Dietetics Service Summary

The Adult Acute Dietetic Service provides in and out-patient services in three main Clyde Acute Hospitals, Royal Alexandra Hospital, (RAH), Inverclyde Royal Hospital, (IRH) and Vale of Leven Hospital, (VOL). Three Glasgow Adult Acute Hospitals, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH), Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI), and Gartnavel General Hospital , (GGH). Rehabilitation settings including Lightburn Hospital, Glasgow’s three Ambulatory Care Hospitals including West Glasgow, Stobhill and the New Victoria Hospitals, and the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. 

The 65 whole time equivalent Dietitians work across four Directorates and multiple specialities including: 

Medical  – including gastroenterology Respiratory – including Cystic Fibrosis and infectious diseases 

Cardiology – including cardiac rehab Surgery – including orthopaedics, critical care and burns 

Rehabilitation – including older adults, stroke, neurosciences, spinal and trauma 

Diabetes, Renal, Oncology, Weight management and Anaphylaxis 

Adult Acute Dietetic Contact Number  

Beatson – 0141 301 7005  GRI  – 0141 211 4318 

IRH – 01475 504 313  QEUH  – 0141  451 6243   

RAH – 0141 314 6808  VOL – 01389 817 237 

Community dietitian’s workload is generally divided into a combination of three areas; care homes, home visits and outpatient clinics. Home visits are often for people who are house bound and who often need advice to help them gain or maintain their weight. In care homes, dietitians may offer advice to the staff when residents are struggling to maintain their weight. Outpatients clinics are mainly used for people who are referred from their health team for conditions such as IBS, diabetes, fussy eating, cow’s milk protein allergy and nutrition support. The out-patient appointment will either be in-person, via telephone or NHS Near Me (video). 

Community dietetics in NHSGGC, is split into four quadrants: 

Community Contact Numbers   

North East Community bases: Springburn: 0141 232 9101, Lightburn 0141 531 6272  

South Community bases: Pollok: 0141 531 6821, Castlemilk: 0141 531 8562 

South Clyde Community base: Ferguslie clinic: 0141 314 0536  

West Community bases: Clydebank:  0141 531 6480, Drumchapel: 0141 232 9156, Vale Centre for Health and Care: 01389 828 285  

Dietitians working within Adult Mental Health Services work with people with a range mental health conditions which can include anxiety, depression, autism, bipolar disorder, dementia, eating disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia, drug and alcohol problems.

Good nutrition is important for both mental and physical health and the Dietitian will work with the rest of the multidisciplinary team to help individuals achieve their nutritional goals and develop a positive relationship with food.

In Greater Glasgow and Clyde you can find specialist Mental Health Dietitians in a range of different specialties and health settings. See below for more information on the different specialist areas.

Dietitians provide a wide range of dietary advice to both adults and older people during their in-patient stay within the psychiatric wards.

They also provide an adult out-patient consultation service at locations throughout NHSGGC either via face-to-face appointments, telephone consultations or video consultation via NHS Near Me.

Any staff member from the inpatient ward can referral onto the Dietetic service for nutritional assessment however for outpatients we only accept referrals for Adult patients who are under the care of an Adult Community Mental Health Team (CMHT).

Our locations

Glasgow city

Inpatient; Stobhill Hospital, Leverndale Hospital, Gartnavel Royal Hospital

Outpatient: Arran Mental Health Resource Centre, Rossdale Mental Health Resource Centre, Shawpark Mental Health Resource Centre

Clyde

Inpatient; Dykebar Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Inverclyde Royal Hospital

Outpatient: Charleston Mental Health Resource Centre, Crown House

The Adult Eating Disorder Service (AEDS) is comprised of a Multidisciplinary Staff Team from a variety of professional backgrounds, which includes Psychology, Psychiatry, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy and Nursing.

