Nutrition and dietetics
About the service
The Nutrition and Dietetics Service delivered by Hertfordshire Community Services NHS Trust (HCT) helps children and adults with all aspects of diet and food intake so that people stay healthy and avoid becoming malnourished or dangerously overweight.
Services are provided by a team of healthcare professionals. This includes registered dietitians who are qualified to assess, diagnose and treat patients, plus dietetic practice assistants and administrative staff. They provide advice and support with maintaining good nutrition, parenteral and enteral nutrition (tube feeding) as well as those requiring home enteral feeding.
Services are provided through clinics, virtual clinics (by phone) and home visits including care homes. There are also group education sessions on various topics, including irritable bowel syndrome and coeliac disease.
The service works with GPs, care homes, hospices, education, community support, public health and social care services to promote good nutrition and prevent malnutrition. It also provides education and training for health and social care workers. In this way the service aims to provide the best possible support for a wide range of patients.
HCT works with four organisations to deliver specific aspects of care and support as part of the service:
- West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust – providing specialist multi-disciplinary support for both children and adults with nutrition and dietetics needs.
- Hertfordshire Independent Living Service (HILS) – delivering training on the recognition and treatment of malnutrition for local carer agencies and care home teams
- Age UK Hertfordshire – providing social support and nutrition awareness for patients with or at high risk of malnutrition
- Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – providing specialist multi-disciplinary weight management services for obese patients, often with more complex needs (Tier 3 pathway)
Clinics
|
St Albans and Harpenden |
St Albans Health and Wellbeing Centre, Civic Centre, St Albans |
Tuesday 9am – 12.45pm and 1.15 - 5pm (adults) Wednesday 9.15am to 12noon (Children and Young People); 1.30 - 4pm (Adults) |
|
Watford and Three Rivers |
The Avenue (Hub), The Avenue, Watford |
Tuesdays 9am -12noon (Adults) |
|
Watford and Three Rivers |
Skidmore Way Health Clinic, Skidmore Way, Rickmansworth |
Wednesday 9.30am – 4pm (Adults) |
|
Watford and Three Rivers |
Peace Children’s Centre, Peace Prospect, Watford |
Friday 1.30 – 4pm |
|
Watford and Three Rivers |
Peace Hospice |
Tuesday 9am – 4.30pm |
|
Dacorum |
Marlowes Health and Wellbeing Centre (Hub), Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead |
Monday 1.30 - 4pm (Children and Young People) Thursday 9am – 12.30pm (Adults) |
| Dacorum | Gossoms End Community Hospital, Victory Road, Berkhamsted | Tuesday 9.30am to 12noon (Adults) |
|
Hertsmere |
Potters Bar Hospital (Hub), Oakmere Ward, Potters Bar |
Monday 9.30am – 12.30pm (Adults) Thursday 9.15am – 12.30pm (Adults) |
|
Hertsmere |
Elstree Way Clinic, Elstree Way, Borehamwood |
Tuesday 9am – 12noon (Adults) Tuesday 1 – 4pm (Children and Young People) |
Further information
Further information about the service can be found on the Hertfordshire Community Trust website.
Other useful websites
Allergy UK
National charity supporting allergy sufferers in the UK.
www.allergyuk.org
British Dietetic Association
Information on food and nutrition, diet and medical conditions, and reliable facts on the latest food and health issues.
www.bda.uk.com
British Nutrition Foundation
Provides healthy eating information, resources for schools, news items, recipes and details of work undertaken around the UK.
www.nutrition.org.uk
Change4Life
Public health programme run by the Department of Health aiming to help improve public’s diet and lifestyle.
www.nhs.uk/change4life
Diabetes UK
British based charity supporting people with, and at risk, of diabetes.
www.diabetes.org.uk
Infant and Toddler Forum
Practical advice for healthy eating habits for pregnancy to preschool.
www.infantandtoddlerforum.org
Macmillan Cancer Support
British Charity providing specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer.
www.macmillan.org.uk
National Obesity Forum
Forum for tackling diabetes, heart disease and weight related illness.
www.nationalobesityforum.org.uk
Patients on Intravenous and Naso-gastric Nutrition Treatment (PINNT)
Support group for people receiving artificial nutrition.
pinnt.com