Nutrition Assistant – Frailty and Malnutrition Service
Primary Care Dietitians Ltd is looking for a Nutrition Assistant to join a new 12-month pilot service tackling malnutrition and frailty across North Staffordshire. Working alongside our Specialist Dietitian, you’ll help manage referrals, monitor patients, and liaise with care homes to keep the service running smoothly.
This is a great entry point into nutrition and dietetics: you’ll get hands-on experience with a clinically-led service, regular supervision, and support to develop your skills. We invest in your development too – fully sponsored attendance at ESPEN Congress, a genuine rarity at this level.
This is a 1.0 WTE, fixed-term role (12 months) at £24,850 – £30,000 per annum, working in a hybrid pattern across North Staffordshire community and care home settings.
Please note: appointment to this role is subject to completion of an ongoing internal redeployment process.
Main duties of the job
As Nutrition Assistant, you will:
- Receive, log and triage referrals, gathering baseline patient information by telephone
- Carry out regular monitoring contacts with patients between Dietitian reviews
- Liaise with care home managers and staff, supporting MUST screening and food-first approaches
- Assist with delivering basic nutrition training to care home staff
- Enter patient data accurately into clinical systems and support quarterly reporting
- Escalate any clinical concerns promptly to the Dietitian
You will need a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle, as regular travel across North Staffordshire is required.
About us
Primary Care Dietitians Ltd is England’s only national independent specialist PCN dietitian provider, supporting over 300 GP practices and Primary Care Networks across the country to deliver high-quality, tech-enabled dietetic services.
We’re a growing, supportive organisation of experienced clinicians who genuinely enjoy working together. You’ll work closely with our Specialist Dietitian, with regular supervision and a clear route to build your skills and experience in nutrition and dietetics.
Benefits include a fully sponsored attendance at ESPEN Congress (European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism) – a rare professional development opportunity to have this early in your career.
We’re proud of the culture we’ve built: clinically led, evidence-based, and genuinely invested in supporting our team to grow.
Job responsibilities
Please note: appointment to this role is subject to completion of an ongoing internal redeployment process.
Role Purpose
This is a support role within a 12-month pilot service delivering dietitian-led malnutrition and frailty care to adults in care homes and community settings across North Staffordshire.
Working under the clinical supervision of the Specialist Dietitian, you will play a key role in the smooth running of the service by managing referrals, collecting baseline patient information, conducting monitoring contacts, liaising with care homes, and maintaining accurate data to support service outcomes and reporting.
The service works to evidence-based frameworks including GLIM (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition) criteria, NICE guidance, and food-first approaches. Oral nutritional supplements are used appropriately as one component of care, with clear initiation criteria and time-limited prescribing. You will support the Dietitian in delivering this model by ensuring patients are triaged promptly, monitored regularly, and that data is captured accurately to demonstrate service impact.
This is not an autonomous clinical role. All clinical decisions are made by the Specialist Dietitian, and you will work within clearly defined protocols and boundaries, escalating concerns appropriately.
Key Responsibilities
Referral Management and Triage
- Receive and log referrals from GPs, care homes, community nursing teams, hospital discharge services, and other sources
- Review new referrals within 48 hours, gathering baseline information including weight history, MUST score, relevant medical history, and current dietary intake
- Contact patients, carers, or care home staff by telephone to collect initial information using standardised proformas
- Present referrals to the Specialist Dietitian for clinical prioritisation and allocation
- Maintain accurate referral tracking, waiting lists, and appointment scheduling
- Send appointment confirmations and reminders to reduce non-attendance rates
Patient Monitoring and Support
- Conduct regular telephone monitoring contacts with patients between Dietitian reviews, following agreed protocols
- Collect and record monitoring data including weight, dietary intake, ONS compliance, and general wellbeing
- Provide practical support and encouragement to patients and carers in following their nutrition care plan
- Recognise and promptly escalate any clinical concerns or deterioration to the Specialist Dietitian
- Support patients with appointment queries and act as a point of contact for non-clinical questions
- Build and maintain positive working relationships with care home managers and staff across the PCN footprint
- Support care homes with MUST screening processes, documentation, and practical implementation of food-first approaches
- Assist with the delivery of basic nutrition training to care home staff under the direction of the Specialist Dietitian
- Coordinate care home visits and ensure smooth communication between the clinical team and care home staff
- Troubleshoot practical issues with dietary implementation and escalate clinical concerns as appropriate
- Attend care homes regularly as part of the hybrid delivery model
Data Entry, Outcomes and Reporting
- Enter patient data accurately and promptly into clinical systems (EMIS/SystmOne)
- Update service dashboards, outcome trackers, and activity logs
- Maintain comprehensive documentation for all patient contacts in line with organisational standards
- Collate data for quarterly reports, including activity numbers, outcome measures, and key performance indicators
- Support the preparation of anonymised case studies and service evaluation materials
- Assist with administrative tasks to support efficient service delivery
Reporting and Supervision
This role reports directly to the Specialist Dietitian, who provides day-to-day clinical supervision and task allocation. You will have regular supervision meetings to review your workload, discuss any concerns, and support your development.
