Academic and professional qualifications currently in place for practitioners nutrition and dietetics

Transcription

1 Appendix 7 Academic and professional qualifications currently in place for practitioners nutrition and dietetics Increasingly nutritionists and dietitians are working in public health roles. The two professions provide a useful case illustration of voluntary registration (and voluntary course accreditation) in the case of the former and statutory registration (and statutory course approval) in the case of the latter. Nutrition (a case of voluntary regulation) Nutrition is an expanding field with a broad range of career opportunities. Some of the roles fulfilled by those with qualifications in nutrition have a health promotion or public health focus. There is a variety of university level education and training leading to qualifications in, or associated with, nutrition. Many of the programmes relevant to careers in public health are accredited by the Nutrition Society. In 1991 the Nutrition Society set up a Register of Nutritionists, conferring the title Registered Nutritionist (Reg Nutr) on individuals with relevant graduate qualifications and postgraduate experience. Registration as an Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) was introduced to help qualified graduates who lacked experience but who wished to develop professional careers in nutrition. In 1992 the Nutrition Society began to accredit courses that enabled graduates to develop the specialist competences in public health nutrition required for admission to the Society s voluntary register (RPHNutr). More recently an interim body, the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN), has been established. The Nutrition Society has aspirations for statutory regulation in due course. Graduates from accredited courses can gain direct entry to the UKVRN as an Associate Nutritionist (ANutr), or Associate Public Health Nutritionist (APHNutr). Currently 14 undergraduate and 10 postgraduate courses are listed as being accredited (annexed) 1. Only Bachelor of Science degrees at Honours level and Master of Science courses are accredited. A number are explicitly entitled degrees in public health nutrition. Dietetics (a case of statutory regulation) Traditionally the focus of work for most dietitians has been the nutritional needs if individuals, but in some cases their roles have expanded to focus on public health. Registered dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level [they] use the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease, which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices. Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be statutorily regulated, and governed by an ethical code... 2 [our italics] Dietetics is a regulated profession 3. The Health Professions Council (HPC) registers dietitians upon successful completion of an approved programme of education and training 4, 1 Information accessed in October 2008 from: 2 The British Dietetic Association, Careers Leaflet, undated. 3 The title Dietitian (or Dietician) is protected in law. 4 Health Professions Council, 2007, Standards of Education and Training Guidance, London HPC. Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

2 and on attainment of generic and specialist-specific standards of proficiency 5, performance, conduct and ethics 6. The HPC currently lists 34 approved programmes and qualifications (annexed); none at a level lower than Honours degree 7. Approved programmes include a mix of first and higher degrees and some postgraduate diplomas. All but three of the approved courses are fulltime. The courses are variously titled dietetics, nutrition and dietetics and human nutrition and dietetics. The nature and characteristics of Honours degree programmes in dietetics are further specified in subject benchmark statements 8. There is currently no equivalent statement for a Masters degree in dietetics. Since all programmes leading to eligibility to register with the HPC are quality assured through its approval and quality monitoring processes, and because these programmes conform to both academic subject benchmarks and professional standards of proficiency, it can be argued that this provides evidence of having satisfied the threshold requirement for recognition as a public health practitioner; but the scope of these programmes is inevitably quite narrow in terms of public health practitioner competences. Some dietitians may acquire a broader range of competences after qualification through continuing professional development 9, particularly if they move into public health roles, but these may or may not be the product of additional formal education and training. 5 Health Professions Council, 2007, Standards of Proficiency: Dietitians, London, HPC. 6 Health Professions Council, 2008, Standards of Performance, Conduct and Ethics, London, HPC. 7 Information accessed in October 2008 from: 8 Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2001, Benchmark Statement: Health Care Programmes Phase 1 Dietetics, Gloucester, QAA. 9 Health Professions Council, 2008, Your guide to our standards to continuing professional development, London, HPC. Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

