Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team. We have a vacancy for a band 7 paediatric eating disorders dietitian to work within our well-established, supportive and results-driven inpatient paediatric eating disorders MDT service. Since the establishment of the service in 2021, protocols, standards and shared decisions around care have impacted on treatment modalities and reduced LOS.  You will work as an integral member of the paediatric eating disorders MDT within Southampton Children's Hospital, delivering a service as part of the  UHS Paediatric Dietetic Team.
We are looking for a paediatric dietitian with excellent acute clinical nutrition skills and  experience of working with children and young people across a range of conditions in an inpatient setting, with a strong desire to work in eating disorders. Experience of nutrition support is essential along with the ability to independently plan and prioritise a complex caseload in an efficient and organised manner. 

The department of Dietetics and SLT employs ~130 staff, including Dietitians, Speech and Language Therapists and Support Workers, working across a wide range of specialties, providing acute, community and regional services in both adults and paediatrics. 

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care. 

 We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

 Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

 We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In this role, your key responsibilities will include:

You will:

-Work as an autonomous practitioner, providing highly specialist clinical dietetic expertise to an inpatient case-load comprising young people with eating disorders and disordered eating.
-Provide advanced dietetic assessments and individualised treatment plans for a complex specialist caseload
-Support the clinical and professional development of junior dietetic staff and students
-Support the development of policies and resources to support delivery of evidence-based dietetic advice
-Identify and lead service improvement, audit and research and disseminate results and best practice through publication and presentation

Experience and skills needed

-You will be a highly skilled  paediatric dietitian, with recent experience of working with complex patients in an inpatient setting
-You must be able to work collaboratively and flexibly within an MDT to  prioritise and manage  a complex caseload, providing excellent patient care. 
-You will be able to evidence relevant  post-graduate training
-You must have excellent communication skills and have the confidence to present and discuss your professional opinion with colleagues.  
-You must be able to demonstrate advanced analytical thinking, show attention to detail and possess excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
-Experience of working with children and young people with eating disorders would be a bonus.
-Experience of leading or co-ordinating audit or research work is desirable

We offer protected CPD time and  you will have regular one-to-one supervision, access to  in-service teaching and further training and development opportunities as part of UHS. You will be expected to engage in training and developmental opportunities for yourself and others, including students.

Our department operates  Monday to Friday  8-5.