Dietitian

Job summary

Are you a qualified dietitian in a friendly and dynamic team?

We have an exciting opportunity to appoint a band 5 Dietitian and would like the opportunity to work with patients who have mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

This is a full-time post for a fixed term period of 6 months. You will work with children and adults in community and inpatient settings predominantly in Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland areas. The base for this post is St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle.

This post will provide an excellent development opportunity to work into a number of services as part of your working week. This is designed to allow you to build on an area of interest you may already have and find out about other specialist areas that might be of particular interest to you and help you to progress your career.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for managing a defined caseload providing effective dietetic assessment, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and management of patients within the clinical setting, using evidence-based practice and patient-centred principles.

You will be a source of expertise in nutrition and dietetics to patients, carers and other health care professionals. You will be fully supported by specialist and advanced dietitians working alongside you.

We provide input across the Trust around nutrition support, weight management, dysphagia, and diabetes. The Trust is committed to improve the physical health of our patients to help close the mortality gap for patients with mental health needs and/or learning disabilities. Dietetics is at the forefront of much of this work.

About us

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re-Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.

Job responsibilities

You will join our trust wide Dietetics Service, which has over 30 dietitians, clinical support assistants and a dedicated admin team. We have excellent links to multidisciplinary teams and nutrition and health promotion initiatives across the Trust.

We take great pride in how supportive, welcoming and friendly we are as a team, our aim is to create an environment where every member of our team can succeed.

The service supports hybrid working and part time hours and flexible working will also be considered.

You will be required to travel to various sites, parking in our Trust car parks is free. There are hot desking offices available for dietitians to use across the Trust, and we will provide you with the necessary equipment to enable you to work across multiple sites and access electronic notes and dairies as needed.

Everyone in our service is actively encouraged to take part in projects across the Trust and in the development of the Dietetics Service including audit and promotion of the service through various events and initiatives.

The team have strong links with local universities, and we take dietetic students from Teesside and Newcastle Universities. All staff have a valuable role and are expected to be actively involved in supporting the learning of our dietetic students.

Please see the separate job description and person specification for more information.

To be considered for this post, it is essential you are registered as a dietitian with the HCPC.

Date advertised - 8th October 2026

Closing date - 22nd October 2026

We welcome your application.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential

• Has a Degree in Dietetics or Science/Nutrition Degree plus post-graduate Diploma in Dietetics
• Current valid registration as a Dietitian with the HCPC.
• Evidence of Continual Professional Development.

Desirable

• Member of the British Dietetic Association and Mental Health Specialist Group.
• Basic Food Hygiene certificate.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Sound clinical knowledge and experience of dietetics in a variety of settings.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience working in and presenting to groups.
• Evidence of participation in audit/ research.

Desirable

• A working knowledge of vulnerable adult and child protection issues.
• Post registration basic clinical dietetics with insight into specialist areas.
• Sound knowledge of current issues relating to nutrition.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act.

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• The ability to solve clinical problems some of which will require immediate resolution with the support from more senior dietitians.
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance as part of the supervision process.
• Ability to be flexible; adapting approaches to suit different settings and patients.
• Risk assessment, risk management and safety planning skills.
• Good IT skills and ability to use electronic systems for recording clinical information.

Desirable

• Basic counselling skills.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Professional in approach and manner and ability to work as an autonomous practitioner and as part of a team. Ability to work under pressure and achieve deadlines.
• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills. Good organisation and problem solving skills
• Ability to work under own initiative. Reliable, dependable with good time keeping.
• Enthusiastic, flexible and motivated to promote Dietetic services.
• A commitment to equal opportunities and a positive attitude to combating stigma.

Desirable

• Keen to learn and gain further experience, with an interest in all aspects of dietetics.