Specialist Dietitian (Head & Neck Oncology)

What You’ll Do

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Be responsible for the specialist provision of a dietetic service to head and neck cancer patients undergoing multiple modality oncology treatment.
• Work in a variety of clinical settings including acute surgical wards, acute oncology wards, radiotherapy clinic, chemotherapy outpatients and head and neck multidisciplinary clinic.
• Provide complex nutritional support to patients with head and neck cancer including management of enteral feeding, complex home enteral feeding discharges, and nutritional management of radiotherapy/chemotherapy related side effects.
• Work with an experienced team of oncology dietitians covering upper GI, head and neck, haematology, teenage young adults, gynaecology, chemotherapy and general oncology patients.
• Be a key member of the multidisciplinary teams working closely with head and neck surgeons and oncologists, advanced nurse practitioners, speech and language therapists, advanced radiographers and ward nurses. You will also be required to liaise closely with members of the head and neck oncology teams at other hospitals.
• Provide educational talks on the importance of nutrition in oncology to inform patients, nurses and doctors.
• Be involved with the supervision and support of dietitians, dietetic assistants and student dietitians.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who has a keen interest in oncology, with evidence of relevant, strong clinical skills. Flexibility, ability to prioritise and manage a busy, complex caseload is essential. You must have excellent communication skills as well as an empathic nature to help patients manage their long-term condition and be aware of the psychological impact this may have. You should have experience of working with nutritional support patients requiring enteral nutrition. Experience of working with oncology patients is desirable but not essential as full training will be provided.

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience

Essential criteria

• Degree or equivalent in Nutrition and Dietetics
• HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) registered dietitian (RD)
• Evidence of commitment to relevant ongoing CPD and development in relevant areas
• Evidence of relevant dietetic knowledge and expertise with recent experience demonstrating this
• Ability to communicate complex information fluently, confidently and effectively to a diverse range of people: e.g., with patients, carers, managers and other health care professionals
• Ability to demonstrate a practical and sensitive approach and flexibility in working style when applying clinical judgement to complex clinical issues
• Ability to create rapport and professionally manage relationships with colleagues, patients and carers and the emotional challenges this presents
• Demonstrate a holistic approach to treatment
• Ability to cope with unpredictable events and varying clinical and non-clinical work pressures, independently planning and prioritising own workload, managing own time and meeting deadlines

Desirable criteria

• Member of British Dietetic Association (BDA) and relevant specialist groups
• Experience mentoring or supervising dietetic assistants or junior staff
• Experience and involvement with dietetic student training
• Experience of audit/project work
• Ability to cover “out of hours” commitments on agreed occasions

Skills and competencies

Essential criteria

• Presentation skills
• Teamwork
• Microsoft Office skills
• Communication
• Record keeping
• Attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills
• Organisational skills
• Prioritisation
• Keyboard skills
• Numeracy skills

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together