Community Dietitian - Care Homes - Nutrition and Dietetic Service

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.

The role:

Dietitians are health professionals, whose key role is to translate the science of nutrition into relevant and practical information, based on clinical evidence. The role of this post is to provide an expert clinical lead with a specialist interest in elderly care, nutritional support and dysphagia management. Providing assessment, advice, support and education of Care Homes Staff, relatives and carers across NHS GGC. Providing professional support to specialist and accepting dietetic referrals, onto clinical caseload, from specialist care home colleagues. Working as an autonomous clinician within the care homes, taking full responsibility for an identified caseload. Working in liaison with multi-professional team members to evaluate: medical, speech and language therapy, nursing and pharmacy needs. Co-ordinate and evaluate the dietetic service provision in consultation with the Dietetic Manager for Community and Community Dietetic Team Leader. Collaborate within all sectors of the NHS and with Local Authorities, Care Inspectorate and other agencies to ensure residents nutritional needs are interpreted fully.

• Using Investigative practice, evaluate and develop service provision within this speciality.
• Work autonomously with a complex clinical caseload; applying specialist skills in a range of Care Home settings
• Provides specialist assessment and consultation to Care Homes and specialist advice to staff, relatives and other disciplines
• To lead the development and implementation of identified nutritional policies and procedures to facilitate delivery of evidence based practice in Care Homes relating to nutritional care across the NHSGG area.
• To work in collaboration and communicate advice on nutritional and clinical care, in Care Homes to: Residents, Relatives, G.P’s, Primary and Secondary Care colleagues, AHP’s, Care Home Nurses, Care Home Managers & Staff and Catering Staff
• Contribute in professional and Team clinical audit and evidence based research and produce reports on specialist area.
• Facilitate in the education and development of staff within the multi-professional team.
• Provide an expert resource to other health care staff/patients/carers/other agencies

Applicant requires minimum education to BSc Dietetics qualification, registration with Health Care Professionals Council, PVG membership scheme / Disclosure Scotland and a drivers’ licence is essential.

Duration, Location, and Working Pattern:

• The base location for this role is Pollok Health Centre.
  
• Please note you may be required to work across the south quadrant of Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
  
• The shift pattern for this post is five out of seven days a week.
  

Key responsibilities:

• Act as an autonomous practitioner taking full responsibility and legally accountable for professional decisions within scope of practice.
• Contribute to the assessment of clinical conditions, providing relevant dietetic treatment programmes and monitoring as appropriate.
• Deliver care in accordance with service standards, the Health Care Professions Council, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics, Professional Body, Care Home Standards and local Standards and Policies.
• Assign highly developed skills and knowledge to establish professional competence and fitness to practice as a Dietitian working in a specialist area.
• Regular attendance and contribution at team and professional meetings, including rotational chair.
• Demonstrate continued professional development and reflect on clinical practice to identify development needs in specialist area.
• To peer review and reach clinical consensus where research evidence is unavailable.
• Highlight to Team leader / manager any issue impacting an ability to deliver equitable services.
• Embrace opportunities to extend scope of practice.
• Act independently to assess and analyse clinical and non- clinical information to determine need for dietetic intervention providing nutritional advice and care planning for patients in Care Homes with a range of complex medical and social needs.
• Act independently to plan, implement, evaluate, treat and progress patient care to maximise their rehabilitation potential – including decision making regarding discharge from dietetic care
• Develop a high level of understanding of the medical and health care needs of Care Home residents. Use this knowledge to lead and influence the design of individual educational care packages to improve the care and treatment delivered by Care Home staff and health professionals.
• Take responsibility and gather information for evaluating workload for specialist care area and discuss with Team Lead / Manager to gain support and direction.
• Prioritise own workload including competing demands from clinical and non clinical commitments – education, managerial and professional demands to ensure quality of care in specialist area.

Knowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required to do the job:

• BSc Human Nutrition & Dietetics or equivalent
• Registered Dietitian with Health & Care Professional Council
• Member of British Dietetic Association
• Preferably Member of BDA Special Interest Group
• Working towards recognised post graduate qualification in an area of practice e.g. Advanced Diploma in Dietetic Practice, Diploma in Diabetes Care or other accredited study
• Basic introduction to Counselling Skills and Behaviour Modification / Motivational Interviewing
• Clinical Education Training
• Health Improvement / Promotion Training
• Ideally a minimum of four years post qualification experience
• At least one year undertaking additional responsibilities or developing an area of expertise
• Audit / Research experience and evidence of impact on practice
• Record of CPD relevant to Care of Older People and nutritional support
• Experience of working with older people
• Experience of working as part of an MDT
• Excellent knowledge of nutritional needs of older people.
• Broad clinical knowledge across a range of conditions, including diabetes, chronic disease management, enteral feeding.
• Knowledge of the range of nutritional assessment methodologies that can be used to assess and monitor patients.
• Excellent communication (verbal and written), negotiation motivation, and networking skills.
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills
• IT literate in the use of word processing/ power point / email/ internet

What we offer:

We offer a wide range of supportive policies designed to enhance your employee journey, including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and extensive learning and development opportunities.

As an NHS Scotland employee, you will be entitled to:

• A minimum of 27 days annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus public holidays
• Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme, including life insurance benefits
• Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom-based courses
• Enhanced pay for working public holidays
• NHS discounts on a wide range of goods and services
• Confidential employee support and assistance, including counselling and psychological therapies

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, we would love to hear from you.

We love it when people call us to discuss advertised posts. It allows you to find out more about the service and this role, which will support your application process. Please do get in touch by email or phone.

Details on how to contact the Recruitment Service and the Recruitment Process:

This post may close early to the volume of response. Please submit your application form as soon as possible. Due to the volume of applications that we receive, we will not be able to provide shortlisting feedback.

From 1 April 2026, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will reduce from 37 hours to 36 hours. Part-time working hours will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. A corresponding increase in the hourly rate will apply, ensuring that overall pay remains unchanged.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recognises the importance of work-life balance and is committed to offering a range of flexible working options where service needs allow. For roles where less than full-time hours can be accommodated, and where the tenure is listed as “various”, we encourage applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements. Flexible working will be included as a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde encourages applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and are proud of the diverse workforce we employ.

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from across the Armed Forces Community and recognise military skills, experience and qualifications throughout the recruitment and selection process.

Candidates must provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools or other third-party assistance to generate, draft or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the recruitment process.

For application portal or log-in issues, please contact the in the first instance.