Dietitian, Clinical Specialist (Geriatric Medicine)

Grade Code: 3715

There is currently one permanent whole-time vacancy available in Cork University Hospital.

A panel may be formed as a result of this campaign for Dietitian, Clinical Specialist (Geriatric Medicine) from Cork University Hospital, Geriatric Emergency Multidisciplinary Service, South/ South West Hospital Group, which current and future, permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part-time duration may be filled.

Email: fiona.byrne@hse.ie

Tel: 021-4922169

Mobile: 086-7872018

The Dietetic Department of CUH/CUMH currently employs 30 wte/dietitians providing clinical nutrition services across all specialities. The Dietetic Department is divided into five competency-based groups of four to seven Dietitians.

The CUH Geriatric Emergency Multidisciplinary Service (GEMS) was established in 2020 with a team to include a GEMS Consultant, DIT, CNS, Physiotherapist & Occupational Therapist to respond to the specific & complex needs of the older person. Some 12,500 people aged 75 years attend CUH Emergency Department each year.

The expansion of this team in 2021 includes the addition of Speech & Language Therapy, Dietitian, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy & Social Work posts.

In February 2021, CUH GEMS was recognised as the first Age-Friendly Health System in Europe.

 Professional / Clinical

As GEMS team member:

·        Fulfil mission of GEMS service by adopting Home First ethos in line with Integrated Care Pathways for the Older Person (ICPOP) and National Clinical Care Programme for the Older Person (NCPOP).

·        Work as a core member of an inter-professional team to ensure early identification and assessment of the older person in ED/AMAU or at ward level.

·        Ensure effective communication takes place at all times.

·        Assess and manage patients as an Interdisciplinary member of the Team using the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment to signpost care needs.

·        Act as senior decision-maker, making recommendations regarding intervention requirements where appropriate.

·        Provide leadership within the GEMS Team as appropriate within his/her own scope of practice.

·        Attend GEMS team huddles at identified times during day.

·        Create individualised care plans through shared decision making based on what matters most to the patient and in line with the 5Ms of Geriatric Medicine – Matters Most, Mind, Medications, Mobility and Multicomplexes.

·        Collaborate with patients and their caregivers to design and deliver care that meets their needs and expectations.

·        Ensure safe, efficient, and seamless transitions of care at every patient encounter.

·        Analyse service demands and develop the GEMS service with other team members.

·        Integrate hospital and community-based services to provide the highest quality care in the most appropriate setting.

·        Promote a culture of age-friendly care.

As GEMS team lead:

·        Assume rotational role of GEMS Team Leader who:

i.                  Is responsible for daily operation of GEMS on the acute floor.

ii.                Provides link throughout the day with other members of the GEMS team and staff on the acute floor.

iii.               Communicates daily with the Older Persons Co-ordinator to establish capacity and action referrals to community services.

Working practice:

·        Be responsible for the organisation, provision and evaluation of Nutrition and Dietetic services to service users/patients in CUH.

·        Develop an evidenced based nutritional care pathway for older adults, commencing on admission to hospital, through inpatient hospital stay and organisation of appropriate follow-up, through integration with available community services.

·        Be highly competent in assessing and treating a wide range of clinical presentations relevant to a patient cohort.

·        Ensure the ongoing review of existing resources and develop and evaluate new resources to support and meet the needs of the service.

·        To work towards and deliver on key performance indicators in the area of clinical nutrition for older adults.

·        Lead and facilitate change management and improve service delivery in the area of clinical nutrition in geriatric medicine.

·        Develop, implement, and monitor a plan of care, based on assessment of the patients’ nutritional needs.

·        Liaise with the multidisciplinary team, staff colleagues and dietitians in other acute settings and in primary care as appropriate to ensure continuity and safe care of all patients.

·        Ensure appropriate discharge planning in conjunction with patient’s families/carers and the multidisciplinary team.

·        Analyse service demands and develop the dietetic team with other HSCP members in line with evolving requirements including extended working hours.

·        Liaise with catering staff regarding the provision of therapeutic diets.

·        Keep abreast of evolving clinical knowledge in the specialist area of frailty and care of the older adult.

·        Maintain and develop high standards of dietetic clinical practice.

·        Work in a manner that maintains patient/client confidentiality and that upholds the client’s and families/carers trust.

·        Act as a positive and supportive specialist team leader in your own area.

·        Provide leadership to senior & staff grade Dietitians through the process of professional supervision, mentoring and tutoring with a view to enabling the dietitian to identify areas for skill development.

·        Provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence and to take lead in the provision of service during cover/ leave.

·        Represent the clinical nutrition & dietetic service at meetings committees.

·        Manage clinical risk within own caseload and that of the designated team at all times.

·        Lead on relevant designated projects, initiatives or duties within the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

·        Be available as a consultant specialist led to other health care professionals within and outside the region.

·        Develop, Implement, and evaluate of standards and policies within the department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

·        Maintain appropriate patient records and statistics in line with the department policy and hospital policy.

·        Carry out any other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post that may be assigned by the Dietitian Manager in Charge III.

·        Promote a culture that values equality, diversity, and respect in the workplace.

Education & Training

·        Identify own personal and professional development needs and put formal and informal structures in place to meet those needs in collaboration with the Dietitian Manager in Charge III.

