Dietitians' Week is an annual awareness event, organised by the British Dietetic Association (BDA), that runs from 5 - 9 June 2023.
Our dietitians are registered with the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) and provide nutritional advice and support to patients experiencing a wide range of health conditions.
"I am proud to be a dietitian because it allows me to work in a field that I am very passionate about and I enjoy being able to help people use food to improve their overall health.
As there is also so much misinformation around nutrition, it is highly rewarding being able to help people using an evidence-based practice and seeing results from this."
"For me, being a dietitian is very rewarding – for example, contributing to the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and supporting patients' nutritional needs while they are unable to eat and drink for themselves.
Reviewing a patient's medical situation and giving support to manipulate their diet to directly improve their quality of life brings the most reward – it is often the little suggestions that patients thank you the most for. Taking time to get to know a patient's needs and wishes and incorporating this into their treatment plan is very important to me.
It’s the relationships you build with your patients and other members of the MDT that also bring a lot of reward to the job!
In my role as Dietetic Manager, I use my influence to drive change and improvement with catering for patients, staff and visitors to the hospital. This supports us to not just talk about helping people to live healthier, happier lives in clinics, but to have suitable food options available at our hospital to live our values. Via our Hospital Nutrition group, I’m able to work with my team and other health professionals to support safe, effective nutritional care for our patients."
- Niamh Hennessy, Lead Dietitian
"I am proud to be a dietitian because of the impact I can have on such a large range of people. The positive changes that we can provide for people often going through a difficult time is so rewarding. It is often underestimated the effect that changes to your nutritional intake can have on your energy levels, overall well-being and, in some cases, symptoms.
I am proud that we are such a holistic and patient-centred health profession, who get the opportunities to build such supportive relationships with our patients."
"I genuinely enjoy connecting with my patients, listening with a smile to their concerns, and helping them to pause and reflect in order to provide them with a personalised plan that helps them lead a healthier lifestyle.
I often try to help patients to lose 5% of their weight and maintain it long term, feel more confident regarding their approach to their daily lifestyle, and become more aware of their healthy and unhealthy eating behaviours.
I enjoy seeing complex patients with diverse needs. I recently helped a Type 1 diabetic Japanese patient learn how to count carbohydrates and increase her awareness and knowledge regarding what influences her blood sugars (such as alcohol intake and exercise). A few small changes resulted in better controlled blood sugar levels and better HBA1c levels.
Additionally, I support a lot of women at different stages in their lives, from pregnancy through to menopause and old age. We work together to look at their daily struggles and make one-to-two changes at a time to prevent weight gain over long term. I also help patients suffering from gut symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome, to have a better quality of life by providing an appropriate diet for three months (low-FODMAP diet) that helps them heal their gut.
Overall, I help patients gain better control over their diet and their lives. As a result, I feel proud of my dietetic input, as I help patients improve their quality of life."