Job Description
Senior or Basic Grade Dietician
Reports to: Clinical Director
Work Location: Stocking Lane, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, Ireland
Mode of Working: On-site
Contract: Maternity Cover
Working Hours: 37 hours weekly
Key Working Relationships
* Hospital management and Dietetic colleagues.
* Residents, their families and carers.
* MDT members within Hospital.
* Collaborate with colleagues locally and nationally as required to ensure coordinated and integrated service provision.
* Liaise with and build good working relations within Hospital, and external mental health and neurodisability service providers and related agencies.
About Hospital
Hospital is a 131-bed in-patient mental health service, registered as an approved centre with the Mental Health Commission. Our ethos is rooted in honouring the dignity of every person who comes through our doors.
We provide a spectrum of neuropsychiatric services to adults with a range of serious and enduring mental health needs such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s Diseases, as well as individuals with early onset dementias, schizophrenia and mood disorders. We are the only facility in Ireland that provides high level of specialised care for people with Huntington’s disease.
In Hospital there is a focus on creating a therapeutic environment by using recovery oriented clinical practices and therapeutic interventions which are evidence based to enable and support patients to achieve their highest level of functioning and quality of life. This care is delivered through a Multidisciplinary Team including colleagues in Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language, Dietetics, Physiotherapy and General Practice.
We have over 200 multidisciplinary team members delivering the highest standards of care in a friendly and inclusive workplace.
Job Purpose
* Provide a comprehensive dietetic service for adults in long-term care, and adults with neuro and mental health disability.
* Act as a resource and provide expert opinion, advice and guidance to dietetic colleagues and other healthcare professionals.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Professional / Clinical
* Be competent in assessing and treating a wide range of clinical presentations relevant to adults with neuro disabilities and complex mental health needs.
* Be responsible for nutritional assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment/intervention programmes for clients according to professional standards.
* Be able to make highly specialist clinical decisions following assessment of complex cases.
* Be responsible for the organisation, provision and evaluation of nutrition and dietetic services, to residents of Hospital
* Demonstrate competency and confidence in supporting clients with complex feeding issues such as oral-motor dysfunction.
* Be highly competent in the management of enteral feeding regimens.
* Actively participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and case conference and work within a multidisciplinary team approach, to promote integrated care for all residents.
* Provide a high standard and comprehensive clinical nutrition and dietetic service for adults with neuro and mental health disabilities and ensure that professional standards of practice are adhered to in accordance with the requirements set out by CORU.
* Provide expert opinion, advice and guidance to dietetic colleagues, medical team members, and other health professionals.
* Develop and maintain high standards of clinical practice.
* Initiate and be actively involved in continuously improving the quality of the service, through audit, quality improvement initiatives and clinical research.
* Manage clinical risk within own caseload.
* Act as a positive and supportive specialist team leader in the area of dietetics in neuro and mental health disability.
* Lead on relevant designated projects, initiatives or duties within the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.
* Be aware of national policies, guidelines and consultations and in conjunction with dietitian colleagues, develop local policies and care pathways within the specialist area of neuro and mental health dietetics.
* Actively engage with relevant external or national bodies and research-associated bodies, as appropriate.
* Carry out any other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post that may be assigned by the nominated person.
* Ensure the privacy and dignity of the residents and family is respected at all times.
* Promote a culture that values equality, diversity and respect in the workplace.
* Potential to participate in provision of clinical placement and/ or dietetic student projects of under/post graduate Dietitians.
2. Education & Training
* Contribute to a structured process for the education of colleagues and/or student dieticians in dietetics in neuro disability and mental health.
* Identify personal and professional development needs and put formal and informal structures in place to meet those needs in collaboration with the clinical director.
* Maintain valid statutory registration with CORU.
* Attend mandatory training programmes as directed by management and ensure these are kept up to date at all times.
* Maintain professional knowledge on relevant scientific research and practice development.
