Patricia McDonnell BSc. MNutr. R.D.

• Undertaking dietetic clinics within primary care and community settings across Nottingham City.
• The main conditions we are commissioned to see are malnutrition, tissue viability, type 2 diabetes and gastroenterology conditions such as IBS and Coeliac Disease.
• Carrying out domiciliary visits for patients with complex nutritional needs.
• Triaging referrals from a variety of health professionals
• Promoting evidence based dietary guidelines.
• Reviewing, developing and evaluating appropriate diet sheets.
• Communicating effectively with patients and carers to ensure understanding of the dietary implications of their medical conditions.
• Utilising counselling, motivational and negotiating skills to facilitate behaviour change.
• Maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records.
• Effectively managing own clinical caseload.
• Using SystmOne to record patients notes and for data recording.
• Student lead for dietetic students during the community element of their placement.
• Supporting the implementation of national recommendations e.g. (NICE Guidelines)
• Meeting the requirements of the Health Professions Council and maintaining professional registration.
• Working within the Health Professions Council, British Dietetic Association and local codes of conduct.
• Complying with policies, procedures and statutory regulations.
• For a proportion of time during this role, I also worked in paediatric clinics including faltering to grow, cows milk protein allergy and obesity.

• Working independently and as part of a team to facilitate adult weight management groups throughout Leicestershire as part of the LEAP (Lifestyle, Eating and Physical Activity) programme.
• Conducting pre-assessments with potential clients prior to attending the LEAP programme. Anthropometric measurements, weight history, current and past medical history, physical activity levels and motivation to change are all taken into account in assessing their suitability for a community based weight management programme.
• Utilising behaviour change skills to set goals with patients.
• Developing and updating each component of the LEAP programme to ensure evidence based, effective practice in line with NICE guidance.
• Collating, analysing and reporting on participant's pre and post LEAP dietary habits, physical activity levels and emotional wellbeing data for inclusion in quarterly reports for service commissioners.
• Planning, delivering and evaluating a healthy eating programme for Muslim women in Leicester. This programme included information on sugar, fat, salt, food labelling, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and bone health.
• Devising a marketing strategy to increase recruitment to the LEAP programme.
• Being organised and time efficient in managing a busy caseload and travelling between sites with equipment and resources.
• Facilitating the training of A, B and C placement student dietitians.
• Liaising with stakeholders (for example county council and physical activity personnel) of the LEAP programme to ensure smooth running of the programme and in order to provide the best service for our clients.
• Observing the professional code of conduct for dietitians and keeping an up to date portfolio of evidence for best practice.

• Using anthropometric measurements, dietary assessment, problem solving skills and behaviour change techniques to treat patients in adult (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2) and paediatric (BMI ≥ 98th centile) weight management outpatient dietetic clinics.

Consultant led adult weight management clinic:

• Working alongside a consultant endocrinologist with a specialist interest in obesity in order to order to assess patients suitability for bariatric surgery.

Consultant led paediatric weight management clinic:

• Using behaviour change techniques aimed at encouraging the child and the entire family to make lifestyle changes in order to manage their weight whilst the consultant diagnoses and treats any medically related obesity problems.

Group facilitation skills:

• Planning and facilitating Barnsley Change4Life weight management programme to adults over a 12 week period to include information such as portion size, identifying high fat and sugar foods, recipe adaptation, eating for weight loss in relation to the eatwell plate and physical activity,

Brief intervention training:

• Delivering training to staff involved in patient care who have the opportunity to raise the issue of weight management with potential clients who have a BMI ≥30kg/m2. This has been delivered to community staff, for example the Mental Health Access Team, a residential home for clients with learning difficulties, midwives and health trainers.

Orlistat information seminar:

• Delivery of a 1 hour information session regarding the mechanism and use of Orlistat in the community. Demonstrating to clients how to read food labels in order to identify the fat content of foods in order to help patients to get the most out of their Orlistat medication.

Bariatric surgery information seminar:

• 1.5 hour information session to inform potential bariatric surgery candidates of the types of surgery, pre and post-operative diet, risks and benefits of surgery and an opportunity for patients to ask questions.
• Student training lead
• Writing and facilitating the dietetic student weight management tutorial for B and C placement students. Co-ordinating student timetables to ensure weight management experience whilst on placement both in a 1-1 clinical and group setting.
• Development of resources and materials in line with current national clinical obesity guidance.
• Audit and evaluation of service through the development of questionnaires for both the group and clinical settings. Devising action plans in order to continually improve service based on the outcomes of these initiatives.
• Supervision of Healthy Lifestyle Advisors in order to ensure effective evidence based delivery of weight management groups.
• Prioritising caseload and development work to ensure effective time management.
• Keeping my professional portfolio up to date by reflecting on clinical experiences and remaining familiar with current dietetic research particularly relating to weight management.
• Liaising with local weight management services in Sheffield and Doncaster in order to improve patient experience and for continuity of service.
• Working both independently and as part of a team. Team work was an integral part of our weight management service in Barnsley.

• Organising, planning, delivering and evaluating health promotion events to the general public and nutritional training to health professionals in Barnsley and the surrounding areas.
• Assessing and treating patients within community dietetic clinics to include those who are obese, have diabetes, coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome or cardiovascular disease to name but a few.
• Prioritising my patient caseload and community projects effectively.
• Developing diet sheets and training resources in line with current evidence base and national guidance.
• Assessing and treating patients in their own homes when they can not physically get into clinic.
• Working as part of the community dietetic team to ensure the delivery of a comprehensive dietetic service.
• Continuing professional development in line with HCPC regulations.
• Participating in the training of student dietitians.
• Ensuring that all of my practice is evidence based and in line with the current national guidance.