3 Annex Undergraduate courses accredited by the Nutrition Society UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN Bsc (Hons) Health Sciences (Health and Nutrition) Contact: Dr Lindsey Masson, Department of Public Health, of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD Tel: +44 (0) Website: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK BSc (Hons) Nutritional Sciences (4 years) Contact: Professor Kevin Cashman, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland Tel: +353 (0) Website: KINGSTON UNIVERSITY BSc Hons (Nutrition) Contact: Dr Elizabeth Opara, Nutrition Field Leader, School of Life Sciences, Kingston, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, SURREY, KT1 2EE Tel: +44 (0) Website: LEEDS METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition (3 yrs) BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition (Sandwich) (4 yrs) Contact: Dr Sinead McElhone, Leeds Metropolitan, Calverly Street, Leeds, LS1 3HE Tel: +44 (0) Website: LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY BSc (Hons) Human Nutrition BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Exercise and Health Contact: Dr Ruth Ash (Human Nutrition) or Dr Simon Dryden (Nutrition, Exercise and Health), London Metropolitan, School of Health and Sports Science, Faculty of Science, Computing and Engineering, Holloway Road, London, N7 8DB. Tel: +44 (0) Website: ROEHAMPTON UNIVERSITY BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Health (3 yrs) Contact: Dr Sue Reeves, Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PU Tel: +44 (0) or Website: SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

4 Contact: School of Sport and Leisure Management, City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB Tel: +44 (0) Website: UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE BSc (Hons) Food and Human Nutrition Contact: Dr Chris Seal, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, of Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU. Tel: +44 (0) Website: UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM BSc (Hons) Nutrition (3 yrs) BSc (Hons) Nutrition with Certificate in European Studies (4 yrs) BSc (Hons) Animal Science (course pathway specializing in animal nutrition) (3 yrs) BSc (Hons) Animal Science with Certificate in European Studies (course pathway specializing in animal nutrition) (4 yrs) Contact: School of Biosciences, of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD Tel: +44 (0) Website: UNIVERSITY OF READING BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Food Science (3 yrs) BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Food Science with Professional Training (4 yrs) Contact: Dr Richard Frazier (undergrad admissions officer) or Dr Orla Kennedy (course director BSc Nutrition and Food Science), School of Food Biosciences, of Reading, P O Box 226, Reading RG6 6AP Tel: +44 (0) r.a.frazier@reading.ac.uk or o.b.kennedy@reading.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER Public Health Nutrition Pathway in the BSc (Hons) Human Nutrition, with DIS/DAS Contact: Dr Pamela Magee, School of Biomedical Sciences, of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N Ireland, BT52 1SA. Tel: +44 (0) pj.magee@ulster.ac.uk Website: QUEEN MARGARET UNIVERSITY, EDINBURGH BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition (4 years) Contact: Dept of Dietetics, Nutrition & Biological Sciences,, Queen Margaret Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian, EH21 6UU Tel: + 44 (0) admissions@qmuc.ac.uk Website: ROBERT GORDON UNIVERSITY BSc (Hons) Nutrition Contact: Prof Brian Ratcliffe, School of Life Sciences, The Robert Gordon, St Andrew Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1HG Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

5 Tel: + 44 (0) b.ratcliffe@rgu.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF SURREY BSc (Hons) Nutrition Contact: Ms Gill Pearson, Nutrition Programmes Manager, School of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH. Tel: + 44 (0) g.pearson@surrey.ac.uk Website: Postgraduate courses accredited by the Nutrition Society UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN MSc/Postgraduate Diploma in Human Nutrition and Metabolism, MSc 1 Year full-time Contact: Dr Lindsey Masson, Department of Public Health, of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD Tel: +44 (0) lindsey.masson@abdn.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW MSc (Med Sci) in Human Nutrition, 1 Year full-time (2-4 years part-time) specialisation in Public Health Nutrition only. Contact: Dr Alison Parrett, The Course Co-ordinator, Department of Human Nutrition, Yorkhill NHS Trust, Glasgow, G3 8SJ Tel: +44 (0) hncour@gla.ac.uk Website:ww.gla.ac.uk/humannutrition LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE MSc in Public Health Nutrition, 1 year full-time (2 years part-time) Contact: Claire Schofield, Course Organiser, Public Health Nutrition Unit, LSHTM, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT. Tel: +44 (0) claire.schofield@lshtm.ac.uk Website: QUEEN MARGARET UNIVERSITY, EDINBURGH MSc in Public Health Nutrition. 1 year full time (part-time normally 2 years) Contact: Mr Michael Clapham, Dept of Dietetics, Nutrition & Biological Sciences,, Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian, EH21 6UU Tel: +44 (0) mclapham@qmuc.ac.uk Website: ROEHAMPTON UNIVERSITY MSc (Hons) Clinical Nutrition (1 year) Contact: Ms Yvonne Jeanes, Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PU. Tel: +44 (0) y.jeanes@roehampton.ac.uk or s.reeves@roehampton.ac.uk Website: Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

