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Dietitian

Dietitian

As a Dietitian, you will give practical advice about nutrition and diet using the most up-to-date public health and scientific research. You will understand how different foods affect the body.

Prepare to work with people who have:

  1. long-term conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure
  2. learning disabilities
  3. mental health conditions, including eating disorders
  4. digestive system conditions
  5. immune diseases
  6. neurological conditions

Once you graduate, you will have the skills to assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional problems; for individual patients and at a wider public health level.

Necessary qualifications and skills

To work as a Dietitian in Scotland, you will need a degree accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council.

Foundation in health science

Responsibilities

  • motivate people to improve their eating habits
  • calculate the correct food and fluid intake for each person
  • enhance the nutritional intake for each person
  • create care plans with communicate goals effectively
  • maintain patient records and write reports
  • accept referrals from other healthcare professionals
  • promote an active lifestyle
  • keep up to date with new theories and research

Personal qualities that will help you become a dietitian

  • excellent communication skills
  • good time-management skills
  • calm and confident
  • persuasive and motivational
  • organisational skills

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Working hours

Your standard working week will be around 37.5 hours per week, potentially including evenings and weekends.

Salary

The average base salary for a Dietitian in NHS Scotland is around £39,974, which is 15% above the national average. The private sector will pay approx. £39,000 – £50,700 depending on experience.

Career prospects

You can choose to specialise in a clinical area, such as diabetes, cancer, or gastroenterology. You may also decide to work with specific groups of people, such as the elderly, children, or those with learning difficulties. Within NHS Scotland, there are lots of opportunities to process your career in specialist and advanced roles.

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