·        Maintain high standards of practice, and levels of clinical knowledge by participating in continuous professional development initiatives, and attendance at relevant courses as appropriate.

·        Maintain professional knowledge on relevant scientific research and practice development.

·        Promote the importance of CPD within the team.

·        Attend mandatory training programmes.

·        Provide support to other staff including mentoring, coaching, supervision, and formal development training as appropriate.

·        Liaise with other professional groups with respect to nutritional education & training, e.g., nursing staff, allied health professional staff, medical staff, HCA’s, catering department etc.

·        Participate in the development and evaluation of nutrition education resource material.

·        Oversee, and play a key role in the practice education of student dietitians.

Quality service, Audit & Research

·        Be actively involved in continuously improving the quality of the service, through audit, quality improvement initiatives and clinical research.

·        Develop and audit the impact of an evidenced based nutritional care pathway for older adults.

·        Evaluate the impact and outcomes of the clinical nutrition service in geriatric medicine.

·        Identify areas for service development, and continuous improvement in service provision.

·        Lead on service provision and activity analysis.

·        Carry out clinical audits and service evaluation as relevant to the role.

·        Engage in relevant research: identify and design relevant research studies, engage with key stake holders, complete study design, complete ethics application, carry out data collection on relevant research studies, and disseminate research findings to the clinical team and other key stakeholders in an appropriate manner.

Health & Safety

·        Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations, and standards.

·        Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of self and others.

·        Be aware of risk management issues, identify risks and take appropriate action.

·        Report any adverse incidents or near misses.

·        Adhere to HSE policies in relation to the procurement, care and safety of any equipment supplied for the fulfilment of duty.

·        Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards, Standards for Nutrition and Hydration in Acute Hospitals etc.

·        Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water, and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Qualifications and/ or experience

1.       Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc

2.       Annual registration

 3.   Health

A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

4.   Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

·        Clinical expertise in nutrition for older adults with a broad range of related clinical experience.

·        Up-to-date knowledge of emerging evidence for clinical nutrition for older adults requiring emergency care and relevant documents published by the relevant National Clinical Programmes.

·        The ability to effectively plan and manage resources including the ability to manage deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks; the ability to act appropriately to address urgent matters.

·        Research and audit skills with proven track record.

·        Professional supervision skills including, staff supervision, performance management, service planning and strategic planning.

·        Demonstrate an ability to deal with members of multidisciplinary teams, professional/ working colleagues, and managers assertively and with diplomacy to ensure nutritional care is implemented and monitored.

·        Ability to ensure high professional standards in service delivery.

·        Excellent interpersonal, communication skills and facilitation skills including the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner.

·        Effective judgement, decision making and problem-solving skills.

·        A commitment to continuing professional development for self and team members.

·        Evidence of ability to empathise with clients, relatives and colleagues and treat service users with dignity and respect.

·        IT skills including report writing, service monitoring, record keeping and data collection/systems.

Ranking/Shortlisting / Interview

Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process. 

Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of the organisation.

Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information for Candidates” or on https://www.cpsa.ie/.

This Job Specification is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.

The post is pensionable. A panel may be created from which permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled. The tenure of these posts will be indicated at “expression of interest” stage.

Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 and Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Amendment Act 2013.

€59,885 – €61,039 – €62,227 – €63,409 – €64,588 – €65,831 – €67,138 – €68,444 – €69,491

New appointees to any grade start at the minimum point of the scale. Incremental credit will be applied for recognised relevant service in Ireland and abroad (Department of Health Circular 2/2011). Incremental credit is normally granted on appointment, in respect of previous experience in the Civil Service, Local Authorities, Health Service and other Public Service Bodies and Statutory Agencies.

 HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs (Extended Working Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016” applies. Under the terms of this circular, all new entrants and staff appointed to promotional posts from Dec 16^th, 2008, will be required to work agreed roster / on call arrangements as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement (Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).

 * Public Servants not affected by this legislation:

Public servants joining the public service or re-joining the public service with a 26-week break in service, between 1 April 2004 and 31 December 2012 (new entrants) have no compulsory retirement age.

Public servants, joining the public service or re-joining the public service after a 26-week break, after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Pension Scheme and have a compulsory retirement age of 70.

Key responsibilities include:

•        Developing a SSSS for the department/service[1], as applicable, based on the identification of hazards and the assessment of risks, and reviewing/updating same on a regular basis (at least annually) and in the event of any significant change in the work activity or place of work.

•        Ensuring that Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is integrated into day-to-day business, providing Systems of Work (SOW) that are planned, organised, performed, maintained, and revised as appropriate, and ensuring that all safety related records are maintained and available for inspection.

•        Consulting and communicating with staff and safety representatives on OSH matters.

•        Ensuring a training needs assessment (TNA) is undertaken for employees, facilitating their attendance at statutory OSH training, and ensuring records are maintained for each employee.

•        Ensuring that all incidents occurring within the relevant department/service are appropriately managed and investigated in accordance with HSE procedures[2].

•        Seeking advice from health and safety professionals through the National Health and Safety Function Helpdesk as appropriate.

•        Reviewing the health and safety performance of the ward/department/service and staff through, respectively, local audit and performance achievement meetings for example.

Note: Detailed roles and responsibilities of Line Managers are outlined in local SSSS.