Overview of the role

Using advanced communication and behaviour-change skills to enable people to make lifestyle and food choices to improve their health.

Details of standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in the health sector. Dietitians are predominantly employed by the NHS, working in hospitals, seeing patients both on wards and in out-patient clinics, and in the community, for example, seeing patients in GP practices, their own home, care homes, schools or health centres. Dietitians are also employed in the food industry, including clinical nutrition companies, with further employment opportunities in higher education, sport, media, and national and local government. Some dietitians are freelance and self-employed. 

The occupation’s broad purpose is to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, monitor, review and evaluate nutrition and dietetic interventions. Dietitians use the most up-to-date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease to inform their practice. They work in partnership with a diverse range of people to provide tailored, evidence-based practical advice to individuals, groups and populations across the lifespan. Dietitians are key members of clinical multi-disciplinary teams. They prevent, manage and treat a wide range of conditions including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, food allergy and intolerance, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, stroke, liver and kidney disease, mental health conditions, and disease-related malnutrition. Dietitians use advanced communication and behaviour-change skills to enable individuals to make lifestyle and food choices to improve their health and wellbeing. 

Dietitians also tailor specific nutritional, diet-related advice, using a range of tools to work with a diverse set of individuals, groups, communities and other health professionals.

They may supervise dietetic assistants/support workers and contribute to training dietetic students in the department. They will typically be managed by a dietitian service manager. Although they work as part of a wider healthcare team, dietitians often work remotely from the team as autonomous practitioners, which means that they are professionally and legally accountable for their own actions and decisions. They are responsible for maintaining their own knowledge and skills and must engage in continuing professional development activities to maintain their statutory registration.

Typical job titles include:

Dietitian

Entry requirements

Entry requirements will be determined by the employer and the university, however, this will typically include 3 A-levels (to include biology) or equivalent qualifications

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Practise safely and effectively within the scope of practice and within the legal and ethical boundaries of the profession.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11

Duty 2 Look after own health and wellbeing, seeking appropriate support where necessary.

K10 K11

S12 S13

B4

Duty 3 Practise as an autonomous professional, exercising professional judgement.

K12

S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S21

B1

Duty 4 Practise in a non-discriminatory and inclusive manner recognising the impact of culture, equality and diversity.

K13 K14 K15 K16 K17

S22 S23 S24 S25 S26

B5

Duty 5 Communicate effectively, maintaining confidentiality and records appropriately.

K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K24

S27 S28 S29 S30 S31 S32 S33 S34 S35 S36

Duty 6 Work appropriately with others.

K25 K26 K27 K28 K29

S37 S38 S39 S40 S41 S42 S43 S44 S45

B3

Duty 7 Reflect on, review and assure the quality of own practice.

K30 K31 K32

S46 S47 S48 S49 S50

B2

Duty 8 Draw on appropriate knowledge and skills to inform practice and apply the key concepts of the knowledge base relevant to the profession.

K33 K34 K35 K36 K37 K38 K39 K40 K41 K42 K43 K44 K45

S51 S52 S53 S54 S55 S56 S57 S58 S59 S60 S61 S62 S63 S64 S65 S66 S67 S68 S69 S70 S71 S72 S73

B6

Duty 9 Establish and maintain a safe practice environment.

K46 K47

S74 S75 S76 S77

B6

Duty 10 Promote public health and prevent ill health.

K48 K49

S78 S79


KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The importance of continuing professional development throughout own career. Back to Duty

K2: The importance of safeguarding, signs of abuse and relevant safeguarding processes. Back to Duty

K3: What is required of them by the Health and Care Professions Council, including but not limited to the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Back to Duty

K4: The importance of valid consent. Back to Duty

K5: The importance of capacity in the context of delivering care and treatment. Back to Duty

K6: The scope of a professional duty of care, and how to exercise that duty. Back to Duty

K7: Legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice. Back to Duty

K8: Policy, ethical and research frameworks that underpin, inform, and influence the practice of dietetics. Back to Duty

K9: The ethical and legal implications of withholding and withdrawing feeding including nutrition support. Back to Duty

K10: The importance of own mental and physical health and wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise. Back to Duty

K11: How to take appropriate action if own health may affect own ability to practise safely and effectively, including seeking help and support when necessary. Back to Duty

K12: The need for active participation in training, supervision and mentoring in supporting high standards of practice, and personal and professional conduct, and the importance of demonstrating this in practice. Back to Duty

