Job Introduction

‘The Weigh Ahead’ is a Specialist Tier 3 Weight Management Service, winning an Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO) best practice award in 2018. We provide an intensive level of support to patients through a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals. Delivered by Spire Healthcare, for whom Vita Health Group run Primary Care services, the service is conducted remotely via video-link and face to face, using group and 121 formats, we provide a service to NHS patients referred by their GP.

The programme is tailored to specific needs over 6 months and incorporates the required elements of evidence-based interventions, supporting patients who fully engage to achieve a weight loss of at least 5% of their excess body weight and sustain this over the years ahead.  The programme also aims to assist patients in meeting their personal health improvement goals and supporting them in making vital lifestyle changes in preparation for bariatric surgery.  

The ideal candidate will have nutrition and lifestyle qualifications and a passion for working with obese patients in the delivery of a weight management programme incorporating nutrition, physical activity and psychological therapy. You will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and tailor the programme to patients according to their health needs. 

Principle duties:

• Provide patients with a motivational interview, prior to their commencement of the weight management programme to advise them on what the program offers, check their eligibility and assess their readiness to change
• Assess the dietary needs of patients referred 
• Provide specific, tailored nutrition advice to patients to enable them to help meet their weight loss and health goals, via 121 and group delivery.
• Provide support to patients enabling them with tools to adopt new lifestyle behaviours, and coping strategies for relapse and maintenance.
• Analyse food diaries and devise an individualised healthy eating plan.
• Be able to provide accurate nutrition advice specifically tailored to patient’s medical conditions (within the confines of your role) such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
• Actively and empathetically support patients through their weight management programme.
• Liaise with team members and other relevant healthcare professionals to facilitate the best care pathway for your patient.
• Regularly meet with the MDT to discuss patient caseloads.
• Keep accurate, detailed records of the outcomes of all patient sessions undertaken and advice given.
• To ensure patient and hospital confidentiality is maintained at all times and patient information is secured.

Other duties:

• To ensure patient and hospital confidentiality is maintained at all times and patient information is secured. 
• Ensure relevant information is available for audit purposes.
• To liaise with other hospitals, GPs, patients and internal departments
• To participate in performance reviews including the agreement of objectives and personal development plan with Line Manager.
• Attend all team meetings and training sessions, liaising with other staff where necessary to ensure the effectiveness of a patient’s pathway in the Service. 
• Provide feedback on potential service improvements in terms of quality, structure and patient experience

 Skills and Experience:

Essential 

• Recognised qualification in nutrition and/or weight management or in providing dietetic advice (ideally AfN accredited).
• Knowledge and experience in providing health, nutrition and lifestyle advice.
• Experience of applying behaviour change techniques for lifestyle management in any of these disciplines:  weight management, smoking, alcohol, stress, mental health or physical activity.
• Caring, empathetic and non- judgemental qualities.
• Flexible with working patterns to meet the requirements of the service and the ability to adapt to a dynamic environment.
• Competent in using IT – specifically Excel and Word computer packages.

 Desirable

• Degree in nutrition or dietetics, health promotion, health sciences etc (AfN Accredited)
• Counselling or behaviour change skills and experience would be a useful addition. 

Why Vita Health Group?

Vita Health Group celebrates life. Improving lives physically and mentally drives everything we do.  Now part of Spire Healthcare Group plc we have been providing physical and mental health services for over 30 years. We work in partnership with the NHS, are engaged by insurers and some of the UK’s largest corporate companies to support their workforce and provide a full range of physiotherapy services to private customers.

To achieve our mission of Making People Better, we recognise the importance of investing in our staff. We are an award-winning employer recently recognised nationally as “Best Company to Work for” at the Health and Wellbeing Awards 2024.

This is also recognised by current employees – our most recent Employee Survey results showed the top 5 reasons to work here as being:

• Supportive team and management
• Positive work environment
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Trust and respect
• Autonomy and flexibility

We are keen to progress your skills and enable career development and provide regular Continued Professional Development opportunities including secondments, management training, a mentoring scheme, apprenticeships and regular events and webinars across a range of clinical disciplines.  In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer the opportunity of a flexible work life balance and a comprehensive benefits package which you can view here: https://www.vitahealthgroup.co.uk/join-us/careers

Vita Health Group is proud to be an equal opportunities employer and is seeking to improve the diversity of its workforce.  We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion best practice and positively encourage applications from candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion/belief, marital status, or pregnancy/maternity.  For further information on our EDI commitments please view here: Vita Health Groups commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to being equitable and supporting the wellbeing of all employees.

• We are a Mindful Employer
• Our status as a Disability Confident Leader dedicated to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process. All disabled candidates that meet the minimum essential criteria will be considered for interview.
• Our Ethnicity Matters Scheme where all applicants for senior roles (£40,000+) from a minority ethnic group that meet the essential criteria will be considered for interview.
• Our Gender Matters Scheme where all women applicants for senior roles (£60,000+) that meet the essential criteria will be considered for interview.
• Our sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant.  
• Our status as a Menopause Friendly Committed employer. 
• Our sign up to the Employer with Heart Charter.  
• Our commitment to meet the standards outlined in the NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS). Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES).
• Access to health and wellbeing services for colleagues including Mental Health Advocates and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• An embedded “speaking up” culture facilitated by Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
• Treating transgender individuals with dignity and recognising the potential complications that may arise when taking references. We encourage applicants to contact HR at hr@vhg.co.uk to discuss or amend how we manage reference requests.

Should you wish to discuss any adjustment or assistance you need in the application or interview process please contact recruitment@vhg.co.uk and we will facilitate.

Please note, all applicants must be legally entitled to accept and perform work in the UK and all positions are subject to a DBS check. 

Any data which you share with us throughout the hiring process will be stored securely within the UK and is accessible only by staff who require it. Should your application be unsuccessful, your data will be securely destroyed after 6 months. 

Vita Health Group reserves the right to close this job when sufficient applications have been received.

Vita Health Group