The Specialist Dietitian is responsible for all clinical decisions. Your role is to work within agreed protocols and boundaries, and to escalate any clinical concerns promptly. You are not expected to make independent clinical judgements.
Wider governance oversight is provided through PCD’s clinical governance framework, with access to the Clinical Lead for escalation if required.
Working Pattern and Travel
This is a full-time role (37.5 hours per week). The working pattern will be agreed with your line manager but must include capacity for regular weekly care home visits across North Staffordshire.
You must hold a full UK driving licence and have access to your own vehicle for work purposes. This is essential as public transport links to care homes are limited and reliable travel is required.
Person Specification
- NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, or equivalent qualification, or demonstrable equivalent experience in a healthcare setting
- Experience working in a healthcare environment (NHS, social care, care home, or community setting)
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to speak sensitively and professionally with patients, carers, and care home staff
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively
- High attention to detail, particularly in data entry and record keeping
- IT literacy including confident use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Ability to work effectively as part of a small team while also working independently on defined tasks
- Understanding of when to escalate concerns and seek guidance
- Commitment to delivering compassionate, patient-centred care
- Full UK driving licence and access to own vehicle
- Previous experience as a Dietetic Assistant, Healthcare Assistant, or similar support role
- Experience working with older adults, frailty, or in care home settings
- Knowledge of malnutrition screening tools such as MUST
- Experience using NHS clinical systems (EMIS or SystmOne)
- Experience with data collection, audit, or outcome monitoring
- Interest in nutrition, dietetics, or a career pathway into allied health professions
- Experience delivering training or education sessions
About Primary Care Dietitians
Primary Care Dietitians is England’s only national independent specialist PCN dietitian provider. We support NHS Primary Care Networks and GP practices to deliver high-quality, tech-enabled dietetic services.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary (depending on experience)
- Flexible hybrid working arrangements
- Regular supervision and support from an experienced Specialist Dietitian
- Training and development opportunities, including MUST screening and food-first approaches
- Attendance at ESPEN Congress (European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism) fully sponsored – a significant professional development opportunity
- Opportunity to develop skills and experience in nutrition and dietetics
- Supportive team environment within a growing organisation
- Opportunity to contribute to an innovative pilot service with real impact on patient outcomes
General Terms
This role profile is not exhaustive. You may be directed to complete other reasonable tasks within the expectations of your position.
All Primary Care Dietitians staff are expected to:
- Ensure conduct meets the standards detailed in Primary Care Dietitians’ Code of Conduct
- Safeguard children and adults, acting on any concerns to ensure appropriate assessment and investigation
- Adhere to all Primary Care Dietitians policies and procedures
Person Specification
Experience
- Experience working in a healthcare environment (NHS, social care, care home, or community setting)
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to speak sensitively and professionally with patients, carers, and care home staff
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively
- High attention to detail, particularly in data entry and record keeping
- IT literacy including confident use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Ability to work effectively as part of a small team while also working independently on defined tasks
- Understanding of when to escalate concerns and seek guidance
- Commitment to delivering compassionate, patient-centred care
- Full UK driving licence and access to own vehicle (essential)
- Previous experience as a Dietetic Assistant, Healthcare Assistant, or similar support role
- Experience working with older adults, frailty, or in care home settings
- Knowledge of malnutrition screening tools such as MUST
- Experience using NHS clinical systems (EMIS or SystmOne)
- Experience with data collection, audit, or outcome monitoring
- Interest in nutrition, dietetics, or a career pathway into allied health professions
- Experience delivering training or education sessions
Qualifications
- NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, or equivalent qualification, or demonstrable equivalent experience in a healthcare setting
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.
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