Dietitians working in AEDS provide specialist dietary advice to patients with an eating disorder, mainly anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). The majority of the patients are seen in the community at Florence Street Resource Centre in the Gorbals. There are also 4 specialised inpatient beds in Armadale Ward at Stobhill Hospital. Patients can be referred to AEDS via their local CMHT.

Drug and/or alcohol dependency can have a debilitating impact on nutritional status usually as a result of combined social and physical factors. Malnutrition and re-feeding syndrome are the most common referrals to the dietetic service however drugs and alcohol can impact on other physical health issues such as diabetes, pancreatitis, hepatitis and liver failure as well as having a strong relationship with mental health conditions therefore resulting in highly complex needs requiring individualised specialist nutritional advice.

The Dietitians working within the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service provide input to the two inpatient detox units at Gartnavel Royal Hospital (The Kershaw Unit) and Stobhill Hospital (Eriskay House). Every person admitted to the unit will undergo nutritional screening and when dietetic input is indicated a referral will be made to the ward dietitian via the nursing staff. The Dietitian will then aim to complete a nutritional assessment during their stay on the ward.

The Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service have community teams supporting patients with their alcohol and drug use in the South, Northeast, and Northwest of the city. There is a community Dietitian who works within these teams to help support patients in the community with their nutritional needs. Access to the community Dietitian is via referral from a member of the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service team and the Dietitian will arrange to complete either a home visit, clinic visit or remote consultation.

The Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service Dietitians also provide input to the ARBD team (a specialist service providing support for those with brain damage as a result of alcohol) and to the 218 service (service which provides support to women known to the custodial service with problematic alcohol or drug use). A referral can be made to the dietitian providing input to these services by any member of the team.

More information on the different Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services available and how to access them can be found here

Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services – NHSGGC

https://www.nhsggc.scot/your-health/right-care-right-place/addictions/.

Forensic secure services provide therapeutic interventions for people with a mental health diagnosis who have had contact with the police or prison service. They may have been mentally unwell at the time of committing an offence or have become mentally unwell whilst in prison. Service users are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, they are not free to leave the units at their leisure due to risks to either themselves or others. People with severe mental illness have a significantly higher mortality rate, up to three times higher than the general population, due to poor physical health. This is due to a combination of antipsychotic medications, lifestyle factors and low physical activity levels. Antipsychotics are often reported to increase hunger and cravings for sugary food and drinks, as well as reduce satiety.

Greater Glasgow and Clyde Forensic Services are based at Rowanbank Hospital (medium secure) and Leverndale Hospital (low secure). There is a dietetic service based at both of these sites. Every person within the service will undergo nutritional screening and when dietetic input is indicated a referral will be made to the dietitian via the multi-disciplinary team. The dietitian will work with the persons and other members of the MDT for a collaborative approach to improve the person’s overall health and well-being.

.

Paediatric dietetic services are mostly based at the Royal Hospital for children. Contact Number  0141 451 6443

Please visit the website, on the button below.

Dietitians within the Community Rehabilitation Teams work together with other team members to support people at home to maximise their independence and quality of life. The team will identify any nutritional needs you may have and help set personal goals to improve your health and well-being. If you have been eating poorly for a while, are concerned that you are losing weight and this is affecting your function and strength, then we may be able to help you. Other dietary concerns may also be dealt with by ourselves or we can signpost you to the appropriate service.

REFERRAL CONTACTS:

East Dunbarton Rehabilitation Service- 0141 232 8213

East Renfrewshire Rehabilitation Service- 0141 800 7850

Inverclyde Rehabilitation and Enablement Service- 01475 714 350

North East Rehabilitation Service- 0141 201 5950

North West Rehabilitation Service 0141 201 7205

Renfrewshire Rehabilitation and Enablement Service: 0300 300 1380

South Sector Rehabilitation Service – 0141 232 7174

West Dunbarton Rehabilitation Service- 01389 776499

Please note specific referral criteria may vary between teams.