About this role
Job summary
Are you recently qualified as a dietitian, or due to qualify, and want a first post that offers support and opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills?
Are you looking to return to practice, or an existing band 5 dietitian searching for an exciting new role to enhance your skills in the community and advance your career?
We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic and innovative band 5 dietitian, with excellent communication skills and knowledge, to join our friendly and supportive team here at First Community.
The post holder will join our Surrey adults team, covering the East Surrey area. Clinical workload will include clinics (face to face, virtual and telephone), domiciliary visits, community hospitals and home enterally fed patients.
We are a friendly, approachable team of 19 dietitians, 2 dietetic assistants and 2 administrators delivering services across East Surrey and parts of West Sussex.
We are committed to service development through public involvement, quality improvement and innovative new service models. We support involvement in service development and encourage innovative thinking to improve services and patient experience, whilst increasing efficiency within our team. As a social enterprise First Community would encourage staff to think outside the box!
We also encourage personal development, offering support and experience in new areas and expertise, providing as much opportunity as possible to develop skills and knowledge.
Main duties of the job
You will use your dietetic skills to improve patients lives in a holistic and evidence-based manner. First dietitians mission is changing lives through food. We want a team player who cares about their patients, about food and nutrition and making a difference. We will support you through mentoring and coaching, with ample learning opportunities.
We pride ourselves on the wide variety of skills and knowledge the team possesses. The post holder will act as an autonomous dietitian to manage their own varied caseload, contributing to the delivery of the First Dietitians service but will also have opportunities to shadow and be supported with further development and upskilling.
Your clinical workload will enable to you develop skills in a wide variety of dietetic areas and we have regular continuing professional development sessions as a team to support learning and development.
You will have opportunities to supervise and support our dietetic assistants and student dietitians and will be able to participate in our teams audit programme, policy and resource development for the team and organisation.
Students due to qualify in 2026 are welcome to apply (say 'yes' to the HCPC filter question) as are experienced band 5s looking to develop their skills in a community setting.
We offer flexible working opportunities/hybrid working and encourage candidates to discuss this at interview.
Please do get in touch if you would like any further information.
About us
Do you want to be part of an organisation recognised as one of the top community providers to work for in the country, delivering high quality NHS care? (2025 Staff Survey results)
First Community is a staff owned social enterprise rated Good by CQC, which delivers NHS community services across east Surrey and parts of West Sussex. We are looking for individuals who share our values First-rate care, First-rate people, First-rate value.
First Community is a great place to work, everyone has a voice and is supported to develop their career to its full potential. We offer all our staff: NHS terms and conditions, high quality training and development opportunities, flexible working to enable a good work life balance, an inclusive and friendly work environment, NHS pension, flexible retirement options and various employee benefits.
Please talk to us before applying or at interview about the flexibility you need. We may not be able to meet your needs exactly, but we do promise to fully consider your request and meet your needs where possible. Flexible working options may vary depending on the role.
At First Community we welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities. All applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments.
Sustainability is integral to First Community achieving the NHS Net Zero target.
Job description Job responsibilities
The post holder is responsible for a defined clinical caseload which includes domiciliary visits, community dietetic clinics and community hospital inpatients.
You will provide patient and staff education sessions as required. The post holder will act as an autonomous dietitian contributing to the delivery of the First Dietitians service provided by First Community Health and Care.
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Demonstrates experience of working with a variety of clinical specialities and a range of population groups, possibly as a student dietitian
Desirable
Experience of supervising dietetic students Experience of community dietetics
Qualifications Essential
Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council Degree/postgraduate diploma in dietetics
Desirable
Registered with the BDA
Other Essential
Effective communicator Flexible Demonstrates initiative Team player Good time-management skills Willingness to participate in continuous professional development. Understands principles of equal opportunity issues Willing to contribute to audit Car driver
Knowledge Essential
Demonstrates knowledge of understanding the issues involved with working in a variety of community settings
Desirable
Show understanding of value of audit within clinical practice
Skills Essential
Competency in provision of dietetics in varied clinical specialities Ability to prioritise workload unsupervised and work independently with training Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary setting IT competency
Desirable
Teaching/Presentation Skills Ability to develop and prepare dietetic resources
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name First Community Health and Care
Address Crawley & Horsham Nhs Trust
Crawley Hospital
West Green Drive
CRAWLEY
West Sussex
RH11 7DH
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.firstcommunityhealthcare.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)