Head of Child Health Dietetics

Head of Child Health Dietetics

The closing date is 30 January 2026

Are you an enthusiastic and passionate Paediatric Dietitian, ready to take the next step into leadership?

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced Paediatric Dietitian to join us as Head of the Child Health Dietetic Team.

This is a permanent position, worked over 3 days (19 hours/week) and is perfect for an experienced Dietitian who wants to combine clinical expertise with a rewarding leadership role.

You will be based predominantly at Royal Preston Hospital.

The successful applicant will manage a team consisting of seven paediatric dietitians and 2 support staff.

Although you will be an autonomous practitioner, you will be required to work closely with the adult management team and medical, nursing and AHP colleagues.

Our team is strongly committed to team working, maintaining high standards of care, innovation and continued professional development. We support student training and provide P1, P2 and P3 placements.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and skilled Dietitian to shape the future of paediatric nutrition and dietetics while continuing to make a direct difference to patients and families.

Main duties of the job

As Head of the Child Health Dietetic Team, you will:

• Provide professional and clinical leadership to both qualified and support staff within the service.
• Take on operational management responsibilities including recruitment, retention, absence management, complaints handling, procurement, and resource management.
• Oversee the delegated budget for Home Enteral Feeding equipment.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of a high-quality, clinically effective Nutrition and Dietetic Service.
• Champion the role of nutrition within the wider multidisciplinary team and work collaboratively with external stakeholders.
• Ensure staff deliver safe, evidence-based care within professional and governance frameworks.
• Support the Head of the Nutrition and Dietetic Service with service development projects and policy updates.
• Maintain a clinical caseload, with direct patient care accounting for approximately 30-40% of your working hours.

The post holder will require excellent communication skills and multidisciplinary team working experience. Applicants should be HCPC registered and able to demonstrate post registration experience at Band 7 level or above. Paediatric experience is essential.

About us

You would join a team of over 35 experienced and forward-thinking dietitians, dietetic support workers and administrative staff.

Our Child Health Dietetic Team covers a busy general paediatric department that includes inpatients, outpatients, MDT clinics, group education sessions, the neonatal intensive care unit and community home enteral feeding. We are well established within the children's and young people's division in the Hospital and work closely with all members of the MDT.

We are committed to the continuing professional development and will provide you with learning and development opportunities as part of your role. We are devoted to your wellbeing, with several Trust initiatives available to support staff.

For more information, please contact:

Pamela Coulthurst Head of Dietetics -

Carol Pinder (Current post holder) - or email

Job responsibilities

See attached job description and essential criteria.

The duties and responsibilities listed below should be undertaken in accordance with the levels of competence as defined in the KSF outline for this post. In addition all staff are expected to act in accordance with the values and behaviours of the Trust. The service provides timely responses to referrals through triage and identifying the appropriate pathway for intervention. This is a role model in leading the team to promote, educate and maintain professional and clinical standards. To ensure team members have a designated caseload and coordinate and plan the care for that group. Provides leadership for the team to deliver expert advice related to specific conditions or treatment pathways. Leads the focus on improving patient care and service development. Ensures the team assess patients holistically, plan implement and evaluate evidence-based care. Leads the provision of specialist advice to children, parents and families and the wider multidisciplinary team. Leads the development of the workforce through developing and delivering education and training. Participate in research activity and clinical audits in own specialist area. Delivers excellent care with compassion, and ensures the service does the same. Lead the collaborative approach with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to ensure the cohesive management of paediatric dietetic input. Ensure the team act as a key worker for designated children and babies as appropriate across the patients pathway. Deputise for the head of services when needed.

Person Specification Qualifications and Education

• Degree/post graduate degree in nutrition and dietetics
• HCPC registered
• Post graduate clinical education in relevant areas of dietetics
• Leadership or management training
• Continuous Professional Development
• BDA membership
• Educated to masters level
• Project management training

Knowledge and Experience

• Previous experience in a clinical lead post
• Significant clinical experience in leading a team
• Experience in managing complex adult patients
• Significant experience of managing change
• Significant experience of leading audit activity
• Participation in business planning/contribution to business case development
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies to demonstrate systems wide improvements

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.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum, pro rata