Dieticians and nutritionists in Hendon

Dietetics is the science of how nutrition affects health. A Dietitian is a qualified and regulated health professional who specialises in assessing, diagnosing, and treating nutritional and dietary problems and conditions.

At Hendon Hospital in Hendon, London, we are privileged to have an exceptionally experienced dietitian who provides support and advice for a wide range of conditions and symptoms.

Whether you have a pre-existing condition that requires regular monitoring and review for nutritional guidance, or you have newly diagnosed condition that needs tailored dietary advice, our dietitian would be delighted to help you. Why not book your private consultation today, while it’s fresh in your mind?  

Many people are referred to our dietitian by their GP or a consultant at Hendon Hospital. You can also self-refer, and we see people with private medical insurance and self-pay patients.

There are a number of reasons you may be referred to our dietitian, including:

• Weight loss
• Needing to put on weight after an illness
• Diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• General dietary consultation
• Irritable Bowel Disease
• Crohn’s Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Coeliac Disease
• Other Gastrointestinal issues/symptoms
• Food allergy queries
• Eating disorders

After a comprehensive assessment (see the ‘What to expect in your private appointment’ section below), you may be given tailored nutritional advice or advised to go on a certain diet. These could include:

• Exclusion / elimination diet – removing foods that your body does not tolerate well
• Diabetic diet – tailored to help stabilise and maintain blood sugar levels
• Lipid-lowering diet – involves eating nutrient-rich foods that are low in calories and saturated fat
• Polymeric diet – for Crohn’s disease
• Vegetarian

Specialist nutritional supplements are also available when needed, such as:

• Tube feedings (enteral nutrition) – helpful if you are finding it hard to swallow food, or you keep vomiting food. In these cases, nutrition may be given in liquid form through a nasogastric (NG) tube.
• Intravenous feedings - such as total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN). These may be needed for certain conditions (such as typhlitis) where you need to stop taking food orally in order to rest your gut. IV nutrition ensures you receive suitable nutrients into your body to help you heal and recover during this time.

Your dietitian has extremely close links with many medical specialists, including gastroenterologists, gynaecologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, and care of the elderly consultants, and is regularly referred patients from them for her expert assistance.

Quick access to this wider team of specialists enables excellent communication of treatment plans, medical requirements and arrangement of any investigations or tests needed. 

Your private consultation with our dietitian will normally be for an hour and will involve a thorough assessment and discussion of your specific condition and requirements.

Your dietitian will talk with you and ask you about your medical history and/or any symptoms you are having. They will want to know things like: 

• What symptoms have you been experiencing?
• When did they first start / become noticeable?
• Do you have any pain? If so, can you describe it?
• Have your symptoms been getting worse?
• Have you had any previous treatment? Was it effective?
• Are you currently taking any prescription medication?
• Can you describe your current diet? What does a regular day of food look like for you?

Blood tests can often be helpful, as can a hydrogen breath test, which is used to help investigate some intestinal disorders.

Your dietitian will take a holistic approach, meaning they will look at everything together rather than focusing on just one small thing. Nutrition and diet issues can affect physical, emotional, and mental health, and all these need to be considered to ensure you receive the very best help.

One of the major benefits of visiting the dietitian at Hendon Hospital is her experience. Formerly a medical physician in the former Soviet Union, she retrained as a dietitian and has a BSc Hons in Nutrition and Dietetics.

The depth and breadth of her experience gives her exceptional knowledge of the best approach to take for a wide variety of symptoms, conditions, and diseases. While a newly qualified dietitian may need to do more extensive research or discuss your case with senior colleagues after your appointment, the dietitian working here will be able to give you expert advice within a much quicker timeframe.

She will discuss the results of any findings and the diagnosis with you, then talk you through the recommended treatment plan. Treatment is always tailored to your specific needs, and may involve nutrition advice, supplements and minerals, or a specific dietary regime to follow. 

If you have any questions or concerns, they will be very happy to discuss these with you. Again, the benefit of a longer appointment (1-hour) means that there is plenty of time to talk things through so that you have a thorough understanding of any advice and guidance you’ve been given.  

Often you will have a follow-up appointment again around 6-8 weeks after this first one. This allows the dietitian to monitor the effectiveness of your treatment plan, and to make any adjustments to it if needed. 

Many of the people we see for private dietetic consultations live locally to Hendon, although excellent road links makes it easy to travel to us from further afield. If you’re coming by public transport, the nearest underground station (Hendon Central) is approximately a 20-minute walk from the hospital.

When you choose to visit Hendon Hospital in London, you will benefit from:

• Fast access to an expert – with the NHS under increased strain, waiting times for many people continue to go up. We can arrange a private appointment for you with an exceptionally experienced dietitian without the weeks (or months!) of delay you may experience elsewhere.
• Tailored treatment – You will always see the same dietitian, and they will oversee your care at every stage, from initial consultation through to treatment planning and subsequent follow-up. This ensures excellent continuity of care and brings peace of mind to you. If you have any queries, it is very easy to know who to contact.
• Recommended by patients – In an independent survey, 99.8% of patients said they were likely or extremely likely to recommend Hendon Hospital to their family and friends.
• A wider team – Your dietitian works closely with specialists in a range of other fields, including gastroenterology, gynaecology, oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, and care of the elderly. Quick, simple access to any member of this wider healthcare team means you will always see the most appropriate person for your needs. 
• A friendly welcome – Hendon Hospital is easy to find and not as overwhelming in size as many large London hospitals. (In other words, you won’t get lost wandering around a maze of corridors trying to find somebody to ask where to go!) 

For peace of mind and known expert care, why not contact us today to book your private Dietetics appointment? We look forward to welcoming you to Hendon Hospital and helping you to get the guidance, advice, and support you need without delay.