Gastroenterology Dietitians
What is a gastroenterology dietitian?
Patients who have digestive conditions or surgery that affect their digestive system usually have special dietary requirements. Gastroenterology dietitians specialise in identifying these requirements and working with patients to achieve and maintain optimum health. We see patients with a wide range of digestive conditions including coeliac disease.
Gastroenterology dietitians provide specialist evidence-based dietary advice and written resources to support patients to manage their condition, together with their medical treatment. We see patients that have been referred to us on the ward and in out-patient clinics by their Consultant or GP.
To see a dietitian, you will need to discuss this with your GP.
Who should be referred to a gastroenterology dietitian?
Please refer in-patients with:
- Poor appetite or weight loss (MUST score of 2 or more)
- Requirement for enteral feeding tube requiring feeding regime
- Requirement for parenteral nutrition*
- Newly diagnosed coeliac disease
- Gastrointestinal disorders requiring dietary modification (e.g. low fibre diet)
- Eating disorders (i.e. anorexia nervosa, bulimia)
- Requirement for liver transplant work-up
* Refer immediately to the Nutrition Support Team – bleep 89755 or 89760 or see "Contacts" for the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics telephone number
Please refer out-patients with:
- Coeliac disease and Dermatitis Herpetiformis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Other conditions that can be helped by individually tailored dietary advice (e.g. pancreatitis or bowel resection)
Useful links:
- British Dietetic Association
- Coeliac UK
- Core Charity (Digestive Disorders Foundation)
- Crohn’s and Colitis UK (NACC): www.nacc.org.uk
Referrers may also find the following website useful:
- NICE Guidelines for recognition and assessment of coeliac disease
- NHS Clinical Knowledge Summaries
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