Nutrition and dietetics

Adequate nutrition and a healthy diet are key aspects of overall health and wellbeing, and are central to our patient care.

Dietary changes may not be easy to make but our highly skilled dietitians will assess your nutritional needs and provide advice on appropriate food choices to help you manage your condition and improve your overall health.

Our caregivers are experienced in working with a wide variety of medical conditions and ensure your nutritional and dietary requirements are met.

Nutrition and dietetics service

Our nutrition and dietetics service is provided in hospital, and in some cases, when you return home where you can access services as an outpatient.

Services include:

nutrition assessment and management of diet-related diseases/conditions, including providing a therapeutic diet, oral nutritional support, enteral and parenteral feeding when you are unable to take food by mouth, as well as education and counselling
overseeing hospital patient menus to ensure they meet relevant standards
education and training regarding diet and nutrition related topics for nurses, catering staff and other caregivers.

Our dietitians complete professional development to stay up-to-date with the latest evidence-based practices and the highest standard of care.

Special diets

We understand and cater for a range of special diets and dietary requirements including allergens, intolerances, texture modification and therapeutic diets.

If you have allergies, specific food preferences or dietary requirements, please let one of our caregivers know when you are admitted to hospital.

Seeing a dietitian

If you need assistance with your diet or advice about nutrition while you are in hospital, you can discuss your concerns with your doctor, nurse or another member of healthcare team and request a referral to see a dietitian.

Benefits

Benefits of working with a dietitian to improve your diet and nutrition include:

access to evidence-based advice relating to food and nutrition
education and support to ensure an adequate diet assistance with managing and treating symptoms and side effects related to your condition or treatment
aiding your recovery and improving your overall health
assisting you to attain and maintain a healthy weight.

These benefits depend on your particular circumstances and require you to fully participate in necessary before and after care and management. You should consult a specialist in this area before deciding whether treatment is suitable for you.