By Aimee Hughes . 03/06/2024 · 8 Minute read
This year’s theme for Dietetics Week is “From Classroom to Clinic and Beyond". In what ways has Your World Healthcare assisted you during your time as a locum?
M: I have been a dietitian since 1998. I took some time to go to the Caribbean and work there. Coming back to England was going to be hard, but my placement with Warwick Hospital through Your World was amazing. I realised that my self-directed learning had kept me up to date, and Callum helped me to find my feet through locum work. Home Enteral Feeding is my dietetic love, so having this as my first placement was a plus.
A: My first Dietetic job was through YWHC and my agent had lots of experience. I asked about being a new dietitian and how things work in the NHS and private settings. I had never thought about doing locum work previously, but after making some inquiries, I realised it would be the perfect match for me.
In my first role, I was nervous and anxious about how my university knowledge would apply to the acute setting. I had little experience working in busy acute wards. I informed my employer, and they helped me adjust slowly by shadowing fellow dietitians. This gave me time to understand the role, procedures, and policies of the trust.
B: During my time as a Dietetics locum with YWHC I have had the opportunity to apply my knowledge within various roles and Trusts in acute and community settings. This has given me the opportunity to develop my dietetic knowledge in a working environment with different patient groups.
In which ways has agency work enhanced your career?
M: Callum quickly understood that I'm not necessarily looking to advance my career; being close to retirement gives you a different perspective on career advancement. He also understood that I wanted a challenge, and all his placements for me have met that challenge. The key thing is that with my diverse skills, I can fit into any setting. Callum appreciates that and places me accordingly.
A: The flexibility of locum work has allowed me to work in different hospital environments in various cities, giving me experience with different types of patients and caseloads. After graduating, it can be daunting to apply for a job, but YWHC made applications and interviews easy and straightforward.
Switching between jobs when a contract end is also smooth and exciting as you get to network and find what works best for you. I believe that working for an agency allows you to experience various settings and specialties. This can help you determine which one you prefer the most. Traditional clinical roles can be quite rigid in responsibilities and fixed in length of role, whereas with locum work you can manage your shifts according to your needs and circumstances.
B: Callum has been a joy to work with. Every time I am available for work, Callum is my first choice as he takes time to communicate with clients, keeping them updated by sending CVs and enquiring as to how interviews went.
He supports me and uses his experience to give me the necessary advice, all while keeping in contact throughout the process to see how I am getting along in my new Dietetics role.
The flexibility of locum work has allowed me to complete short contracts in the space of a year, one after the other, working with different Trusts and patients with varying medical conditions. This has accelerated my dietetic experience. Also, the roles have been both in England and further afield.
How has YWHC helped your professional development?
M: I have never used an agency before Your World. I have been a dietitian for many years and have enhanced my professional growth through various work placements. Having Your World take care of each role's compulsory training and documentation is a plus.
A: My placement through Callum allowed me to take on more responsibilities slowly as my knowledge and confidence progressed. They have also provided me with mentorship alongside another Band 5 dietitian. We work as a team with caseload management, and I feel comfortable asking questions to understand how the system and trust work.
Being a locum meant I had full flexibility over the hours and days I worked. Callum ensures any job opportunities he passes onto me facilitate what I am looking for. He is also always willing to communicate on my behalf my requirements regarding shifts and timings.
I find it so easy to work with Callum! Not only does he fully understand my role and the industry, but he is always eager to find me a suitable role.
B: Working with Callum, I have been able to keep things such as training and development up to date as well with the help of their on-hand compliance team. My professional development has been enhanced as I have been offered various challenging roles both in acute and community settings.
How do you see your role evolving going forward?
M: I have a good working relationship with Callum; I would like to continue doing locum work.
A: I hope to continue working as a locum dietitian; the flexibility is suitable for what I'm looking for. YWHC helps me stay organised with my training and registrations. This way, I never forget to renew them, and I'm always prepared for my next role. I'm always able to be open about what I am looking for in a role and make certain requests, such as the radius of travel.
Working with Callum takes away the hard work of looking for roles, as the agency has contacts and can come to me quicker than I can find the roles myself.
B: I am with a few agencies but have had the most beneficial experiences with Callum; in particular due to his excellent communication, advice and feedback. Trust and consideration from an agency is just as important as the roles they can offer you and I feel I really have that with Your World.
What tips would you give Dietetics currently completing their academic studies to advance their career within various settings?
M: Try not to stick to just one specialty - try different areas until you find your passion. I tried several areas of practice before I got to Home Enteral Feeding.
Always ask questions to learn what you may not already know. Don't make yourself small for anyone! There will always be those who don't fully understand the Dietitian role, but you must let them hear your voice.
A: Learn from your colleagues, and don't be afraid to ask questions - there is no such thing as a silly question. Learn by discussing and observing how other dietitians deal with hard scenarios and complex patients. Learn about trust rules and procedures and how they affect patient care. Each trust has its own way of doing things, which can affect treatment results.
If you are new to dietetics, be inquisitive and create your own case studies to work from. Create a list of information you gather during your time as a dietitian. This will help you grasp steps and processes you may need until you have mastered them.
B: I would say learn as much as possible during your studies, especially with different patient groups. Gain knowledge by listening to webinars and keeping updated with the latest changes in dietetic advice, supplements, etc. Familiarise yourself with societies such as the BDA Malnutrition Pathway or the Gut Society. Seek support from specialist Dietitians. Most of all, real learning is in the clinic with different patients, so it is really important to be diverse and be able to develop the skill of applying transferable knowledge and clinical judgment.