* Actively participate within a professional and clinical supervision structure and promote the professional and personal development of staff.
* Promote objective setting, effective performance management and teambased performance management within the nutrition and dietetic team.
* Engage in interdisciplinary education programmes as required.
* Produce current, clear, evidence-based resources for clients and carers and / or health professionals, suitable for use locally and/or nationally.
3. Teamwork
* Demonstrate good communication skills
* Demonstrate a commitment and ability to work within a multidisciplinary context.
* Maintain collaborative working relationships with colleagues.
4. Health and Safety Management
* Ensure the highest level of confidentiality pertaining to all organisational stakeholders.
* Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of self and others.
* Liaise with Clinical Director and with other departments to ensure safe and effective service delivery consistent with health service management strategies.
* Promote a safe working environment in accordance with Health and Safety legislation.
* Be aware of and implement agreed policies, procedures and safe professional practice by adhering to relevant legislation, regulations and standards
* Actively participate in risk management issues, identify risks and take responsibility for appropriate action. Adhere to all risk related guidelines as stipulated by QRC Team.
* Report any adverse incidents in accordance with organisational guidelines.
* Adhere to HSE policies in relation to the procurement, care and safety of any equipment supplied for the fulfilment of duty.
5. Management
* Set and monitor performance standards. Work towards outcome measures in the area of neuro and mental health dietetics.
* Develop innovative models of care and service delivery.
* Collaborate with relevant stakeholders in relation to the strategic direction of the service.
* Be responsible for achieving service delivery targets by monitoring, recording and reporting activity levels.
* Be involved in the collection, processing and analysis of data for research purposes and for use as a national resource.
* Keep accurate and contemporaneous clinical records through case file notes, reports and clinical reporting systems.
Qualifications:
* A recognised dietetic qualification and maintain valid registration with CORU.
* Minimum 1.5 years of post-qualification experience.
* Experience in adult with neurodisability and mental health dietetics.
* Evidence of postgraduate continuing professional development relevant to a specialism within dietetics.
* Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
* Experience of developing and facilitating training and intervention programmes.
* Experience in coordinating and leading MDT and other meetings.
* Research and audit skills.
The candidate must demonstrate:
* 1. Professional Knowledge
* · A level of clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning skills and evidence-based practice appropriate to carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the role in line with relevant legislation and standards.
* · An ability to apply specialist knowledge to best practice.
* · Evidence of having applied/used appropriate assessments and treatments and knowledge of the implications of outcomes for adults and their families, particularly those with mental health and neuro disability needs.
* · Some evidence of practice in the areas of clinical audit, quality improvement initiatives, practice development, teaching and research.
* · An understanding of the interplay between FEDS (Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing) needs in intellectual disability, neuro and mental health disabilities.
* · Awareness of and sensitivity to the impact of disability throughout the course of the person, and their families, engagement with the service.
* · Knowledge of relevant legislation and national policies pertaining to the role.
* · Skills including participating in peer supervision, service planning and strategic planning.
* 2. Communication and Interpersonal
* · Strong individual and team communication skills.
* · Excellent report and presentation writing skills with an ability to communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner.
* · Excellent IT skills, especially Microsoft Office.
* 3. Evaluating Information and Judging Situations
* · Proven ability in leading on the design, delivery and implementation of a high-quality, person-centred service.
* · Commitment to the evaluation of practical outcomes and quality service provision.
* · Promotes collaborative working relationships as well as having the ability to work independently and exercise a high degree of professional autonomy
* · Strong problem-solving skills
* · Ability to empathise with and treat residents and families, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect.
* 4. Planning and Organising
* · The ability to plan, prioritize and organise effectively.
* · The ability to operate proactively and independently in a complex and demanding setting and environment.
* 5. Leadership and Teamwork
* · Proven experience in positive leadership and teamwork.
* · Demonstrates a commitment to managing and developing self and others in a busy working environment
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Work Location: In person
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