Prevention of diverticulitis by taking a daily probiotic (LACTOPRoD)

Biography

I have been a dietitian for over 30 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. I was Programme Director for Dietetics at the University of Surrey for ten years and I am now a visiting senior lecturer. 

Until March 2020 I worked one day a week at St Georges hospital as a renal dietitian where I cared for people with renal disease on dialysis in particular looking after the young adults on dialysis. One of my greatest achievements was to look after a young woman who was pregnant and on dialysis and I worked closely with the multidisciplinary team to ensure her nutritional status and biochemical status were maintained so that she had a successful pregnancy. In the last 10 years I have also worked for Central Surrey Health 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 to deliver the dietetic service to the Acute wards and clinics in Epsom General Hospital. I covered Intensive Care, surgical and respiratory wards as well as looking after patients on home enteral feeding and parenteral (intravenous) feeding. I was awarded the Spirit Award for outstanding contribution to patient care (March 2011).

Since March 2020 I have developed and led a Public Health Project called Be Your Best https://www.bybsurrey.org/ . Throughout lockdown my nutrition and dietetic students aided by facilitators ran a 5 week course for families on healthy eating, the importance of exercise and sleep, budgeting and meal planning. This Programme is now in it's fifth year and we have shown improvements in weight, self esteem and knowledge of healthy lifestyles. 

I am active on the Education Committee for the Renal Nutrition Group (specialist interest group of the BDA) and together with my colleague Eunice Musa from Darent Valley Hospital I run an annual 3 day course for dietitians new to the renal field. This is usually attended by up to 40 dietitians from all over the UK. As a result of this work and my international and national renal activities over the last 30 years I have been awarded Fellowship of the BDA https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/bda-fellowship-recipient-dr-barbara-engel.html

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