Dietitians are the only qualified and regulated health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems. Dietitians working in Paediatric and TYA oncology focus optimising the nutritional status of patients undergoing treatment.
Dietitians tend to lead in nutritional assessment in most units and in planning a nutrition care plan for patients. They provide a wide range of advice to patients undergoing treatment and beyond. This can range from giving dietary advice to counteract the impact of treatment related side effects such as mucositis, taste changes etc through to assessing the nutritional quality of diet and advising on vitamin and mineral requirements. They will assess patients who need artificial nutrition support such as enteral tube feeding or parenteral nutrition (TPN) and support patient’s and their carers undergoing this form of nutrition support.
Dietitians are also able to support patients with excessive weight gain, unbalanced diets and support patients following the completion of treatment as part of a late effects service.
Professional accreditation
Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be regulated by law and are governed by an ethical code of conduct to ensure that they always work to the highest standard. The HCPC Health and Care professions Council (HCPC) regulates registered dietitians and publish a register of dietitians who meet their standards.
Nutritionists, nutritional therapists or diet experts are not governed by the same rigorous code of conduct, training or qualifications as dietitians and do not have to register with any regulatory bodies or adhere to a code of conduct. Registered Dietitians will have a minimum of a degree in Dietetics (or a science related degree with a postgraduate diploma in dietetics) from a HCPC approved University Course.
How to contact a dietitian
Dietitians are usually accessed through a hospital based dietetic department or Community dietetic/home enteral feeding services. In the UK there is a specialist group devoted to Paediatric and TYA oncology dietitians which is a subgroup of the Paediatric Dietitian’s Group of the British Dietetic Association.