Nutritional Assistant - AFU

A fantastic opportunity has arisen to work as a Nutrition Assistant on AFU ward at Harrogate District Hospital.
You will be ward based but work closely with the Nutrition & Dietetic, Speech & Language Therapy and catering teams. This is a fast paced job which requires time management and organisational skills, and the ability to communicate clearly with patients and staff in many different roles. You will need to be able to work as part of a team whilst also using your own initiative to work by yourself and communicate effectivity with patients, relatives and fellow team workers. The role includes but not limited to
+ Helping patients to choose their meals
+ Assisting patients with meals and drinks
+ Referrals to Dieticians and Speech and Language Team
+ Weighing patients
+ Any other Care Support Assistant tasks as required, The purpose of the nutritional assistant is to ensure the nutritional needs of all patients within the AFU ward environment are met. And that any proposed risks, concerns or barriers are identified, escalated and measures are put in place in place to address and support in order to improve the health and experience for the patient.

Experience in a caring environment is essential but a qualification in nutrition is not. Full induction and ongoing training in the role will be provided., We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with a passion for supporting and caring for patients who has/ is able to;
+ Previous experience of working within a caring profession
+ An interest in food and nutrition
+ Able to prioritise and manage workload effectively
+ Able to work effectively in team
+ Fully understands and respects the rights and feelings of patients and their families
+ Able to work unsupervised at times
+ Willing to undertake further training
+ Able to challenge others in a constructive manner to ensure high standard of nutritional care is delivered to patients.
+ A friendly, caring approach
+ Excellent communication skills
+ An Awareness or equality and valuing diversity principles
+ Able to follow Trust policies and procedures
+ be willing to further training and complete Care Certificate
+ Be able and willing to support learning of others
+ Coping with change and effectively manage difficult situations and seek support when needed

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) cares for the population in Harrogate and the local area, as well as across North Yorkshire, Leeds and parts of the North East.
At HDFT we provide outstanding care to both our patients and our staff and we value Kindness, Integrity, Teamwork and Equality. If you're looking for an interesting and rewarding career in the NHS, where you can make a real difference to patients' lives, HDFT could be the place for you!
We offer colleagues:
+ A supportive culture so colleagues can bring their whole selves to work.
+ Staff Recognition - as well as regular appraisals, we recognise achievements with our Making a Difference & Team of the Month Awards, along with annual Colleague Recognition Awards.
+ Employee Support and wellbeing - we offer a wide range of staff benefits including an Employee Assistance Programme, counselling service and a fast-track Physiotherapy service.
Please note:
+ Due to high levels of interest, posts may close early if we reach a sufficient number of applications
+ Visa sponsorship is only available for certain roles. Please ensure the role you are interested in meets the criteria for a visa before submitting your application.
+ Please also be aware that the Trust does not offer relocation packages for Agenda for Change roles.