delivery of high-quality, person-centred care across the community service.

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

• Enthusiastic, forward thinking professionals with exceptional communication, leadership and analytical skills
• Specialist knowledge in one or more areas: adults, paediatrics, nutrition support, diabetes, obesity, gastroenterology
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working in a dynamic health care environment.
• Provide care, advice, and guidance in the treatment of others, when dealing with complex highly specialist conditions.
• Responsible for the delivery of identified training.
• Work in partnership with the other services/stakeholder partnership agencies to enable patients/clients to be treated in the appropriate setting. This may include procurement and enteral feed contract reviews.
• Ensure that the team provides a high-quality service to its patients/clients by providing caseload and clinical supervision.
• Ensure that team work proactively in order to deliver anticipatory and maintenance care, providing a responsive service to patients with both planned and unplanned care needs.
• Develop partnerships and joint working with service users and stakeholders to improve patient/client care.
• Work in partnership with other organisations to support the effective and co-ordinated provision of health and social care services.
• Participate in the development of caseload management across the local health economy.
• Provide leadership and mentoring to those staff developing into a caseload management role.
• Challenge professional and organisational boundaries to ensure that the role is focused on meeting the needs of service users.
• Act as an advocate and champion for patients/clients in a variety of forums and professional groups and challenge attitudes and behaviour.
• Act as a role model to others ensuring that patients receive the most effective care possible.
• Contribute to the development of policy and services to reflect the needs of the target population.

Person Specification
Skills
Essential

• Ability to work under pressure and manage a diverse caseload.
• Analytical and report writing skills.
• Highly developed communication and clinical skills
• Ability to facilitate and lead discussions in professional/multi-agency meetings.
• Evidence of professional development.
• Presentation skills with the ability to present to large groups.
• Ability to monitor competing commitments to reflect service priorities
• Ability to respond to unpredictable work patterns and frequent interruptions
• Proficient at time management, working to deadlines and good organisational skills.
• Self-motivated and committed to best practice

Desirable

• Evidence of gastrostomy tube care/tube replacement competency

Experience
Essential

• Experiential training which demonstrates highly specialist skills in specialist area

Qualifications
Essential

• BSc Nutrition and Dietetics or relevant degree with post graduate diploma in dietetics professional Registration
• HCPC Registered Dietitian
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Masters level or equivalent
• Membership of relevant special interest groups
• Evidence of management training
• Evidence of leadership training

Desirable

• Full member of British Dietetic Association (BDA)
• Masters or postgraduate qualification in relevant clinical area
• Teaching/Student Training/Mentorship qualification
• Member of Specialist Group of BDA

Knowledge
Essential

• Relevant experience at undergraduate / postgraduate in Dietetics
• Evidence of service development and project management
• Experience managing/leading change
• Proven ability to work independently, prioritise and manage own complex caseload.
• Experience of carrying out specialist assessments and interventions
• Awareness of HR and other relevant policies relating to staff management
• Advanced knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
• In depth knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group
• Advanced knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• In depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
• Understands the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group
• Understands the standards of record keeping
• Understands confidentiality as relating to the NHS

Desirable

• Non-medical supplementary or if applicable independent prescriber
• Evidence of quality improvement or research
• Experience of delivering/ developing training to staff/carers
• Experience of providing supervision to staff members
• Experience of being a clinical educator

Values
Essential

• Continuous improvement - committed to making improvements to our services for the benefit of all
• Accountability - taking ownership to anticipate, develop and deliver high quality care
• Respect - how we treat others in an inclusive and supportive way
• Enthusiasm - demonstrate our passion and pride for what we do and how we do it
• Support - actively supporting others with compassion and courage

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.