What is a dietitian and what do they do?
Only dietitians registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) can use the legally protected title ‘dietitian’ and they are the only nutrition professionals to be regulated by law and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that they always work to the highest standard.
A dietitian is a health professional who:
- Holds a graduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics
- Helps to promote nutritional well being, manages disease and prevents nutrition related problems
- Provides practical safe advice based on current scientific evidence
- Translates nutrition science into understandable, practical information about food, allowing people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices
- Manages a range of medical conditions with dietary therapy, specially tailored to each individual
What to Expect at the Consultation
- Initial consultations last 1 hour, prior to which you will be asked to complete a registration form for recording all relevant medical history
- You may be asked to keep a record of all food and drinks taken for 3 days prior to the consultation
- During the consultation, Jackie will assess your food preferences, habits, lifestyle , sports and exercise and make an assessment of your nutritional intake
- Goals will be agreed and written advice will be provided
- Follow up appointments usually take 30 minutes, the frequency of which depend on how much on-going support and advice each client needs.
Many insurance companies will cover the cost for seeing a dietitian for a medical condition. Usually a doctor’s referral is required