Job overview

This vacancy is open to Internal applicants only. Those who apply that are not currently employed will not be shortlisted.

Do you have experience providing care and an interest in being a Nutrition Assistant?

We are looking for a Nutrition Assistant to join the nursing team at the Oxfordshire Stroke Rehabilitation Unit, at Abingdon Community Hospital.

We are a dynamic, enthusiastic and forward-thinking team who work effectively together to deliver high standards of rehabilitation.

Nutrition is an integral part of a patient’s rehabilitation and this post will assist the nursing team to provide optimal nutrition and hydration for individuals on the ward.

Although part of the nursing team you will also be working closely with dietetics, speech and language therapy and the ward housekeeping team.

If you have previous experience providing care and / or working with people with swallowing difficulties and have a passion for person centred care, this post may well be for you! Some experience of food provision / service would also be beneficial.

An active program of in-service training is established, with a strong team ethos of learning and development.

Working full time hours (37.5 hours) : 07.30-20.00 (Weekdays) and 07 : 30 15 : 30 (Weekends)

Main duties of the job

• To assist nursing staff in providing physical nutritional support for patients, including assisting with mealtimes, communicating dietary requirements and preferences, encouraging choice of appropriate menu options and promoting additional nutrition via food fortification, nourishing fluids, nutritional snacks and supplements
• To assist in assessing patient’s nutritional needs ensuring the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) is completed on admission and week.

Working for our organisation

Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include :

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Staff accommodation
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assist in the maintenance of accurate records of nutritional intake, including food charts
• To keep an updated record of additional nutritional support provided to monitor stock levels of nutritional supplements and snacks and order appropriately
• To promote nutrition in the ward, including running educational sessions for staff and social dining events for patients, such as tea parties and themed snack rounds
• To collect data on patients nutritional intake and outcomes to evidence the impact of the role

Please note :

• New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
• Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
• Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study.

Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.

• Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
• We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation and we encourage applications from users of mental health services.

This is part of our commitment to equality and reflecting the diversity of our population.

Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Please see the JD and PS for more information.

Person specification

Academic Requirements

Essential criteria

• Good written / spoken English
• Good IT Skills

Desirable criteria

NVQ level 3 in Health & Social Care / Equivalent or working towards qualification

Experience

Essential criteria

• Excellent communication skills
• Keen interest to development

Desirable criteria

• Working in clinical / rehab setting
• Previous preparing food / drinks in a healthcare setting
• Knowledge of other healthcare professions

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

• Enthusiasm to work with people in a caring environment
• Willingness to support others / be a team player
• Flexible approach
• Good organisational skills
• All new starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process, aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale
• Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
• Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study.

Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.

• Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
• We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.
• We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an Equal Opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential.

All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values safe, caring and excellent.

• Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• Oxford is a world-renowned centre of excellence for research. Oxford Health works closely with the University of Oxford department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary care, has a Biomedical Research Centre dedicated to improving mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site.

The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) which carries out applied research that directly impacts patient health and wellbeing

Last updated : 2024-05-17