K13: Equality legislation and how to apply it to own practice. Back to Duty

K14: The duty to make reasonable adjustments in practice. Back to Duty

K15: The characteristics and consequences of barriers to inclusion, including for socially isolated groups. Back to Duty

K16: That regard to equality, diversity and inclusion needs to be embedded in the application of all HCPC standards and across all areas of practice. Back to Duty

K17: The significance and potential effect of dietary and non-dietary factors when helping individuals, groups and communities to make informed choices about interventions and lifestyle, across a diverse range of dietetic interventions. Back to Duty

K18: When disclosure of confidential information may be required. Back to Duty

K19: The principles of information and data governance and the safe and effective use of health, social care and other relevant information. Back to Duty

K20: The need to ensure confidentiality is maintained in all situations in which service users rely on additional communication support, such as interpreters or translators. Back to Duty

K21: That the concepts of confidentiality and informed consent extend to all mediums, including illustrative clinical records such as photography, video and audio recordings and digital platforms. Back to Duty

K22: The characteristics and consequences of verbal and non-verbal communication and recognise how these can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences. Back to Duty

K23: The need to support the communication needs of service users and carers, such as through the use of an appropriate interpreter. Back to Duty

K24: The need to provide service users or people acting on own behalf with the information necessary in accessible formats to enable them to make informed decisions. Back to Duty

K25: The principles and practices of other health and care professionals and systems and how they interact with own profession. Back to Duty

K26: The need to build and sustain professional relationships as both an autonomous practitioner and collaboratively as a member of a team. Back to Duty

K27: The qualities, behaviours and benefits of leadership. Back to Duty

K28: That leadership is a skill all professionals can demonstrate. Back to Duty

K29: The need to engage service users and carers in planning and evaluating diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions to meet their needs and goals. Back to Duty

K30: The value of reflective practice and the need to record the outcome of such reflection to support continuous improvement. Back to Duty

K31: The value of multi-disciplinary reviews, case conferences and other methods of review. Back to Duty

K32: The value of gathering and using data for quality assurance and improvement programmes. Back to Duty

K33: The structure and function of the human body, together with knowledge of physical and mental health, disease, disorder and dysfunction relevant to their profession. Back to Duty

K34: The roles of other professions in health and social care and how they may relate to the role of dietitian. Back to Duty

K35: The structure and function of health and social care systems and services in the UK. Back to Duty

K36: The theoretical basis of, and the variety of approaches to, assessment, diagnosis, intervention and evaluation. Back to Duty

K37: in the context of nutrition and dietetic practice:- biochemistry- clinical dietetics- clinical medicine- epidemiology- genetics- genomics- immunology- microbiology- nutritional sciences- pathophysiology- pharmacology- physiology- psychology- public health nutrition. Back to Duty

K38: in the context of nutrition and dietetic practice:- food hygiene- food science- food skills- food systems management- menu planning- the factors that influence food choice. Back to Duty

K39: The principles behind the use of nutritional analysis programs to analyse food intake records and recipes and interpret the results. Back to Duty

K40: In the context of nutrition and dietetic practice legislation relating to food labelling and health claims. Back to Duty

K41: In the context of nutrition and dietetic practice, the use of appropriate educational strategies, communication, and models of empowerment, behaviour change and health promotion. Back to Duty

K42: In the context of nutrition and dietetic practice:- management of health and social care- public health relevant to the dietetic management of individuals, groups or communities- social policy- sociology. Back to Duty

K43: The methods commonly used in nutrition research. Back to Duty

K44: A range of research methodologies relevant to own role. Back to Duty

K45: The value of research to the critical evaluation of practice. Back to Duty

K46: The need to maintain the safety of themselves and others, including service users, carers and colleagues. Back to Duty

K47: Relevant health and safety legislation and local operational procedures and policies. Back to Duty

K48: The role of the profession in health promotion, health education and preventing ill health. Back to Duty

K49: How social, economic and environmental factors, wider determinants of health, can influence a person’s health and well-being. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Identify the limits of own practice and when to seek advice or refer to another professional or service. Back to Duty

S2: Recognise the need to manage own workload and resources safely and effectively, including managing the emotional burden that comes with working in a pressured environment. Back to Duty

