Biography

I have been a dietitian for over 20 years and I have covered most areas of dietetics but in particular I have worked in the fields of renal disease, gastroenterology, diabetes and intensive care. Although I am a full time tutor at Surrey University I also work for Central Surrey Health and have recently finished a 10 month secondment where I was the highly specialist Nutrition Support Dietitian and Team Leader for Acute Dietetic Services. I managed a small team of dietitians and a nutritionist (4) to deliver the dietetic service to the Acute wards and clinics in EGH. I covered Intensive Care, surgical and respiratory wards as well as looking after patients on home enteral feeding and parenteral (intravenous) feeding. I was recently awarded a Spirit Award for outstanding contribution to patient care (March 2011).

My main remit as a tutor is to teach on the practical nutrition and dietetic modules. The reason that I continue to work as a dietitian when possible is that I feel it enhances my ability to teach the practical aspects of nutrition and dietetics and hopefully enthuse students with the wide range of interesting areas which can be covered in our professions.

Research interests

Grants Obtained

FSA (2008): Awarded grant (N05R0018) £240,000Development of a dose-responsive biological marker for carbohydrate intake based on metabolomics and machine learning.Dr J Lodge, Prof G Frost, Prof J Draper, Dr B Engel, Dr M Beckman

British Renal Society (2007): £22,500A multi-centre trial to assess whether increased dietary fibre intake reduces laxative requirement in PD patients. This project has obtained Portfolio status.D Sutton, B Engel, R Davies, D Kariyawasam, S Perry, S Kennedy

Kings Fund Grant (1996) for pilot project 'Setting up a diet and exercise programme for Renal Transplant Patients': £5000

Royal London Hospital Research and Development (1997-1999): £20,000 to continue work on 'Diet and exercise programme for Renal Transplant Patients'

• Renal disease (MSc project supervisor; development and evaluation of dietary information for renal patients from different ethnic groups)
• Liver disease (MSc project supervisor; evaluation of Nutrition Assessment Score for patients with liver disease)
• Measuring and monitoring nutritional status in chronically ill people: renal disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes
• Designing intervention trails in order to develop guidelines of best practice for dietitians
• Public health: I have supervised final year projects promoting healthy eating in Transplant patients, nursery and primary schools
• Inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and the effects of pre and probiotics on bowel health

Affiliations

• Registered dietitian with Health Professions Council
• Member of the British Dietetic Association
• Renal Nutrition Group; Post Graduate Education Committee
• Honorary contact with Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust; providing dietetic clinics