About Nightingale Hospital
Nightingale Hospital is the only private mental health hospital in Central London, with over 30 years of experience in delivering specialised, evidence-based treatments in outpatient, day patient, and inpatient settings.
Our dedicated team of specialists is committed to diagnosing and treating all types of mental health conditions, including eating disorders and addictions. Conveniently located, we are a two-minute walk from Marylebone mainline and Underground stations, and within a ten-minute walk of Baker Street and Edgware Road Underground stations.
We are owned by the international medical group Orpea, delivering the full spectrum of psychiatric care, and high-quality care home and rehabilitation services across the globe.
The main purpose of the job
Reports to the EDU therapy lead or programme-specific lead therapist, the postholder will provide specialist dietetic input to adult inpatients and day patients receiving eating disorder treatment at the Nightingale Hospital, and general mental health wards.
The successful candidate will manage a caseload of patients, deliver dietetic assessment and therapeutic interventions, facilitate group sessions (psycho-education and meal support) and work as a member of the multidisciplinary team liaising with consultants, allied health practitioners, nursing staff and a range of referrers.
The role of the dietitian on the eating disorders unit (EDU) is unique, combining 1:1 dietetic support with group sessions. There are plans to extend this position to include inpatient support for patients in OCD and general psychiatry wards, both 1:1 and group work. It is a great time to join the team with the scope to expand dietetic services.
The postholder’s main responsibilities include:
- Providing specialised dietetic services to adult inpatients and day patients receiving treatment at Nightingale Hospital. This involves supporting patients assessed as having high physical risk.
- Working autonomously within the eating disorders team with little or no daily supervision.
- Providing dietetic assessment for new admissions, and creating individualised treatment plans that are appropriate to their treatment goals and nutritional requirements. This may include formulating individual treatment plans with enteral feeding (nasogastric).
- Meeting with patients weekly for review including education and meal plan support.
- Supporting the therapeutic program through dietetic-led groups including a nutrition group, meal planning group and social eating groups (eating in restaurants outside of the hospital).
- Providing discharge planning and education sessions with patients and their families.
- Liaising closely with the multidisciplinary team and being actively involved in ward rounds when required, clinical team meetings, community meetings and catering meetings.
- Educating and advising other staff including nurses and the catering department about the patient’s nutritional needs, meal plans and portion sizes.
- Attending and contributing to multidisciplinary meetings.
- Working individually with patients attending the general psychiatry programme when appropriate.
- Running nutrition groups as part of the general psychiatry program.
- Being aware of and able to identify when a patient is a high risk (e.g. risk of suicide or risk of engaging in self-harm behaviours) and liaising with the MDT regarding the management of risk.
- Maintaining and contributing to the standards of professional care, ethics, policies, procedures and service development.
- Providing education and training to nursing staff, doctors, dietetic students and other allied health professionals on nutrition issues relating to mental health.
Salary: Band 7 Specialist eating disorder dietitian £51,000 – £57,000k inclusive of London Allowance (pro-rata for part-time roles)
Job type: 30 or 37.5 hours per week (4 or 5 days per week)
Requirements
The following skills and qualifications are essential:
- Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Registered as a dietitian with the HCPC
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Evidence and experience of working within an eating disorder service
- Evidence and experience of working within a mental health service
- Experience in working autonomously and cooperatively within a multidisciplinary team
- Experience working with individuals and groups with a range of complex presentations in an inpatient and day patient setting
- Documented evidence of continued professional development
- Experience in the development of dietetic services
- Knowledge of professional code of conduct for both the BDA and HCPC and applying this in practice
- Ability to communicate information sensitively and compassionately without judgement
- Counselling and Motivational Interviewing skills
- To be proficient in all forms of communication
- Ability to work autonomously and set priorities
- Ability to organise and respond to complex information
- Commitment to lifelong learning
- Commitment to client-centred, non-discriminatory practice
- High level of self-confidence, compassionate and approachable
- Ability to maintain therapeutic boundaries with patients
- Good time-keeping skills
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Ability to act appropriately in distressing or emotional circumstances
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the business
Strongly desirable qualities include:
- Member of the British Dietetic Association
- At least two years of experience working at a specialist level in eating disorders
- Previous exposure to working in an acute inpatient psychiatric setting working with general acute adult mental health
- Experience in supporting dietetic students on B and C placements
- Evidence of participation in audit/quality improvement
- Cognitive behavioural techniques
Main benefits
We offer a comprehensive range of benefits, including:
- Competitive salaries + an additional London allowance of £4,000 per annum added to all permanent posts (pro-rata for part-time roles).
- Negotiable relocation allowance
- 25 days’ annual leave pro-rata (increasing up to 30 with long service), plus bank holidays
- A ‘refer a nurse scheme’ paying £2000 per successful recruit
- Opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) and training
- Generous company pension scheme with The People’s Pension
- 100% of NMC registration renewal paid (subject to meeting the criteria)
- Travel loan scheme
- Annual staff bonus (discretionary)
- On-site restaurant with subsidised staff meals at breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Employee Assistance Programme
- An extensive Perkbox staff benefits package, offering a comprehensive range of discounts and access to well-being apps
- Access to Perkbox Medical, which provides 24-hour access to a private GP service
- Free life assurance cover (4x salary)
- Free eye tests and contribution towards the cost of glasses (if required)
- Long service recognition*
- Enhanced maternity/paternity pay*
- Long-term disability insurance*
*Subject to T&Cs
