Dietitian

There are many NHS settings in North West London where you might find a dietitian. Some of the hospitals dietitians work at in North West London are:

• Northwick Park Hospital
• Central Middlesex Hospital
• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
• Charing Cross Hospital
• Hillingdon Hospital
• Ealing Hospital

St Mark’s Hospital, which is a part of Northwick Park Hospital is a world-leading specialist hospital in gastroenterology (bowel health) and dietitians working there are experts in bowel and digestive issues.

Dietitians who work out in the community usually see patients in their own homes, health centres, or GP surgeries.  Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust is the biggest NHS community trust in the UK and has various sites in North West London where dietitians work.

Dietitians work with a wide range of people with a variety of medical issues or conditions.

They can help:

• people regain weight following a medical issue or surgery
• people with sustainable and successful weight loss
• people who have food intolerances or allergies
• children who may have issues with growth or feeding difficulties
• those who suffer from digestive issues
• those who live with chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure
• people that are unable to eat and may require feeding via a tube.

Dietitians start their career seeing a wide range of conditions, before finding an area to specialise in.

An average day will vary depending on where you are based. Below are some examples of what to expect.

Community dietitian

When I arrive at the health centre I log into my computer, catch up with colleagues and check my emails. I prepare for a home visit to a patient who is recovering from a stroke, by looking at their case notes. I take note of their weight, height, if they have had any blood tests, what other medical issues they have, and what medications they are on. I then head to the patient’s house. During the visit, I talk to the patient and their family to find out how their appetite is, what they’re eating, and if they have any issues that may affect their eating. I also weigh the patient. I use this information to provide a plan to help improve the patient’s nutrition. Once the visit is completed, I come back to the office where I write up the patient’s notes, and send an email to the GP about medication. 

After lunch, another dietitian and I head to an afternoon clinic based at a GP surgery, where we advise patients on a wide range of conditions e.g.  diabetes, weight loss and digestive issues. During the clinic we see 12 patients between us. Some patients are accompanied by interpreters as they do not speak English.  After the clinic we upload our notes onto the medical system and send more information to the patients.

Hospital Dietitian

I start my day by checking all the new referrals for the wards that I cover and check if any of my existing patients have been discharged. I plan out which patients I need to see, and head to the wards to assess them by reading their medical notes, speaking with the patient,  their family and the nurses and doctors, before agreeing a plan.

Most of the patients we see have poor appetites, are underweight or have lost weight so need extra nutrition to help their recovery. This may be because of an infection, a fall, surgery etc. We may recommend nutritional supplement drinks, fortified foods, a high protein or low potassium diet, all depending on their condition.  

Some patients may require short-term tube feeding if their illness means they are not able to eat and drink enough to get better. My role is to assess the patient by calculating how much energy/calories, protein and other nutrients they need. I then formulate a feeding plan by choosing the appropriate formula based on their medical condition and my calculations. 

After I see the patients, I write their casenotes  which summarises my assessment and plan. After lunch I return to the wards to see more patients, but sometimes I run a dietetic advice clinic and run a healthy eating talk for patients who have had a heart attack or heart surgery.

Dietitians work with multiple medical and allied health professions. For example, they work closely with speech and language therapists, for people who have difficulties swallowing, and with nurses to discuss nutritional plans. Teamwork is key and helps to get the best treatment for patients.

There are a few different routes to becoming a dietitian.  All involve gaining a university degree. Generally, you will need two or three A levels including either maths, biology, or chemistry.

You can complete a BSc degree in Nutrition and Dietetics – this is 3-4 years long and includes completing placements in healthcare settings for practical learning.  You will have classes in subjects such as biochemistry, physiology, psychology and nutritional sciences.

If you complete a BSc degree in a science field, you can then become a dietitian by pursuing a two year Masters degree in Dietetics.  This route also involves completing placements in healthcare settings.  Classes include subjects such as nutritional sciences, dietetics, and public health.

Another route is to complete a dietetic apprenticeship. This route allows you to work as an apprentice in a dietetic setting, earning an income for part of the week, as well as studying at university for the other part of the week to complete a degree in dietetics.

A newly qualified dietitian will enter at band 5 on the NHS Agenda for change pay scale. This has a salary between £28,000 to £34,500. In addition, NHS roles in North West London attract an extra 15-20% of pay as a high cost area supplement, meaning the salary in one of our eight boroughs starts from £32,200.

Support workers are usually employed at NHS agenda for change pay bandings 3 and 4. Salaries can range from £22,000 to £27,500. Including the high cost area supplement, salaries in North West London start from 25,300.

AHPs are able to move up the agenda for change pay bands as they progress in their career.  To see what the salaries are for more experienced staff, you can view the salary bands here.

The NHS also has other employee benefits such as annual leave of between 27 - 33 days, plus bank holidays; an excellent pension scheme; and other payment schemes during periods where staff are off work e.g. maternity and sickness.

The British Dietetic Association is the professional body representing Dietitians in the UK.  You can learn more about what Dietitians do and how to become one here: About Dietetics | British Dietetic Association (BDA)

You can also read more about a career as a Dietitian and other allied health careers here: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/speech-and-language-therapist