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- Help people improve their health and wellbeing through nutrition
- You'll need to have good people skills, sensitivity and a caring nature
- Work for a healthcare provider or become self-employed as a freelancer
As a Dietitian in the NHS, you could be based at a hospital or in the community. In a hospital, your job would involve specialising in an area like children's health, renal dietetics or cancer care, running clinics for people with diabetes or eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia, and working with catering services to create menus for patients with a range of dietary needs. In the community, you could be raising awareness of the importance of healthy eating, running health promotion workshops, or advising people who lack confidence, have depression, or are on a low income.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
In a hospital, your job could involve:
- Specialising in an area like children's health, renal dietetics or cancer care
- Running clinics for people with diabetes or eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia
- Working with catering services to create menus for patients with a range of dietary needs
In the community, you could be:
- Raising awareness of the importance of healthy eating
- Running health promotion workshops
- Advising people who lack confidence, have depression, or are on a low income
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
As a dietitian in the NHS, you could be based at a hospital or in the community. You'll work with other health professionals and nutritionists. You may also supervise the work of dietetic assistants.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with excellent communication skills, motivational skills, organisational skills, and business skills if you're working as a freelancer.
You'll need a degree or postgraduate qualification in dietetics or human nutrition, accredited by the British Dietetic Association. You could work as a dietetic assistant and study part time for a degree to qualify as a dietitian.
You may also be able to do a dietitian degree apprenticeship.
You may be able to take a postgraduate course if you already have a degree with an acceptable level of human physiology and biochemistry.
You'll find it helpful to get some paid or voluntary experience in the health or care sector before you apply for a course. You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for further advice.
You'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council and you may find it useful to join organisations like the British Dietetic Association, for training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
You'll also need to pass enhanced background checks, as you may be working with children and vulnerable adults.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience you could become a team leader or department manager. You could also become self-employed. You might take further training to use your skills in education, manufacturing, research, journalism, marketing, advertising or public relations.