Nutrition and dietetics

  • Helping treat nutritional issues in relation to your condition or illness.

  • Address: Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital,

What we do

We help treat nutritional issues in relation to your condition or illness.

If you have been seen by a consultant they may refer you to our service.

Our team of dietitians are trained to give specialist dietary advice based on the most up-to-date evidence to help treat the following conditions:

  • Malabsorption
  • Malnutrition
  • Coeliac disease
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (may use FODMAP)
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Metabolic disease
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis)
  • Liver and biliary disease
  • Renal disease
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Hyperlipidaemia
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Motor neurone disease
  • Parkinson's
  • Osteoporosis
  • Food hypersensitivity, allergy and intolerance
  • AIDS
  • Cancer
  • Immunosuppressed states

If you have a condition not listed here and wonder whether we may be able to help, speak to your GP or consultant.

Get in touch

We are on level 0, Outpatients zone 1 at Tunbridge Wells Hospital. You will need to check in at the hospital reception and will be called when ready.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.

Maidstone Hospital: 01622 224307

Tunbridge Wells Hospital: 01892 635271

You can also contact us at mtw-tr.nutritionanddietetics@nhs.net

Inpatients

Food will play an important part in your recovery and there may be times when you will need to pay special attention to the foods you eat.

During your hospital stay we want you to eat well and not miss meals. Our hospital menu will meet your nutritional needs but if you have any special dietary requirements please let a member of staff know.

Nutrition screening

All patients admitted to our hospitals are screened to assess their nutritional status. This is called the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and will involve weighing you and asking about your weight history and height. If you are unable to be weighed we may take other measures such as your mid upper arm circumference. We may also ask you about your dietary intake.

Dietitian referrals for inpatients

If your doctor or nurse is concerned you are underweight, have lost weight or are unable to safely swallow you will be referred to the dietitian or to a speech and language therapist.

Assessment by a dietitian

If you are struggling to meet your nutritional needs, are on a restricted diet, or are underweight the dietitian may recommend nutritional supplement products (drinks and mousses).

There may be times you need a special feeding tube. We are trained to work out your nutritional requirements and provide a feeding regimen to help you stay well nourished and help prevent weight loss.

If the treatment of your condition requires you to follow a specific diet, we may also advise you on the best foods you need to select from the menu and on suitable meals for when you go home.

Students and trainees

Our department is involved in student training but you will be asked if you are happy for the student to be present or carry out the consultation. If you are not, they will leave.

Further visits from the dietitian

The dietitian may visit you again to check your weight and progress. If you are being fed via a feeding tube, the dietitian will check, on a regular basis, to make sure you are tolerating the regimen and to see if changes are needed.

Follow up

If the dietitian needs to see you again, they will agree this with you, and explain how the follow up appointment is made and where you should go for your appointment.

Outpatients

You may be asked to complete a food diary before your appointment. This will mean keeping a detailed record of everything you eat and drink over three days, one of which should be a weekend day.

We aim to see you at the time on your appointment letter but some appointments do run over. To help us keep to appointment times, please allow plenty of time to reach the hospital, park and get to the clinic room.

Please check which hospital your appointment is at before you start your journey. If you are unable to make your appointment, please contact us and let us know so we can offer your appointment to someone else.

Initial assessment

Your initial assessment may last up to 45 minutes and during your one-to-one appointment, you will see a registered dietitian who will:

  • Discuss your condition
  • Gather relevant background information
  • Discuss your food diary as appropriate
  • Agree a plan to help you achieve your goals and your best possible outcome
  • Give you any other information or resources you may find useful.

You may also be weighed and have your height and waist circumference measured.

Follow-up

You may be offered a follow-up assessment as recommended by the dietitian. This is likely to take around  15 minutes.

Weight loss group

Our weight loss group is a fun and interactive session covering healthy eating, portion sizes, food labelling, eating out and takeaways, goal setting and exercise. Please ask us if you would like further information.