S3: Keep own skills and knowledge up to date. Back to Duty

S4: Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct. Back to Duty

S5: Engage in safeguarding processes where necessary. Back to Duty

S6: Promote and protect the service user’s interests at all times. Back to Duty

S7: Respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of service users, including own role in the assessment, diagnostic, treatment and/or therapeutic process. Back to Duty

S8: Recognise that relationships with service users, carers and others should be based on mutual respect and trust, and maintain high standards of care in all circumstances. Back to Duty

S9: Obtain valid consent, which is voluntary and informed, has due regard to capacity, is proportionate to the circumstances and is appropriately documented. Back to Duty

S10: Apply legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice. Back to Duty

S11: Recognise the power imbalance which comes with being a health care professional, and ensure it is not for personal gain. Back to Duty

S12: Identify own anxiety and stress and recognise the potential impact on own practice. Back to Duty

S13: Develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness, to maintain a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment. Back to Duty

S14: Recognise that they are personally responsible for, and must be able to, justify their decisions and actions. Back to Duty

S15: Use own skills, knowledge and experience, and the information available, to make informed decisions and / or take action where necessary. Back to Duty

S16: Make reasoned decisions to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment or the use of techniques or procedures, and record the decisions and reasoning appropriately. Back to Duty

S17: Make and receive appropriate referrals, where necessary. Back to Duty

S18: Exercise personal initiative. Back to Duty

S19: Demonstrate a logical and systematic approach to problem solving. Back to Duty

S20: Use research, reasoning and problem-solving skills when determining appropriate actions. Back to Duty

S21: Make reasoned decisions to accept or decline requests for intervention. Back to Duty

S22: Respond appropriately to the needs of all different groups and individuals in practice, recognising this can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences. Back to Duty

S23: Recognise the potential impact of own values, beliefs and personal biases, which may be unconscious, on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect and dignity. Back to Duty

S24: Make and support reasonable adjustments in owns and others’ practice. Back to Duty

S25: Actively challenge barriers to inclusion, supporting the implementation of change wherever possible. Back to Duty

S26: Demonstrate sensitivity to factors that affect diet, lifestyle and health and that may affect the interaction between service user and dietitian. Back to Duty

S27: Adhere to the professional duty of confidentiality. Back to Duty

S28: Respond in a timely manner to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and/or the wider public and recognise situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and/or the wider public. Back to Duty

S29: Use effective and appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate with service users, carers, colleagues and others. Back to Duty

S30: Communicate in English to the required standard for their profession. Back to Duty

S31: Work with service users and/or own carers to facilitate the service user’s preferred role in decision-making, and provide service users and carers with the information they may need where appropriate. Back to Duty

S32: Modify own means of communication to address the individual communication needs and preferences of service users and carers, and remove any barriers to communication where possible. Back to Duty

S33: Use information, communication and digital technologies appropriate to own practice. Back to Duty

S34: Keep full, clear and accurate records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines. Back to Duty

S35: Manage records and all other information in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines. Back to Duty

S36: Use digital record keeping tools, where required. Back to Duty

S37: Work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues and others. Back to Duty

S38: Contribute effectively to work undertaken as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Back to Duty

S39: Identify anxiety and stress in service users, carers and colleagues, adapting own practice and providing support where appropriate. Back to Duty

S40: Identify own leadership qualities, behaviours and approaches, taking into account the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. Back to Duty

S41: Demonstrate leadership behaviours appropriate to own practice. Back to Duty

S42: Act as a role model for others. Back to Duty

S43: Promote and engage in the learning of others. Back to Duty

S44: Empower individuals, groups and communities to make informed choices including diet, physical activity and other lifestyle adjustments. Back to Duty

S45: Work with service users to implement changes in interventions in line with new developments, evidenced-based practice and their outcomes. Back to Duty

S46: Engage in evidence-based practice. Back to Duty

S47: Gather and use feedback and information, including qualitative and quantitative data, to evaluate the responses of service users to own care. Back to Duty

S48: Monitor and systematically evaluate the quality of practice, and maintain an effective quality management and quality assurance process working towards continual improvement. Back to Duty

S49: Participate in quality management, including quality control, quality assurance, clinical governance and the use of appropriate outcome measures. Back to Duty

S50: Evaluate care plans or intervention plans using recognised and appropriate outcome measures, in conjunction with the service user where possible, and revise the plans as necessary. Back to Duty

S51: Demonstrate awareness of the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process. Back to Duty