6 SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY MSc Nutrition with Public Health Management, 1 Year full-time Contact: School of Sport and Leisure Management, City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB Tel: +44 (0) admissions@shu.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF READING MSc Nutrition and Food Science. 12 month course, diploma is also available (9 months). Ideal for those wishing to develop a career in food related research or in the Food Industry Contact: School of Food Biosciences, PO Box 226, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AP,UK. Tel: +44 (0) food@reading.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD MMedSci Human Nutrition Contact: Professor Hilary Powers, Human Nutrition Unit, of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, SHEFFIELD S10 2RX Tel: +44 (0) h.j.powers@sheffield.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON MSc in Public Health Nutrition, 1 year full-time (part-time up to 3 years) Contact: Dr Penelope Nestel, Institute of Human Nutrition, of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD Tel: +44 (0) p.s.nestel@soton.ac.uk Website: UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER MSc Public Health Nutrition (1 year full-time 2 years part-time) Contact: Jessica Swann, Course Leader, of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW Tel: +44 (0) x swannj@westminster.ac.uk Website: Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

7 Annex Courses and qualifications approved by the HPC which lead to eligibility to register as a Dietitian. Institution of Delivery Mode of Study Title of Programme Validating Institution Date of Commencement for First Cohort Coventry FT BSc (Hons) Dietetics Coventry 01/09/2000 Glasgow Caledonian FT BSc (Hons) Human Glasgow Caledonian 12/01/1994 Nutrition & Dietetics Glasgow Caledonian FT MSc Dietetics Glasgow Caledonian 01/09/2006 Glasgow Caledonian PT MSc Dietetics Glasgow Caledonian 01/09/2006 Glasgow Caledonian FT PgDip Dietetics Glasgow Caledonian 01/09/2006 King's College London FT BSc (Hons) Nutrition King's College 01/09/2002 & Dietetics London King's College London FT MSc Dietetics King's College 01/09/2003 London King's College London FT PgDip Dietetics King's College 01/09/2003 London Leeds Metropolitan FT BSc (Hons) Dietetics Leeds Metropolitan 01/09/1994 Leeds Metropolitan FT PgDip Dietetics Leeds Metropolitan 01/09/1995 London Metropolitan FT BSc (Hons) Human London Metropolitan 20/01/1994 Nutrition & Dietetics London Metropolitan FT MSc Human Nutrition London Metropolitan 07/01/2002 & Dietetics London Metropolitan FT PgDip Human London Metropolitan 07/01/2002 Nutrition & Dietetics (formerly College) FT BSc (Hons) Dietetics (formerly College) 01/10/1993 (formerly College) (formerly College) (formerly College) (formerly College) The Robert Gordon FT of Chester FT BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Dietetics FT MSc Dietetics (formerly College) PT MSc Dietetics (formerly College) FT PgDip Dietetics (formerly College) PT PgDip Dietetics (formerly College) BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Dietetics The Robert Gordon of Chester 01/09/ /09/ /09/ /09/ /06/ /09/2005 of Chester FT MSc in Nutrition and of 01/09/2005 Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February

8 Dietetics Chester of Chester FT PgDip in Nutrition and of 01/09/2005 Dietetics Chester of FT BSc (Hons) Dietetics of 01/09/2006 Hertfordshire Hertfordshire of FT Masters of Nutrition of 06/01/1999 Nottingham (MNutr) Nottingham of FT Masters of Nutrition of 03/07/2008 Nottingham (Accel erated) (MNutr) Nottingham of Plymouth FT BSc (Hons) Dietetics of 04/02/2004 Plymouth of Surrey FT BSc (Hons) of Surrey 01/09/2002 Nutrition/Dietetics of Ulster FT MSc Dietetics of Ulster 01/04/1996 of Ulster FT PgDip Dietetics of Ulster 01/05/1995 of Ulster FT BSc (Hons) Dietetics of Ulster 01/09/2003 of Wales FT BSc (Hons) Human of Wales. Nutrition & Dietetics of Wales FT MSc Dietetics of Wales. of Wales FT PgDip Dietetics of Wales. Scoping and mapping education & qualifications for public health practitioners February