Dietetic Assistant Main Duties & Responsibilities

NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an 'Outstanding' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C's "compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels", the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is committed to continuing to create a modern and inclusive work environment. As part of this commitment we actively promote flexible working opportunities where possible, to meet the needs and wishes of our workforce to maintain and improve their wellbeing. The trust offers a range of flexibility, including flexible working patterns, and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.
We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community., A fantastic opportunity has become available for a dietetic assistant to support the dietetic service. We are looking for someone with good communication and interpersonal skills to support the dietetic service who care for people in their own homes/nursing homes who require dietetic input to manage their condition.
The dietetic service consists of 4 teams:
+ Inpatients
+ Outpatients (Mainstream)
+ Home enteral feeds
+ Learning Disabilities
You will have the opportunity to be involved in all areas, and develop your skills and knowledge.
You will provide an administrative service, to facilitate the efficient running of the teams, enabling dietitians to spend more time involved with direct patient contact.
You will work with and assist dietitians and assistant practitioners (APs) in the support, treatment and monitoring of patients in the community and within the inpatient units. You will become a point of contact for patients.
You will be line managed by the inpatient lead dietitian and have regular supervision to support your development within the role., This is an opportunity for someone with excellent communication and IT skills, to work within a community healthcare setting to support clinical staff look after patients who are enterally fed or require other dietetic intervention/ treatment.
For the inpatient service, you will support the process of discharging patients requiring tube feeding, keeping track of feeding equipment, follow up patient reviews as requested by the dietitian and involvement in providing ward based education.
For the other community teams you will organise home visits and clinic appointments for the dietitians, maintain the database, liaise with nutritional product companies, undertake patient review under direct and indirect supervision. Within the role you will develop your skills and knowledge so that you become the first point of contact over the phone/ in person with patients, carers and other health care professionals needing the support of the team.
Independent travel across central Norfolk is a requirements of the role, therefore access to a vehicle is essential.
You will be based at Thorpe Health Centre but will work across various locations in Norfolk with a team of dietitians and assistant practitioners., All staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate NCHC Values., 1. To organise own workload in order to support the care of patients in an efficient and effective
2. To take a lead role in the day to day administration required to support
3. To be responsible for ensuring that patients/carers/nursing staff receive relevant information regarding their appointments.
4. To maintain accurate documentation in the dietetic records in line with department guidelines and inform supervising Dietitian or Assistant Practitioner (AP) of all interventions with patients in the community.
5. To carry out follow-up phone calls to identified patients using a checklist.
6. To liaise with a Home Feeds Delivery company and appropriate staff to ensure adequate supply of equipment/feed products following patient discharge from in-patient This includes completing the appropriate Patient Registration system provided by the feed company
7. To liaise with the supervising Dietitian or AP in the writing of reports/letters to GPs and other healthcare professionals in order to give details of dietetic care for specific HEF patients in the community.
8. To report to the supervising Dietitian or AP any patient that gives cause for concern, including basic triaging using a checklist.
9. To contribute to audit work associated with this patient group, which may include clinical data collection to demonstrate outcomes of care, customer satisfaction, and inputting data.
10. To use a computer package to analyse food diaries for a patient as requested by a Dietitian or AP.
11. To receive, filter and escalate phone calls, responding in a sensitive and supportive manner to requests from staff and patients for information.
12. To provide troubleshooting advice and training for patients, carers and Healthcare Professionals on the use of pumps and equipment as required.
13. To transport, if required, supplements/feeds and equipment such as ramp and hoist scales for use when visiting patients or to community inpatient units when required. To undertake weight checks if required using appropriate scales subject to appropriate training.
14. To carry out literature searches under the direction of the Dietitian to enhance evidence-based practice.
15. To help provide cover for Dietetic Assistants and Assistant Practitioners in their absence.
16. To communicate with other members of the team, as required, regarding ongoing workload commitments and prioritise accordingly.
17. To be responsible for the safe use of weighing equipment ensuring maintenance, standards are adhered to .
Equal Opportunities - We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Disability Confident Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post (outlined in the Person Specification). All sites are Smoke Free.
Immigration Status - Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is a diverse employer and welcomes all job applications. However, potential applicants should note that although the Trust is registered with the Home Office as a sponsor organisation for migrant workers, sponsorship can only be offered against Skilled Worker visas. If you are an applicant from outside the UK and do not already hold a self-gained right to work, we recommend you check the Home Office eligibility requirements before making an application.
Please note: Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for some job roles, and this will be identified through filtering questions at the start of any job application on the Trac recruitment system.
Redeployment - Please note that in the first instance priority for this vacancy will be given to NCH&C staff who are on the Trusts Redeployment Register.
DBS - If this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and you are not a current employee of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust or being recruited as an Apprentice then the cost of the DBS check will be automatically removed from your first month's salary. However if you are registered with the update service this may not be required.