Specialist Dietitian - Learning Disabilities and Mental Health

Job summary

Closing Date: 19/10/26

Shortlisting to take place after closing date: commencing 20/10/26

Interview expected to take place in the week following shortlisting: commencing 01/11/26

We are excited to announce that we have a vacancy for an HCPC registered specialist band 6 dietitian to join our learning disabilities and mental health team.

You will join a small, close team of dietitians providing specialist services for community learning disabilities and mental health in-patients within Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Experience of working within learning disabilities and/or mental health, whilst beneficial, is not an essential requirement as you will be part of a large dietetic team covering multiple specialities and your learning and development needs will be supported.

Main duties of the job

You will work across both specialities, managing an inpatient and outpatient caseload with a wide range of clinical areas including nutrition support, home enteral feeding, weight management and gastrointestinal problems. Our learning disabilities work is delivered as part of a specialist multidisciplinary team of nurses, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists.

The role involves developing and delivering training and education for staff and service users, collaborative working, project and audit work, policy development, coordinating care across services, supporting our catering team and leading on nutrition for the service.

The post holder will be expected to participate fully in the training of 'A', 'B' and 'C' Placement student dietitians.

The team is fully integrated within the BDCFT multi-disciplinary team as well as Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's (BTHFT) Specialist Outreach dietetic team. BDCFT are at the forefront of agile working, and you will be provided with digital equipment to enable you to work flexibly across different sites.

About us

Our People Charter outlines the behaviours we can expect from one another and what you can expect from Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust:

• We value people
• We are one team
• We care

We're keen to meet people who share these values and are passionate about delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.

Job responsibilities

Provide specialist dietetic assessment and management across the learning disability and mental health service which will include in-patient, out-patient and community settings

Independently manage a designated caseload of patients with complex nutritional and clinical needs, prioritising workload according to clinical need, risk and service requirements

Work across the multi-disciplinary teams and organisational boundaries as required to support continuity and coordination of dietetic care

Provide specialist advice and education to service users, families/carers and health professionals

Support the effective and efficient use of dietetic resources in accordance with local and Trust policies and procedures

Provide clinical/professional supervision and support to Band 5 Dietitians, Dietetic Assistant Practitioners, students and other staff as appropriate to the service.

Where applicable, undertake line management responsibilities for Dietetic Assistant Practitioners and/or Band 5 Dietitians

Contribute to service planning, clinical governance, audit, quality improvement and service development within the specialist area and wider dietetic service.

Person specification

Experience

Essential

• Comprehensive post registration clinical dietetic experience relevant to the post
• Dietetic experience in at least one of the following areas, home enteral feeding, learning disabilities or mental health
• Evidence of effective working within a multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

• Any experience of working with or supporting people with learning disabilities or mental health conditions
• Teaching and training experience

Skills

Essential

• Excellent written skills
• Can confidently communicate with individuals and groups with varying communication needs relevant to the post
• Can competently use IT and technology appropriately: evidence base research, dietary analysis, electronic patient records, presentations, AI
• Ability to travel independently and efficiently across multiple community locations to meet the operational needs of the service

Desirable

• Additional language skills relevant to the post/population of Bradford
• Possession of a full valid UK driving license with access to a car for business use (reasonable adjustments considered under the Equality Act)

Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of what the NHS Constitution means to you, and your responsibilities to the public, patients and colleagues.

Desirable

• Understanding of mental capacity and valid consent
• Competent in the core areas of dietetic practice

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree/Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics
• HCPC registered Dietitian
• Clinical Supervisory Skills course or equivalent experience
• Relevant specialist post-graduate training e.g. Mental health, learning disabilities, enteral feeding, behaviour change