Our Vision
We will provide a professional and evidence-based service to improve the nutrition and health of service users
Our Objectives
- Support dietary and lifestyle behaviour change through improving the knowledge, skills and confidence of patients to enable them to manage long-term health conditions
Examples:
- Providing patient group education sessions e.g. Specialist Weight Management Service, BARNI, Cardiac Rehab.
- Outpatient services e.g. FODMAP diet in IBS
- Educate healthcare professionals about nutrition to support the effective delivery of nutritional care to patients.
Examples:
- Delivery of MUST training to enable staff to identify patients at risk of malnutrition and provide practical first-line nutrition support to enhance recovery
- Provide preventative care and rehabilitation to maximise the quality of life for patients, ultimately reducing the burden of cost on the NHS through reducing the number of hospital admissions and duration of hospital stay, in addition to appropriate prescribing.
Examples:
- Stroke MDT working to reduce risk of aspiration pneumonia and to avoid complications following PEG insertion
- Managing the effects of diseases and their treatments e.g. malabsorption in IBD and cancer, to achieve optimal nutritional status and minimise the risk of malnutrition through appropriate nutritional support
- Facilitating safe discharge of patients receiving artificial nutritional support
- Work in partnership with other disciplines to ensure that processes and procedures that promote good nutritional care are implemented.
Examples:
- Liaison with catering service to support the effectiveness of nutrition and hydration systems within acute and community hospitals
- Attendance and participation at Nutrition Steering Group meetings
- All dietitians to meet Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards for continuous professional development.
Examples:
- CPD opportunities e.g. regular departmental clinical updates, opportunities to attend development/ study days appropriately identified through personal development plan, clinical supervision
- Support the learning and development of students through the provision of structured training and/ or observational opportunities.
Examples:
- Providing A, B and C Placements for dietetic students from the University of Plymouth
- Work experience/ shadowing