Clinical Lead Dietitian

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic

Band 7 Dietitian to lead our specialist nutrition support service for critically ill and surgical inpatients. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled dietitian with advanced knowledge of critical care, perioperative nutrition, and parenteral nutrition (PN) to shape and drive high-quality nutritional care across complex clinical areas. In this senior role, you will provide expert dietetic assessment and management for patients requiring PN and complex enteral feeding within ICU and surgical wards.

You will work as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team, contributing specialist advice that informs clinical decision-making, optimises nutritional status, and supports improved patient outcomes. You will provide clinical leadership for the dietetic team, supervising junior staff, supporting student training, and promoting a culture of evidence-based practice. The postholder will also lead on service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives, ensuring safe, effective, and patient-centred nutrition pathways.

Strong communication, autonomy in clinical reasoning, and confidence in managing highly complex nutrition support cases are essential. If you are passionate about advancing dietetic practice in critical care and surgery, and keen to influence and develop a specialist service, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Main duties of the job Your application should include details of your recent clinical experience including any areas of specialism. We also require details of your qualifications, CPD, and registration. The successful applicant will be expected to travel between the two main hospital sites (The Countess of Chester Hospital and Ellesmere Port Hospital) and carry out home visits as needed. You will be involved in our diabetes MDT clinics (which run in the evening twice per month), deliver level 3 carb counting education and provided structured education for families.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.