The BDA considers that profession specific leadership is essential within any health, care and academic organisation to provide the dietetic expertise and situational intelligence needed to shape workforce strategy, drive service transformation, and optimise pathways.
The benefits of profession specific leadership
It strengthens the professional voice and representation, which is essential for smaller professions like dietetics. Whilst there are many positives to having a diverse workforce, profession-specific leadership ensures each group's unique perspectives and needs are represented at board level and within organisational policy. This contributes to inclusive decision-making, mitigation of bias and prevention of systematic inequities. Profession-specific leaders act as translators and facilitators for cross-professional dialogue leading to shared accountability, helping to align organisational objectives and meet efficiency challenges.
In addition, profession specific leaders can tailor career pathways, mentoring, and continuing professional development, fostering inclusive cultures, enhancing job satisfaction, and reducing attrition rates that ultimately impact outcomes and organisational performance. They can nurture research activity towards advancing the science and evidence-base of practice, driving data collection, audit and service evaluation.
Profession-specific leaders play a vital role in strengthening governance by providing assurance that their services align with national guidelines and by escalating concerns when gaps in provision are identified. Their understanding of the profession specific scope of practice allows them to provide statutory advice regarding regulation to ensure adherence to HCPC standards.
What does profession specific leadership look like
Whilst the BDA encourages and promotes leadership capability and behaviours at all levels of practice in line with the Dietetic Career Framework, profession specific leadership requires dedicated time within the job plan of a senior dietitian (equivalent to Band 8a or above in the NHS). This person may or may not be involved in direct clinical care. They will lead cultural change and promote growth within the organisation through partnerships and multi-agency collaboration. They will contribute to and lead on policy, guidelines and strategies that influence the nutrition and hydration practices within an organisation. This includes workforce planning and development.
People working in these roles will have different job titles. Examples within the NHS may include:
- Head of Dietetic Service
- Principal Dietitian
- Professional Lead Dietitian
- Dietetic Service Manager