Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Description:

The dietitians in the Islington Additional Needs and Disability Service (IANDS) are recognised experts in nutrition and diet therapy serving our diverse local community. We work to promote health through good nutrition on an individual, community and population level using up to date evidence based principles.

Supported by band 7 and band 8a Dietitians, this post will provide a comprehensive service to children in Islington including: paediatric dietetic clinics, children in special schools and dietetic support for babies and children at home.  This includes weight management, fussy eating and extremely fussy eating, faltering growth, CMPA, nutritional deficiencies, oral nutritional support and home enteral feeding. There is potential for the post holder to continue to develop feeding therapy in special schools and in the community.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities are to be carried out by the post holder, and where necessary, with the assistance of a more senior member of staff i.e. in situations of complexity or when performing a task for the first time.

Dietitians at this grade will have post registration dietetic experience and sufficient post-graduate training, experience and knowledge in paediatric dietetic practice to enable them to deliver high standards of clinical care working as an autonomous practitioner.  You will be based across various sites in Islington but may be expected to be able to work across Islington, and Haringey Boroughs. 

Once established in post there is the possibility of flexible working and some home working.

Clinical responsibilities will include:

To be responsible for the development and provision or a comprehensive and effective evidence based dietetic service for paediatric patients and their families and carers in Islington.

To triage and run general paediatric dietetic clinics for 0-18year olds providing support for weight management, fussy eating and extremely fussy eating, faltering growth, CMPA, nutritional deficiencies and other nutritional concerns.

To hold a caseload and provide, dietetic assessment, advice and monitoring regarding children who have complex health and/ or neurodisability (cerebral palsy, syndromes, profound and multiple learning disabilities).

To provide specialist intervention to patients requiring Home Enteral Tube Feeding or Oral Nutritional Supplements.

To carry out growth measurements on babies and children through height and weight assessments, and ensuring correct equipment is used whilst carrying out growth assessments.

To calculate Body Mass index, protein/ energy intakes, vitamin and nutritional intake of children, in order to meet the nutritional demands and expected reference nutrient intakes.

To understand and interpret the medical assessments and treatments i.e. medications, investigations, which may affect nutritional management.

To monitor and review the progress of children in caseload and facilitate the development of care plans as appropriate using evaluation and outcome measures.

To carry out full dietary assessments providing comprehensive treatment/ care plans, and giving specialist advice to patients, carers and clinicians.

To work as part of a team as well as autonomously.

To co-ordinate and assist with nutritional aspect of hospital discharges.

To support the effective transition of children between children’s centres/ nurseries and schools as well as post school provision to adult services with regards to nutrition.

To undertake home visits, as necessary, in compliance with the Trust Home Visiting Safety Policy.

 
To reflect on clinical practice, identifying strengths and needs and providing evidence of sound clinical judgement.

To act professionally and adhere to national best practice guidance and BDA guidance at all times.

To maintain accurate and comprehensive records of dietary advice given to patients and record clinical decisions in accordance with BDA and Trust/ legal standards, and to communicate treatment outcomes with other professionals as appropriate.

To keep accurate records of dietetic contact and keep statistics in accordance with departmental requirements.

To be professionally and legally responsible/ accountable for the management of your own clinical caseload and to organise this effectively with regards to clinical priority.

To ensure the practice is adapted to meet individual/ client needs/circumstances; taking into account cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

To be responsible for maintaining up to date knowledge of Child Protection procedures and attend professional or strategy meetings at the request of the Area Child Protection Team/Social services. To ensure mandatory child protection training is attended.

To carry out other duties as requested.