Closing date: 17 August 2026
Job summaryWe are delighted to advertise the opportunity to undertake a 12 month secondment/fixed term Specialist Practitioner Nutrition and Hydration Nurse. The postholder will support the successful implementation of the MCHFT Nutrition and Hydration 2025-2027 strategy.
Through leadership and dedicated quality improvement initiatives the postholder will support our Nutritional Ninja Champions in promoting quality nutritional and hydration standards across the Trust.
This role will be key to the ongoing success of our Nutritional MDT and facilitate cross divisional working to ensure quality seamless care for patients as they transition through our services.
The post holder will develop and present nutrition and hydration assessment compliance data and drive the Trust in providing assurance that patients receive quality nutrition and hydration care whilst being cared for in MCHFT.
The post holder will work collaboratively with Dieticians, Nurses, Doctors Speech and Language therapists across all divisions and departments within hospital and community settings.
The post holder will support the ongoing review of policies and procedures together with supporting the development of any new policies/SOPs and Guidance that provide good governance around nutrition and hydration care.
The post will be predominantly working within the hospital base but their will be a need to travel and support across community services
Main duties of the job- To support in leading the multi-professional management of patients with enteral and parenteral nutritional needs through the provision of clinical leadership and expert advice across the service and primary care settings.
- To support the leadership in facilitating, enabling and supporting the development of nutrition and hydration best practice ensuring delivery of high quality, effective and efficient care across the Trust.
- Support to lead in developing, delivering and evaluating high quality nutritional and hydration care in conjunction with the associated clinical teams to ensure this is incorporated within the Business Group and trust objectives.
- Ensures patients and their families are given appropriate oral and written information regarding planned care.
- Participates/leads Nutritional MDT's with consultants, Dieticians, SALT, Nurses to discuss, review and plan complex case management
- Works in close collaboration with other health care professionals across organisational boundaries to ensure service meets patient's needs.
- Promote Nutritional Champions across all services and departments.
- Review national guidance related to Nutritional and Hydration and support clinicians, teams and services in developing good governance processes so that assurance can be demonstrated.
- Lead/support in the development of local policies, protocols and procedures in accordance with local and national standards in relation to specialist area of expertise.
About usJoin Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, a thriving NHS Community Services Provider
Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP) delivers high-quality NHS community services across Cheshire. We are a forward-thinking, dynamic organisation dedicated to continuous improvement and outstanding patient care. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do, working closely with our community partners to shape the future of healthcare.
We are ambitious in our vision to become an 'Outstanding' provider of community services, and we are committed to supporting our colleagues' professional development.
Our organisation is growing rapidly--over the past eight years, our workforce has expanded from 350 to over 1,000 staff, and our services have increased from 25 to 49, with our contract value doubling in the process.
As part of Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, CCICP offers the benefits of both a supportive local team and the wider opportunities of a leading NHS provider.
Now is an exciting time to join us. With plans underway for the new Leighton Hospital in Crewe, we are at the forefront of innovation in healthcare. This cutting-edge hospital will be the most digitally advanced in the country, shaping the future of patient care and driving transformation across the region as part of the Healthier Futures programme.
Join us and be part of a forward-looking, compassionate, and ambitious organisation where your career can thrive.
DetailsDate posted: 03 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £56,515 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Secondment
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 412-COMM-7947149-B
Job locations: Leighton Hospital, Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW1 4QJ, United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesRole Summary- To undertake in-depth specialist clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment for adult patients with enteral and parenteral nutritional needs.
- To support in leading the multi-professional management of patients with enteral and parenteral nutritional needs through the provision of clinical leadership and expert advice across the service and primary care settings.
- To support the leadership in facilitating, enabling and supporting the development of nutrition and hydration best practice ensuring delivery of high quality, effective and efficient care across the Trust.
- Support to lead in developing, delivering and evaluating high quality nutritional and hydration care in conjunction with the associated clinical teams to ensure this is incorporated within the Business Group and trust objectives.
Role Duties & Responsibilities- Supports the planning and development of clinical protocols for enteral and parenteral nutritional care.
- Works autonomously to manage their own caseload of patients whilst working as part of a multidisciplinary team without direct medical supervision.
- Enables patient choice and involvement and initiates appropriate action.
- Coordinates and develops patient care pathway and liaises across organisational boundaries.
