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About us

Welcome to the new BDA Advanced Practice Specialist Group! We’d love to share our plans and aspirations with you. We are delighted to have partnered with the BDA Prescribers Specialist Sub-Group giving you double the value for your membership!

We are the new BDA Advanced Practice Specialist Group, for those working in or those who have an interest in Advanced Practice (AP) or Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) roles, across the four nations. This is a hugely exciting, career-defining opportunity to shape the workforce and future roles for Dietetics. In ten years, Advanced Practice (AP) roles will be an established part of every dietetic department’.

The core purpose of the group is to:

  1. Raise awareness of the value and accessibility of AP roles and services for dietitians
  2. Support dietitians progressing with AP roles – existing and aspiring
  3. Support the profession to undertake the workforce remodelling, as identified in the BDA Strategic Plan and The NHS Long Term Plan
  4. Work closely with the BDA board and NHS England to develop shared goals, practice and policy
  5. Develop peer support, networking and CPD opportunities for the profession
  6. Collaborate with the relevant specialist groups to provide education across specialisms

First things first, what is advanced practice?

Advanced practice, or Advanced Clinical Practice, is a level of practice characterised by a high degree of autonomy and complex decision-making delivered by experienced, registered healthcare professionals who have trained to a master’s level award or equivalent that encompasses the four pillars of clinical practice, leadership and management, education and research, with demonstration of core capabilities and area-specific clinical competence.

The following videos were developed for the NHS England Advancing Practice Conference, 2023, with the aim of exploring AP for Dietitians:

Why join us?

Join us and engage with the fantastic workforce transformation led by NHS England which supports you - yes, you - to develop even more effective and efficient roles and services as advanced clinical practitioner dietitians. Each and every one of our members brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise to the patients and the multidisciplinary teams we support.

Over the last several years we have seen significant developments across NHS England, Professional Bodies and the healthcare workforce.

Developing and demonstrating the impact of AP roles, remembering our unique selling points, as dietitians, is essential to maintaining the professional’s impact and presence within the workforce.

As a committee we are passionate about the value you bring to advanced practice and want to help you unlock your potential.

Tom Welbank, Chair

Join us today

We are now welcoming all members of the BDA to join the specialist groups for a limited time introductory offer of £10. The committees of the specialist groups have developed a varied programme of activity including CPD, events and resources to support members in these key areas of practice and are looking forward to working with members.

If you would like to join these exciting and innovative specialist groups, please click here. To add the Prescribers Specialist Sub-Group for free please tick the box under the sub-groups section.

Contact us on [email protected].