can we ask for a gluten free prescription for

dawnydee73

Steve-o wrote: »

Dietetics is a 4 year degree, or 3 year compressed (no breaks) at some universities, so I can see how some people would want the option of a shorter course, especially if they did not want to work in a healthcare setting, or be held by a rigid professional code of conduct.

An accredited nutrition course is also a 3 year degree course, the job role of dietician and nutritionist is different, not everyone working in a role linked to nutrition wants to be a dietician

Gingernutty

There are plenty of people calling themselves nutritionists who take their role seriously, study hard and are accepted by the NHS as professionals.

However, the term nutritionist is not protected, the guidelines are not legally binding and anyone can set themselves up as a nutritionist (watch from about 25secs onwards).

Dr Gillian McKeith, anyone?

Steve-o

dawnydee73 wrote: »

An accredited nutrition course is also a 3 year degree course, the job role of dietician and nutritionist is different, not everyone working in a role linked to nutrition wants to be a dietician

"Dietitian" is a protected professional title, with strict codes of conduct, that shows that a person has attained a defined level of understanding about the role of nutrition and its biochemical effect on the human body, and applying this in a health setting; it does not dictate what role they take. A dietitian can take on any role they want, from healthcare right through to working in industry.

Although there are things that a dietitian can do that a 'nutritionist' cannot, what can a 'nutritionist' do that a dietitian cannot?

Steve-o

Gingernutty wrote: »

Dr Gillian McKeith, anyone?

I wonder how many people think she's a medical doctor, through misleading use of the title.

dawnydee73

Steve-o wrote: »

Although there are things that a dietitian can do that a 'nutritionist' cannot, what can a 'nutritionist' do that a dietitian cannot?

I agree with what you are saying and I do know this, but originally I respond to the post that was implying instead of making 'chartered nutritionist' a protected term, they should train to be dietician, which they may not want to do. There is a place for both professions.

I personally would like to see a protected term for nutritionist because of the people who claim to be nutritionist with no formal training that could do more harm than good

Steve-o

dawnydee73 wrote: »

I personally would like to see a protected term for nutritionist because of the people who claim to be nutritionist with no formal training that could do more harm than good

I definitely agree with that, although I think the problem may come with actually defining what they want a protected-title nutritionist to be. To be protected there also has to be a code of conduct that has to be adhered to, which again comes back to what role a nutritionist is meant to take.

Gloomendoom

Steve-o wrote: »

I wonder how many people think she's a medical doctor, through misleading use of the title.

I wonder how many people think that she is any kind of doctor.

dawnydee73

Steve-o wrote: »

To be protected there also has to be a code of conduct that has to be adhered to, which again comes back to what role a nutritionist is meant to take.

There is a 'Code of Ethics & Statement of Professional Conduct' for the voluntary register, however I'm not sure if this is the same thing:

http://www.associationfornutrition.org/Portals/0/Public/Governance/Code%20of%20Ethics%20&%20Statement%20of%20Professional%20Conduct%202012.pdf

Steve-o

dawnydee73 wrote: »

There is a 'Code of Ethics & Statement of Professional Conduct' for the voluntary register, however I'm not sure if this is the same thing:

http://www.associationfornutrition.org/Portals/0/Public/Governance/Code%20of%20Ethics%20&%20Statement%20of%20Professional%20Conduct%202012.pdf

It's a start, but a professional body should require a person to be registered in order to use the term "nutritionist", rather than be voluntary. Any disseminated information should also require safeguards put in place so that only currently accepted knowledge can be passed, rather than being able to spout any old crap to get a 'sale'. But, again, that would all depend on the criteria of what a "nutritionist" is meant to be.

Any step to root out the quacks is positive though.

Person_one

Steve-o wrote: »

Dietetics is a 4 year degree, or 3 year compressed (no breaks) at some universities, so I can see how some people would want the option of a shorter course, especially if they did not want to work in a healthcare setting, or be held by a rigid professional code of conduct.

So they want the benefits of the protected professional title but don't want to actual do the study and put in the time to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary?

Sorry, but there's a reason why some roles have that protected status, and its not for the benefit of the professionals themselves.