- Undertakes specialist assessment and plans specialised programmes of care and provides highly specialised advice to patients, relatives and carers.
- Ensures each patient is placed in the correct treatment pathway at the appropriate time and necessary investigations and treatments are organised.
- Provides clinical advice and support to healthcare professionals within and across organisational boundaries.
- Provides clinical advice in accordance with current evidence based practice.
- Undertakes nurse/practitioner -led clinics.
- Participates in case conferences in relation to future management or discharge arrangements.
- Ensures patients and their families are given appropriate oral and written information regarding planned care.
- Maintains accurate patient records and ensures all relevant information is documented in the patients medical and nursing records.
- Participates in MDT with consultants and specialist registrars to discuss complex case management
Governance- Be a member of relevant professional association and attend/present at regional/national meetings and conferences as required.
- Identify personal learning needs and take steps to pursue personal development plan
- Maintain practice within the context of the professional guidelines for the relevant professional body and policies laid down by the Trust.
- Maintain a comprehensive personal profile and demonstrate appropriate professional development to Post Registration Education and Practice standards.
- Evaluate professional performance and identify implications for practice.
- Ensure the promotion of safety, wellbeing and interests of patients, staff and visitors to the department.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.
Managerial / Leadership- Manages own caseload, and coordinates patient journey across business groups and organisational boundaries.
- Works in close collaboration with other health care professionals across organisational boundaries to ensure service meets patients needs.
- Supports the management of the Clinical Team in the day to day delivery/management of services including co-ordination, delegation, and supervision of the team to facilitate effective service delivery.
- Assists with the recruitment and initialising of new staff.
- Acts as a clinical supervisor to staff within the department.
- Acts as a mentor to pre and post registration nurses, assisting in meeting their learning needs.
- Lead/support in the development of local policies, protocols and procedures in accordance with local and national standards in relation to specialist area of expertise.
- Ensure a healthy, safe and secure working environment, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate documentation and reporting any concerns.
Education /Learning- Lead/support the development, planning and delivery of a range of specialist educational and training programmes for healthcare professionals, patients and carers.
- Lead in the teaching and development of healthcare professionals, patients and carers.
- Provides clinical supervision and mentorship to junior or new clinical nurse specialists / practitioners/nurses / medical staff as required.
- Identifies assists and meets the educational needs of the patient and their family.
- Maintains own professional development, skills and competencies through participation in training and development activities.
- Maintains and updates evidence based knowledge and skills.
- Fulfils all mandatory training requirements for the trust and assists others within the department to do so.
- Undertakes health promotion across organisational boundaries.
- Take responsibility for own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, including full participation in KSF/appraisal, supervision, action learning and by maintaining a professional/personal portfolio of learning.
Research- To participate/take the lead for clinical audit and development of knowledge within specialist field of practice.
- To carry out research in relation to specialist area of practice taking into account local and national guidance
- Undertakes evidence based practice and ensures dissemination of relevant research and best practice
- Supports and advises junior staff who may wish to undertake audit and research in specialist field
Continuous Improvement- Support the Trusts commitment to developing a continuous improvement culture by making everyday improvements as part of your job using Improvement Matters, the Trusts single continuous improvement approach
- Role model the behaviours of an improver displaying; curiosity, humility, compassion, effective practice, open-mindedness to try new ideas, self-discipline
- Take personal responsibility for the role you play in actively contributing to creating a culture which promotes learning as opposed to blame and supports colleagues to embrace change
- Coach and enable others to innovate and make improvements happen in their area of work using Improvement Matters as the Trusts single improvement approach
This job description is an outline of the role and function. It is not intended to describe all specific tasks.Person SpecificationEssentialDesirable- Understanding of Improvement Matters
Written and demonstratedEssential- Experience of working with patients with complex nutritional needs
Desirable- Experience of working in a nutritional MDT
Essential- Evidence of working with patients with complex Nutrition and Hydration needs
Desirable- Post registration study in nutrition and hydration care
Essential- Evidence of Quality Improvement around nutrition and hydration care
Additional informationDisclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).Employer detailsEmployer name: Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Leighton Hospital, Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW1 4QJ, United Kingdom
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact: Head of Quality and Nursing, Mrs Joanne Bowen, joanne.bowen@mcht.nhs.uk, 07885733801
