Lead Dietitian

We are seeking a passionate Dietitian to join Rhodes Wood Hospital as a Lead Dietitian. You will play a pivotal role in shaping and developing a high-quality dietetic service within one of the UK's leading specialist eating disorder services.

In this senior leadership role, you will provide clinical and professional leadership for the dietetic service, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and evidence-based nutritional care for young people receiving treatment for eating disorders. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, you will help create personalised treatment plans that support recovery, improve health outcomes and promote long-term wellbeing.

As the lead for dietetic services, you will act as the primary point of contact for nutritional care across the hospital, providing expert guidance to colleagues, patients and families. You will work collaboratively with catering teams to ensure specialist dietary requirements are met, support service users during mealtimes and act as a visible role model for staff by promoting best practice in eating disorder care.

You will play a key role in driving service development and quality improvement, using audits, research and outcome measures to continuously enhance the effectiveness of the service. This includes maintaining quality dashboards, contributing to CQUIN requirements, presenting findings to colleagues and implementing evidence-based improvements that support excellent patient care.

Alongside your clinical responsibilities, you will lead, support and develop the dietetic team, fostering a culture of collaboration, learning and continuous improvement. You will provide supervision, performance support and professional development opportunities, participate in recruitment activities and ensure effective service cover is maintained across the department.

As a senior member of the multidisciplinary team, you will contribute to clinical governance, service development initiatives and patient council meetings, while delivering regular education and training sessions for both staff and service users. You will also work closely with Elysium partner sites to share best practice, strengthen professional networks and support Rhodes Wood Hospital's reputation as a centre of excellence in eating disorder care.

Requirements:

• Minimal 5 years qualified experience
• A degree / postgraduate diploma (or equivalent) in Dietetics, registration with HCPC (Health Care Professions Council) and membership of the BDA (British Dietetic Association) and Member of the BDA Mental Health Specialist Group
• Management and Leadership course certification or equivalent
• Experience in the field of mental health evidenced by sound clinical knowledge
• Experience of working in inpatient/acute settings would also be beneficial
• Sound understanding of dietetic practice, clinical governance and quality improvement
• Comprehensive knowledge of nutritional rehabilitation, refeeding syndrome, enteral feeding and physical health monitoring in eating disorders
• Excellent knowledge of NICE guidance and evidence-based interventions for eating disorders
• Knowledge of safeguarding, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act principles relevant to inpatient CYPMHS settings

Benefits:

• Competitive Annual Salary
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) – plus your birthday off and the option to buy additional annual leave
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Access to Blue Light Card
• Life Assurance
• Stream – instant access to earned wages when you need it
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion
• Enhanced Maternity Package
• Pension contribution
• Free meals and onsite free parking