We are delighted to announce Connect - Celebrate - Collaborate a dedicated event for all members of the dietetic workforce, that will be held on Thursday 5 June from 5.30pm - 8pm.
This event will be hosted by BDA Northern Ireland Branch and BDA Northern Ireland Board and will be held at Adair Arms Hotel, 1-7 Ballymoney Road, Ballymena BT43 5BS. We invite everyone in the Northern Ireland dietetic workforce to join including BDA members and non-members from across Ireland.
During the evening there will be a number of presentations including showcasing the amazing work within each health trust across a range of specialisms. There will also be time for networking and refreshments.
Talks
- South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust - Dietetics at the Heart of the Hub with Christine McColgan, Advanced Practice Gastroenterology Dietitian, Ulster Hospital.
The talk will provide an overview of the role dietetics plays within a ambulatory hub services in SET focusing on the impact on patient and service outcomes. It will explore the benefits of same day service and the impact this has on patient experience. In addition it will give an insight to the cost and time saving benefits associated as well.
About Christine - Christine has worked in the Ulster Hospital for over 5 years as an Advanced Practice Gastroenterology Dietitian and has recently qualified as a non-medical supplementary prescriber. Alongside her current role she sits on the British Dietetic Association Northern Ireland branch as their treasurer. Daily she demonstrates a love for her job, her patients and colleagues by striving to provide the highest standard of care through evidence based practice.
- Southern Health and Social Care Trust - The role of the Dietitian as part of the frailty team in ED - SHSCT experience with Jill Smyth, Band 7 Frailty Dietitian, Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
This talk will cover the experience of establishing the role of a dietitian within the frailty integrated team in CAH ED including findings from the initial pilot in early 2024 and changes that were made to the team in the second pilot in Nov 2024- June 2025.
About Jill - Jill qualified as a dietitian from the University of Ulster in 2005 and took up a band 5 dietetic post in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust before moving to the Southern Health and Social Care Trust in 2009. Jill has been working as a Band 7 critical care dietitian since 2012 before taking the opportunity to be involved in a pilot to establish a dietitian within the frailty Integrated team in CAH ED.
- Western Health and Social Care Trust - Education in Dietetics – from University to the Work Place and Beyond! with Warren Edwards, Community Team Lead Dietitian and Lead Practice Educator and Twyla Moffitt, Advanced Practitioner Renal Dietitian and Team Lead
The Russian playwright Anton Chekhov stated that “knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice”. Education has always had an important place in the heart of Dietetics. Within this session, we plan to consider the role of Dietitians in facilitating learning experiences for students, together with the challenges this can sometimes create. We will look to the future and consider what might help to assist workforce stabilisation in Dietetics and how Dietitians can improve the nutritional care of clients in primary, secondary and intermediate care settings.
About Twyla - Twyla has been a Dietitian for 31years, 26 of which she has lead the Renal Dietetic Team in the WHSCT. Twyla completed her MSc in Clinical Research in 2008, a PGCE for Health Care Professionals in 2020 and Post Graduate Certificate in Medicines Management in 2022 through Ulster University. Twyla is a strong advocate for post graduate education in Dietetics and the benefits of this for patient safety and improved quality of care.
About Warren - Warren has been a Dietitian in the Western Trust for 10years, currently working as an Advanced Practitioner for Gastroenterology in the Dietetic-Led Coeliac Clinic. He completed his PGCE for Health Care Professionals in 2022. Warren is passionate about promoting dietetics as a career and improving the student experience for undergraduate dietitians.
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust - Intestinal Rehabilitation- less failure, more success with Sarah-Jane Nelson Principal Dietitian and Clinical Lead, Regional Intestinal Failure Service, Northern Ireland, Belfast H&SC Trust
This talk will outline the 29 year history and structure of this unique service, highlighting the developments and care which have led to huge increases in patient survival and quality of life.
About Sarah-Jane - Sarah-Jane began her career as a Dietitian in Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast in 1998 and quickly moved into the area of Intestinal Failure. Sarah-Jane sits on the National Executive of British Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) and is lead for the NHS commissioned Intestinal Failure Registry.
She has recently been involved in writing NCEPOD review of IBD surgical services in UK ‘Making the Cut? A review of the care received by patients undergoing surgery for Crohn’s Disease’ and writing the 2024 BSG IBD guidelines. In 2022 she completed the non-medical prescribing course as part of the first cohort of Northern Ireland dietitians to do so and now sits on the BDA action group for Independent Dietetic Prescribing.
- Northern Health and Social Care Trust - Public health meets personal practice: Why staying current is a team sport with Michelle Graham-Steele, Team Lead, Public Health Dietitian’s Team, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
An overview of how collaborative working has enabled Public Health Dietitians and Nutritionists in Northern Ireland, to remain a reliable source of nutrition information, in a rapidly changing and challenging digital world.
About Michelle - She has worked across many sectors of the NHSCT since graduating, including acute, community, primary care and public health. Collectively she has spent 10 years in Public Health and currently chair the Regional Public Health Dietitians group. When not in work or transporting her two girls around, she loves nothing more than a walk or run in the countryside.
- Workforce in Focus: Recognising the value of the dietetic support workforce through action and advocacy with Fiona Audley RD, Professional Practice Officer, BDA
This talk focuses on the crucial role of the dietetic support workforce in enhancing nutrition and dietetic services, focusing on their value, the challenges they face, and the steps to support addressing these issues effectively through action and advocacy – with a key focus on the new resources developed by the BDA.
- The CAHPO team, Who we are and What we do with Pete Burbidge, AHP lead , Department Of Health
An introduction to the CAHPO team working in the DoH and our roles and responsibilities with an explanation of what we do and how it impacts you .
About Pete - Pete is a blow in. He started his career in Eastbourne before moving to Northern Ireland in 2005. Pete is a Podiatrist and has worked across 3 trusts within Northern Ireland. Pete is currently seconded from his role as the Head of Podiatry services in SET to the AHP lead role in the department of health. Whilst working in the department Pete is leading on key pieces of work including the development of the Northern Ireland Rehabilitation Framework, A document emphasising the importance of AHPS in Acute hospital flow, Non Medical prescribing, Waiting well and Winter pressures.
- The Allied Health Professions Federation Northern Ireland with Jenny Kirkwood, Chair of AHP Federation
The presentation will give a brief overview of who the Federation are, its membership, its work to date and its ongoing work plan for the coming year
About Jenny - Current Chair of the AHP Federation Northern Ireland, and a Trustee of the British Association for Music Therapy. Allied Health Professional working in a diverse and varied Public Health role involving Northern Ireland-wide service improvement projects, currently in children’s emotional health and wellbeing. Extensive experience of delivering, managing and improving services and broad knowledge of public health, population health, and the social determinants of health.
Cost
- BDA Member £8.00
- BDA Support Workforce Member £5.00
- BDA Student Member £5.00
- Dietetic Student £10.00
- Non Member Support Workforce £10.00
- Non Member £15.00
Supported by
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