Specialist Paediatric Dietitian

Job summary
Make a meaningful difference to children, young people and families as our Specialist Paediatric Dietitian.

This Band 7 role combines advanced clinical practice with leadership and service development. You will provide highly specialist assessment and treatment for children aged 0--17 with complex nutritional needs, working across acute, outpatient, community, school, CAMHS, virtual and home settings. You will also guide colleagues, supervise staff and students, strengthen clinical pathways, and lead audit and quality improvement work.

We are seeking an experienced paediatric dietitian who can work autonomously, communicate sensitively and make sound decisions in complex situations. You will be child-centred, family-focused and committed to collaborative, evidence-based care. Join us and bring your expertise, ideas and leadership to a varied role where you can directly shape services and improve outcomes for the children and families we support.

Main duties of the job
In this varied role, you will support children and young people aged 0--17 with complex nutritional needs, working closely with their families and the professionals involved in their care. You will provide highly specialist assessment and treatment across hospital, outpatient, community, school, CAMHS, virtual and home settings, while independently managing and prioritising your caseload.

You will also lead and develop the paediatric dietetic service by providing expert advice, improving clinical pathways, contributing to audit and research, and supporting colleagues, staff and students through supervision, education and training.

You will be an experienced, HCPC-registered dietitian with specialist paediatric knowledge, excellent clinical judgement and the confidence to work autonomously. You will communicate with compassion and sensitivity, particularly when families are facing difficult or distressing situations. We are looking for someone who is organised, resilient, collaborative and committed to safeguarding, continuous improvement and evidence-based care. Most importantly, you will put children, young people and their families at the centre of every decision.

About us
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.

Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.

We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence.

Details
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year Based on full time hours
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 348-IOW-12588
Closing date: 08 November 2026

Job responsibilities
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification
Qualifications - Essential

• Degree to postgraduate level in Dietetics or Nutrition and Dietetics, or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Membership of the British Dietetic Association (BDA).
• Evidence of ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Qualifications - Desirable

• Master's Degree in Dietetics or Nutrition and Dietetics
• Advanced Paediatric Dietetic training/modules.
• Leadership or management qualification

Experience - Essential

• Experience managing complex paediatric dietetic caseloads.
• Experience working autonomously within specialist clinical practice.
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working.
• Experience of supervising staff and/or students.
• Experience of audit, quality improvement or service development activities.

Experience - Desirable

• Experience working within CAMHS Eating Disorder Services.
• Experience in neonatal nutrition, allergy, oncology or home enteral feeding services.
• Experience leading service improvement projects, audit programmes or research activities.

Additional Criteria - Essential

• Highly specialist paediatric dietetic knowledge and clinical expertise.
• Compassionate, child-centred and family-focused approach.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly, sensitively and effectively.
• Strong clinical reasoning, leadership and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across organisational and professional boundaries.
• Commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Demonstrates the Trust Values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.

Additional Criteria - Desirable

• Experience representing services at regional or national professional networks.
• Advanced teaching, facilitation and presentation skills.

Disclosure 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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Address: St. Mary's Hospital (IOW), Parkhurst Road, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5TG, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Hiring Manager, Sarah Eastman, sarah.eastman2@nhs.net, 01983212539

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