can we ask for a gluten free prescription for

Person_one

dawnydee73 wrote: »

What if they don't want to be dieticians?

What would a 'nutritionist' do or know that a dietician wouldn't?


Edit: I see Steve beat me to asking the question, sorry, but I'm leaving it up anyway as it hasn't been answered yet.

dawnydee73

Person_one wrote: »

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?

I am talking about the ones that do the BSc or MSc degrees

dawnydee73

What would a 'nutritionist' do or know that a dietician wouldn't?

As already said a dietician can do what a nutritionist do, but a nutritionist can't do everything a dietician can do, we know that. However, a nutritionist doesn't necessary want to be a dietitian, there doesn't just have to be one profession. From the BDA website:

What is the difference between a dietitian and nutritionist?
Dietetics is the interpretation and communication of the science of nutrition to enable people to make informed and practical choices about food and lifestyle, in both health and disease. A dietitian will have trained in both hospital and community settings as part of their course. Most dietitians are employed in the NHS, but dietitians also work in the food industry, education, research and on a freelance basis. It is necessary to have a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) recognised degree in nutrition and dietetics to work as a dietitian and to be registered with the HCPC if working as a dietitian. The title dietitian is protected by law, anyone using the title must be registered with the HCPC.

Nutrition is the study of nutrients in food, how nutrients are used by the body, and the relationship between diet, health and disease. Most of the major food manufacturers and retailers employ nutritionists and food scientists but opportunities also arise in journalism, research and education. There are a variety of careers within the field of food science and technology. Many nutritionists hold a nutrition degree and are on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists, but this is not a mandatory register. Further information about training to be a nutritionist can be found at https://www.associationfornutrition.org

Steve-o

dawnydee73 wrote: »

As already said a dietician can do what a nutritionist do, but a nutritionist can't do everything a dietician can do, we know that. However, a nutritionist doesn't necessary want to be a dietitian, there doesn't just have to be one profession. From the BDA website:

I understand what you are saying, but why two professions if a dietician can do everything that a nutritionist can?

There are people who study nutrition to follow non-standard dietetic careers, such as research, but in that case would they want to register with a voluntary professional body in the first place? Physicists (for example) don't have a protected title, because their research/application roles do not need it: anything that they disseminate is peer reviewed.

Person_one

Sorry, but I just don't understand why somebody who wants to do the job of a dietician wouldn't just become a dietician.

Its like doing a biomedical sciences degree and then expecting to work as a doctor!

Steve-o

Steve-o wrote: »

I understand what you are saying, but why two professions if a dietician can do everything that a nutritionist can?

To answer my own question: being as dietetics is an NHS funded degree, there would have to be a shift in policy so that people not wanting to work within the NHS could self-fund. There would also be problems with the limited number of NHS placements available during the course, which would need to go to people wanting a role within the NHS.

Person_one

Steve-o wrote: »

To answer my own question: being as dietetics is an NHS funded degree, there would have to be a shift in policy so that people not wanting to work within the NHS could self-fund. There would also be problems with the limited number of NHS placements available during the course, which would need to go to people wanting a role within the NHS.

Studying for an NHS funded degree doesn't mean you have any obligation to work for the NHS after qualifying.

Whether that's right or not I'll let you decide...

Steve-o

Person_one wrote: »

Studying for an NHS funded degree doesn't mean you have any obligation to work for the NHS after qualifying.

Whether that's right or not I'll let you decide...

Very true, as I know people who took the industry routes, and free-lance routes.

The funding dictates the number of places though, especially with the need to do clinical NHS placements during the course. That would either mean that the NHS were funding more free-lance careers (not good), or that people wanting to "do what a dietician does" would not be able to. Perhaps that's not such a bad thing, but it would not stop the number of 'nutritionists' out there increasing.

dawnydee73

Steve-o wrote: »

I understand what you are saying, but why two professions if a dietician can do everything that a nutritionist can?

There are people who study nutrition to follow non-standard dietetic careers, such as research, but in that case would they want to register with a voluntary professional body in the first place? Physicists (for example) don't have a protected title, because their research/application roles do not need it: anything that they disseminate is peer reviewed.

Good point, I suppose you don't get people calling themselves physicists when they've not got the relevant qualification. Whereas you a do a nutrition course that, say was for only 12 hours and call yourself a nutritionist or you can do a science based degree and call yourself a nutritionist. I do think it should be more regulated, but as you pointed out it does not seem that easy.

I did do a short course with the OU about four years ago called 'Challenging Obesity', it was an introduction into biology, biochemistry and nutrition. It never once stated you could work in nutrition, and rightly so, but I bet I cover more in that than some of these other nutrition courses

Steve-o

If registration were mandatory to use the name "nutritionist", for any person wanting to work with patients/clients, and governed (for instance) by the HCPC it would weed out the quacks, but still allow people with the relevant scientific qualification to enter industry or research.

I can't see that happening though, because the quacks won't want to adhere to rigorous professional codes of conduct.