Nutrition and Dietetics
Dietetics is the medical specialty dealing with food and nutrition.
We are a team of health professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional concerns. We work closely with adults and children, their families, and carers to provide evidence-based advice that helps improve health and wellbeing.
We offer services both within the hospital and in the community, including outpatient clinics, home visits, schools, and care homes. We see patients individually and in groups both face-to-face and virtually (via phone or video call).
Who we are
All of our dietitians are fully qualified (degree level) and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You can verify our registrations. Our team also includes dietetic assistant practitioners and clerical staff who help ensure you receive the best possible care.
How we can help
We offer support in a range of areas, including:
- Nutritional Support: Helping individuals maintain a healthy weight through food-based advice and, where needed, nutritional supplements.
- Artificial feeding: Providing advice on enteral and parenteral nutrition at home and in hospital.
- Pregnancy: Supporting nutritional intake throughout pregnancy.
- Diabetes: Supporting individuals with Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational diabetes, including education for patients, carers, families, and healthcare professionals.
- Weight Management: Choose You is a free local service that is designed to help individuals achieve and maintain a healthy weight while supporting overall health and wellbeing. If you live or work in Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, or Milton Keynes, you can self-refer via the website. For those whose needs may not be fully met by Choose You, our Dietitians are available to provide tailored support and guidance for effective weight management.
- Oncology: Supporting individuals living with or recovering from cancer to optimise their nutritional intake.
- Gastroenterology: Supporting individuals living with conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (including Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis) and Constipation
- Intensive Care: Providing specialised nutritional support for critically ill patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Bedford Hospital
- Community Support: Offering dietetic care to people in their own homes, GP practices, care homes, and schools. Supporting good hydration in care homes by educating staff on its importance to reduce the risk of dehydration, urinary tract infections (UTIs), falls, and improve residents’ overall wellbeing.
- Paediatrics: Supporting children under 18 and their families with conditions like selective eating, allergies, intolerances, tube feeding, and promoting healthy growth.
Referrals:
If you think you would benefit from speaking to a dietitian, please talk to your GP, nurse, or healthcare professional, who can refer you to our team.
Contact details:
Phone: 01234 792171
Email: bhn-tr.dietitiansbedford@nhs.net
The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital aims to provide a professional and evidence-based service to improve the nutritional health of service users. We provide in-patient and out-patient care, across a range of specialities including paediatrics, gastroenterology, obesity, head and neck oncology, upper GI oncology, maxillofacial surgery, intensive care and coronary heart disease.
Dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level. Dietitians use the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease, which we translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices. We are the only nutrition professionals to be statutorily regulated and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that we always work to the highest standard. All Dietitians are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). For further information regarding the role a Dietitian please see the British Dietetic Association Website.
The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital:
Clinical Service Manager and Nutrition Team Dietitian – Siân Lunt
Paediatric Team Lead Dietitian – Sarah Edwards
Head and Neck Oncology MacMillan Dietitian – KT Martinelli
Cardiac Rehab Dietitian – Tahereh Zarie-Foroosh
Paediatric Dietitians – Caroline Sale, Naomi Riley, Sunita Bangaroo, Miriam Dyar
Surgical and Respiratory Dietitian – Aminder Sagoo
Gastroenterology and Upper GI Dietitian – Andrea Kingsmill
Dietitians – Lauren Shield
Admin Team – Nasima Begum, Sajneek Arora
The Nutrition Team at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital has the following members: Consultant Gastroenterologist – Dr Rui Gao, a Nutrition Nurse Specialist, a Biochemist, a Pharmacist and a Dietitian.
The following services are provided by the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics:
- Inpatient dietetic care for all service users at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital
- Weekly outpatient clinics at the Luton and Dunstable University hospital including;
- General Adult Dietetic Clinics
- Paediatric Dietetic Clinics
- Gastroenterology Dietetic Clinic
- Coronary Heart Disease Clinic
- Training and education for staff
- Regular service user group education sessions including the Low FODMAP diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Coeliac Group, Pulmonary Rehab and Healthy Heart group talks
- Clinical placements for Student Dietitians from the University of Hertfordshire.
Accessing the service
Patients need to be referred via their consultant.
Contact
The Dietitians are available Monday to Friday, 8.00 – 16.00 on 01582 497544. Out of hours the department has an answer phone in operation. If there is no one available to take your call please leave a message.