Information
Please note that variation of roles differs in surgeries across Mid and South Essex. Please check with your GP’s reception team to find out which roles are available for you to access.
About dietitians in general practice
Diet and obesity are the main factors or one of the main factors in the causes of many long-term conditions (LTCs) or Ambulatory Care Sensitive conditions (ACS) including diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, stroke, heart disease and mental health conditions. This means that dietary treatment is key to the management of these conditions.
How can dietitians support patients?
- enable patients to self-manage their conditions
- make ‘prevention’ possible in primary care
- manage prescribed medicines effectively and efficiently
- manage the prescribing of Nutritional Borderline Substances (NBS) products such as gluten free foods, oral nutritional supplements, enteral feeds and infant formulae
- reduce the need for expensive referrals to secondary care and the need for hospitalisation
- utilise technology effectively
- be part of the multidisciplinary primary care home team
BDA leaflet for more information
How do they support GP practices?
Many patients that have previously require a lot of time and support from GPs have been shown to be effectively treated by dietitians e.g. obese patients, patients with diabetes, IBS and malnourished patients. Advanced dietitians can train to become supplementary prescribers and prescribe medicines that the patient would otherwise have to see the GP for.