Job summary
Employer heading
Dietitian Assistant
Band 4
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Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnic minorities, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.
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Job overview
We are looking for a Band 4 Dietitian Assistant to join our developing Dietetic team.Ìý
The Full time post is an exciting opportunity for someone who has an interest in health and nutrition.Ìý
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Main duties of the job
As a committed Dietitian Assistant you will be supported by an established service.Ìý
The primary focus of the post is to support the other specialist Dietitians working across all Service specialties within Secure services.
Following an induction period and settlement into the role you will be required to review patients for the other Dietitians and prioritise your own case load accordingly
You will deliver ward based clinics and facilitate group education sessions.Ìý You will also have input into MDT meetings, an admin role and support the MDT in developing resources for service users.
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Working for our organisation
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.Ìý
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.Ìý
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.
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Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIESÌý
Clinical
1. To contribute to the delivery of a planned programme of care under the direct supervision of theÌý
qualified practitioner.
2. To assist the qualified practitioners by being proactive in maximizing health, well being and socialÌý
inclusion of service users.
3. To provide assistance with activities of daily living, participating in and developing health promotionalÌý
activities.
4. To report general observations and provide feedback to the qualified practitioner both verbally andÌý
in written formats, if required. This should include any concerns arising from the service-users physicalÌý
or mental health.
5. To carry out supported observations and provide feedback to the qualified practitioner both verballyÌý
and in written formats, as required.
6. To contribute to the effective running of the service by providing and receiving information to/fromÌý
other departments, e.g., catering department. Ensure this information is provided in the mostÌý
effective way. i.e., telephone, fax or in writing.
7. To maintain effective communication between individuals, relatives, carers and the multidisciplinaryÌý
team.Ìý
8. To assist the qualified practitioner, under their direct supervision to administer medication to serviceÌý
users in line with trust policy.
9. To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome communication barriers presented byÌý
service users due to their mental health needs.
10. As directed by the qualified practitioners, play a specific role in maintaining a safe environment forÌý
service users, staff and visitors.
11. To carry out specific duties that contribute to the assessment of service users physical/psychologicalÌý
healthcare needs as requested by the qualified practitioner.
12. To carry out, under supervision or direction, activities, which optimize service users level ofÌý
functioning and develop meaningful activities for individuals and groups.
13. As directed by the qualified practitioner, maintain accurate charts that contribute to the assessmentÌý
of a service users physical condition e.g. diet and fluid charts, weight or blood pressure, pulse andÌý
temperature.
14. To prepare agreed assessment reports and treatment plans to assist the qualified practitioner withÌý
care planning.
15. To use skills and techniques, gained during mandatory training, to de-escalate situations whereÌý
service users become physically and verbally aggressive.
16. To contribute to the development of risk management plans for the service user or risk to others as aÌý
result of the behavior or actions of service users.
17. To escort service users as directed by the qualified practitioner.Ìý
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3
- Must be willing to undertake Assistant Practitioner Foundation qualification
KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE:
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in a mental health setting
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Knowledge of health promotion and physical/psychological health care needs of service users
- Knowledge of developing meaningful activities in a care setting
Skills
Essential criteria
- Effective communication skills both verbal & written
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Non judgmental attitude/approach
- Ability to supervise support workers
- Ability to work on own initiative and assist qualified practitioners
- Ability to work as a member of the team
- Flexibility
- Negotiation skills including the ability to manage aggression/difficult behaviour
- Ability to travel across Trusts sites
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Anastasia Kopanou
- Job title
- Advanced Dietitian
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0151 472 4567
- Additional information
or mobile Laura Clark:
07880105700
Or the health centre on 0151 472 4567
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