S52: Critically evaluate research papers. Back to Duty

S53: Change own practice as needed to take account of new developments, technologies and changing contexts. Back to Duty

S54: Gather appropriate information. Back to Duty

S55: Analyse and critically evaluate the information collected. Back to Duty

S56: Select and use appropriate assessment techniques and equipment. Back to Duty

S57: Undertake and record a thorough, sensitive, and detailed assessment. Back to Duty

S58: Undertake or arrange investigations as appropriate. Back to Duty

S59: Conduct appropriate assessment or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy or other actions safely and effectively. Back to Duty

S60: Critically evaluate research and other evidence to inform own practice. Back to Duty

S61: Engage service users in research as appropriate. Back to Duty

S62: Accurately assess nutritional needs of individuals, groups and populations, in a sensitive and detailed way using appropriate techniques and resources. Back to Duty

S63: Analyse and critically evaluate assessment information to identify nutritional needs, develop a diagnosis and develop intervention plans including the setting of timescales, goals and outcomes. Back to Duty

S64: Critically evaluate the information gained in monitoring to review and revise the intervention. Back to Duty

S65: Monitor the progress of nutrition and dietetic interventions using appropriate information, techniques and measures. Back to Duty

S66: Use nutritional analysis programs to analyse food intake, records and recipes and interpret the results. Back to Duty

S67: Use statistical, epidemiological, and research skills to gather and interpret evidence to make reasoned conclusions and judgements to enhance dietetic practice. Back to Duty

S68: Choose the most appropriate strategy to influence nutritional behaviour and choice. Back to Duty

S69: Undertake and explain dietetic interventions, having regard to current knowledge and evidence-based practice. Back to Duty

S70: Advise on safe procedures for food preparation and handling and any effect on nutritional quality. Back to Duty

S71: Advise on the effect of food processing on nutritional quality. Back to Duty

S72: Advise on menu planning, taking account of food preparation and processing, nutritional standards and requirements of service users. Back to Duty

S73: Interpret nutritional information including food labels which may have nutritional or clinical implications. Back to Duty

S74: Demonstrate awareness of relevant health and safety legislation and comply with all local operational procedures and policies. Back to Duty

S75: Work safely, including being able to select appropriate hazard control and risk management, reduction or elimination techniques in a safe manner and in accordance with health and safety legislation. Back to Duty

S76: Select appropriate personal protective equipment and use it correctly. Back to Duty

S77: Establish safe environments for practice, which appropriately manages risk. Back to Duty

S78: Empower and enable individuals, including service users and colleagues, to play a part in managing their own health. Back to Duty

S79: Engage in occupational health, including being aware of immunisation requirements. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Have courage to challenge areas of concern. Back to Duty

B2: Have an enquiring attitude and willingness to share knowledge with others. Back to Duty

B3: Have empathy, commitment, compassion and respect. Back to Duty

B4: Be adaptable, flexible and resilient. Back to Duty

B5: Act in a non-discriminatory manner, respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of others. Back to Duty

B6: Practice sustainability by focusing on reducing the environmental impacts on the workplace. Back to Duty


Qualifications

English and Maths

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.

Other mandatory qualifications

Apprentices will be required to complete a BSc (Hons) degree in Dietetics or Level 7 qualification approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) where the apprentice already holds a Level 6 degree

Level: 6 (integrated degree)


Additional details


Regulated standard

This is a regulated occupation.

Regulator body:

Health and Care Professions Council

Training Provider does not require approval by regulator body

EPAO does not require approval by regulator body

Occupational Level:

6

Duration (months):

48

Review

this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.

Status: Approved for delivery
Level: 6
Degree: integrated degree
Reference: ST0599
Version: 1.2
Date updated: 01/09/2023
Approved for delivery: 3 July 2019
Route: Health and science
Typical duration to gateway: 48 months (this does not include EPA period)
Maximum funding: £24000
Regulated standard:
This is a regulated occupation
Regulator body:Health and Care Professions Council
LARS Code: 469
EQA Provider: Office for Students
Employers involved in creating the standard: Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Northumberlund, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust

Version log

Version Change detail Earliest start date Latest start date Latest end date
1.2 Standard, end-point assessment plan and funding band revised but funding remained the same 01/09/2023 Not set Not set
1.1 Funding band and end-point assessment plan revised 16/07/2021 31/08/2023 Not set
1.0 Retired 03/07/2019 15/07/2021 Not set

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