Dietitians
Welcome to the Jersey Nutrition and Dietetic Service
What is the role of a dietitian?
Dietitians translate scientific and medical decisions relating to food and health into terms which everyone can understand. Dietitians work as part of a team, care for people in hospital or the community. They also work to promote good health by teaching the public and other health professionals about diet and nutrition. We endeavour to ensure safe and evidence-based information about nutrition is available for Jersey’s population. Health and Social Services employs only State Registered Dietitians. The British Dietetic Association has a helpful website if you'd like to find out more.
Website: http://www.bda.uk.com
The Department of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics
Our team consists of two full-time dietitians and a dietitian who works half-time in clinical areas and half-time in reasearch.
Hours of work Monday - Thursday 8.30am – 5pm
Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm
Contact Address
Department of Metabolic Medicine
23 Kensington Place, St Helier, JE2 3PA
Telephone 00 44 (0) 1534 622542
Fax 00 44 (0) 1534 887566
or
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
Overdale Hospital, Westmount Road,
St Helier, Jersey, JE2 3LP
Telephone 00 44 (0) 1534 624660
A contact number for extended holiday periods is available from the hospital switchboard -(for emergency use only). Each telephone extension has a voicemail option for messages and dietitians carry bleeps:
Jill Fa ...............367 (team leader) Naomi Tucker.....762 (senior dietitian) Diane Smith ......262 (senior dietitain)
Services for in-patients
The Dietetic Department provide a service across all areas of Health and Social Services. Advice is given to patients and staff on all aspects of nutrition and therapeutic diets. Patients within the Island's residential and nursing homes are also treated.
How to refer an in-patient to the dietitian
Jersey health professionals can refer patients using either the multidisciplinary referral or the dietetic referral form. Please give as much information as possible. Once the referral form is complete, contact the Dietetic Department, and leave the referral form on the ward for the dietitian to collect. Where possible try to include the following information:
Surname, forename, title, unit number Date of birth, address, postcode GP, consultant (if applicable) Principal diagnosis, relevant clinical details and past medical history Dietary treatment/advice requested Doctor’s signature and date Nutrition risk score (if nutrition screening tool has been completed)
Services for outpatients
Weekly weight management, nutrition support, paedriatric and diabetic clinics are held either at the Diabetes Centre or Overdale Hospital for patients referred via GPs, consultants or other health professionals. A monthly multi-disciplinary children's feeding clinic is held in the General Hospital.
How to Refer outpatients to the dietician
Health professionals are able to refer outpatients for dietetic advice by either using the referral form or sending a letter of referral to the Dietetic Department. Patients will be sent an appointment in the post for the most appropriate clinic. This is a free service. New appointments generally last 30 - 45 minutes and follow up appointments 10 - 20 minutes. The dietician will then write back to the referring agent to notify them of any advice given.
The Dietetic Department is able to provide advice and support for:
Nutrition assessment/healthy eating Nutrition support/enteral feeding Diabetes Diets for renal disease Suitable diets for various gastrointestinal disorders Weight and lipid management Food allergy/intolerance Metabolic diseases which require dietary manipulation Diets for neurological diseases Diet and arthritis Failure to thrive Disorders of liver, pancreas and gallbladder Eating disorders Diets for specific patient groups (elderly, children, pregnant women)
Other roles of the Dietetic Department
Training and Talks Health Promotion Media Links Resource Development Multidisciplinary team work Research
Continuing Professional Developement
The department is commited to continuing professional development. Dietitians keep updated on current research and practices through journal updates, professional development meetings, study days an as members of various specialist interest groups.
Additional information
Nutrition Screening Tool
A nutrition-screening tool (NST) is used within hospitals to help identify malnourished inpatients. Patients considered at high nutritional risk are referred to the Dietetic Department. The department trains nursing staff on the use of the tool. For further information on training, or the NST, please contact the Dietetic Department.
Ward therapeutic manual
Each ward area has an allocated ward manual giving basic advice for health professionals on each of the therapeutic diets. This information is NOT a diet sheet and should therefore NOT be photocopied and given to patients. If you require a further copy please notify the Dietetic Department.
Dietary supplements
Dietitians may advise an in-patient to take a dietary supplement or sip feed to help meet their nutritional requirements. If patients continue to need them on discharge home, they will be sent with a small supply from the ward. Dietitians or district nurses are responsible for ensuring patients receive an on-going supply from Family Nursing and Home Care. Dietary products are available to members of FNHC at a reduced rate.
(Thickening agents for use at ward level should be ordered via the JD Edwards system from central stores)
Patients at home on enteral feeds
If a patient is to be discharged on a nasogastric or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feed, a nurse will notify the dietitian as soon as possible, to make arrangements for discharge and follow-up.
Menus
If a patient requires a therapeutic diet, which is not available on the general menu, then the special diet form should be completed and returned to the Diet Ched in the Catering Department. The meal chosen today will be sent tomorrow.
The General Hospital follows a five-weekly menu cycle. The menus have been coded so that suitable items can be chosen for those on:
Diabetic diet (D) Vegetarian diet (V) Healthy eating, weight reducing diet and lipid lowering (HE) Modified texture diet (EC, MM, dysphagia)
