Lead Dietitian – Adult Learning Disabilities: Sponsorship Available

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Job Summary

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Lead Dietitian to join our Adult Learning Disability Team within the Tees Valley locality, covering a 12-month maternity leave.

This is a rewarding leadership role where you will make a meaningful difference to the nutritional care of people with a learning disability accessing community mental health services.

Working within a highly supportive multidisciplinary environment, you will lead the delivery of high-quality, person-centred dietetic assessment and interventions, tailored to individuals with complex needs. You will also work collaboratively with a fellow Lead Dietitian based in Durham to ensure coordinated, seamless service delivery across the locality.

About You

We are looking for a Registered Dietitian (HCPC) with substantial experience managing complex clinical caseloads including enteral feeding experience particularly withinmental health, learning disabilities and/or autism services

You will bring:

  • Strong knowledge of national drivers and NICE guidance around:
    • Enteral feeding
    • Oral nutrition support
    • Treatment of Obesity
  • Experience in service development, audit, research, and pathway development
  • Confidence in delivering training to multidisciplinary teams and supporting student placements
  • Excellent communication, leadership, and collaborative working skills within MDT setting

 

Main duties of the job

You will:

  • Deliver comprehensive dietetic assessments and interventions for adults with learning disabilities and complex needs
  • Provide specialist clinical leadership to Band 5 and Band 6 dietitians
  • Deliver clinical supervision for Band 6 staff
  • Work collaboratively with the wider MDT to ensure person-centred, evidence-based care
  • Lead and contribute to service development, audit, research, and pathway improvement initiatives
  • Deliver education and training to MDT colleagues and support student placements
  • Maintain high standards of clinical governance, documentation, and professional practice

About the Team

Our Dietetic Service is proud to be the largest and most established specialist Mental Health and Learning Disability dietetic team in the UK, with strong links to the British Dietetic Association.

We provide specialist input across:

  • Adult Eating Disorders
  • Adult Mental Health
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services including Eating Disorders
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Secure Inpatient Services

You will be supported by an experienced network of Lead Dietitians, Clinical Specialists, and our Professional Head of Dietetics, in a service that is committed to innovation, quality improvement, and equity of access.

Values and Behaviours

We are looking for someone who demonstrates:

  • A person-centred and compassionate approach
  • A commitment to equity, inclusion, and reducing health inequalities
  • A proactive, improvement-focused mindset

Person Specification

Qualifications/Experience

Essential

  • Pre-registration qualification in dietetics (relevant professional field) as recognised by HCPC)
  • Registration with HCPC
  • Evidence of post-registration Masters level learning
  • Or in the absence of masters level learning o equivalent experience in relevant area. E.g. relevant level 7 courses, researcher role, quality improvement activity, leading service development, project management, strategic leadership, NICE involvement, service evaluation
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level 7 (SLT =8) for International recruits
  • Substantial clinical experience of complex dietetic delivery in relevant specialist area in collaboration with service users, families and relevant others

Desirable

  • Experience of working in Multidisciplinary Team (SW essential criteria)
  • Complex clinical risk assessment and application in practice
  • Substantial knowledge of evidence- based practice in dietetics

Knowledge

Essential

  • Significant experience of supporting people with mental health issues, learning disability or autism
  • Significant understanding of the needs of service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities or autism

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.

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).

Closing Date: 13 July 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.