Nutrition and dietetic service

Good health is fundamental to leading a full and active life. The right nutrition is an important step towards good health.
Registered dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition related problems.

Our dietitians use the most up-to-date research on food, health and disease, which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.

We do this by:

  • advising patients and carers on how to manage dietary changes in a practical manner by using motivational interviewing and behaviour change techniques in general practice and all specialist areas e.g. FODMAP Clinics for IBS
  • advising patients and carers on the most suitable products to manage clinical conditions, for example, artificial nutrition at home
  • training other health professionals, including: using the malnutrition universal screening tool, which can assist in preventing and treating malnutrition     

Our nutrition and dietetics service is available to people of all ages from birth onwards.

We work in various locations throughout south west Essex, dependant on our patients’ needs, including:

  • community inpatient wards
  • clinics
  • patients’ homes
  • care homes
  • hospices

Patient information

Contact our service in Basildon and Thurrock

Adult Community Nutrition & Dietetics
Mayflower Community Hospital
Blunts Wall Road
Billericay
Essex 
CM12 9SA
Tel:0300 300 1502

Opening times: 8am - 5pm, Monday to Friday

 

Referral

We can only accept referrals for the following: 

Nutritional Support
1. Any condition with a MUST score of 3 or more:  
2. Presence of a pressure ulcer grade 3 or 4.  
3. Requiring texture modification (assessed by Speech and Language Therapist) and with MUST score 1 or more                                                      
4. Receiving artificial nutrition via enteral feeding tube (excludes Total Parental nutrition which is managed by secondary care).                  
5. To review clinical need of oral nutritional supplements (ONS), prescribed by a healthcare professional.                                  
6. Nutritional assessment for individuals presenting with issues relating to a rapidly progressing neurological disease and a MUST of 1. e.g Parkinsons, MND, Huntington’s PSP, MS etc.  This excludes dementia patients 
                                                       
Gastroenterological Problems:
7. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – 
  a. 1st line management seen in IBS clinics.           
  b. 2nd line management - specialist provision in FODMAP clinics when 1st line management not effective. 
  c. 3rd line management – referral back to primary care for on-going investigation if 2nd line intervention is not delivering required patient outcomes.        
8. Confirmed diagnosis of diverticular disease.  
9. Food intolerance where red flag symptoms have been investigated.  
10. Confirmed food allergies. 

Prediabetes / high risk of diabetes:
11. Impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) / impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) 
12. High risk of developing diabetes (pre-diabetes) (NICE definition high risk- FPG 5.5-6.9mmol/l or HbA1c 42-47 mmol/mol 6-6.4%)   
13. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome  

Oncology and Palliative (must meet nutrition support criteria)
14. Patients with a cancer diagnosis who are no longer having treatment from a secondary provider, or those who are no longer able to access secondary provider. 
15. Palliative care patients, where there is an acceptance that dietetic intervention may not improve nutritional status but may improve QOL for patient/family.  

Please note restrictions to service: 
Patients refusing to eat or drink in the absence of any recorded weight loss or pressure areas (should be managed by First Line approach). Home visits will be limited to those who are  enable to attend a community clinic or where travel may be detrimental to their health.


Eating Disorders: Please refer to EPUT (South Essex) on 01268 243538.
Diabetes: Please refer to the Diabetes Centre on 0300 300 1509 or email swe.diabetesadmin@nelft.nhs.uk
Obesity: To refer to local or national service.

Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)
The following information will be required to calculate a MUST score.
• Weight/ MUAC (mid upper arm circumference)
• Accurate height
• Weight history over the last 3-6 months 
 

The following link will assist you in calculating the score: ‘MUST’ Calculator | BAPEN

Does my patient require a referral to the dietetics service?
Must score 0: Does not require referral unless meeting the above criteria i.e wound healing or supplement review 
Must 1-2: This referral will not be accepted unless meeting the above criteria. For nutrition support advice please see resource hub for useful information and guidance.
Must 3 or more: To be referred to the Dietetics service. Complete the attached referral form:
 Dietetics service referral form.doc
 
Email this to BBTDietetics@nelft.nhs.uk. Please refer to local Information governance guidelines when sending patient identifiable data.