Health and wellbeing continues to be a growth sector, not just for the NHS but more widely too. The challenge for dietitians is how clear and effective messaging to support the public can be provided, in the face of overwhelming and conflicting information coming from social media, celebrities and people seeking alternative solutions which are clearly dangerous.

Dietitians are clearly passionate about their profession and the science and practice of dietetics, but increasingly being more vocal about it too. The challenge to be in ‘competition’ with others in this space and in public arenas is relatively new. But many dietitians have risen to the challenge in remarkable ways, using their own social media platforms to promote evidence based nutrition science and challenge myths or inaccurate advice. This will be something that the profession will need to do on a regular basis. But the underpinning question remains as to what is the evidence and how can we provide that for patients and the public in effective ways?

Dietitians know that patient and public engagement is both a science and an art. This is core to their training. But creating the tools patients need, using dietetic skills to do so, can be time consuming and challenging. Being vocal and challenging needs to be underpinned by the resources we must provide to patients and the public. This is where NDR-UK provides the vital piece of the jigsaw. Using the skills of the dietetic profession, evidence based and peer reviewed tools are available for dietitians to use. The time, energy, expertise and skills needed to provide them are readily available through the NDR-UK team and available for dietitians to use every day.

We do need more though: more resources, more dietitians, more expertise. All to fill the growing demand. As a dietitian you can have a vital role to play, not just in using evidence based resources, but in contributing to the development of new ones. What better way could there be to contribute back into a remarkable profession, than by contributing your own passion, expertise and knowledge to benefit patients in the future?

Andy Burman, CEO British Dietetic Association