Dietetics
Nutrition is a key aspect of patient
care. We aim to provide the highest standard of nutritional
care and in doing so embrace the Hospital’s
Values in our service delivery.
The Nutrition and Dietetics Department at St
John of God Hospital Bunbury employs dietitians who are
professionally qualified as Accredited Practicing Dietitians
(APD’s). APD’s are recognised professionals with the
qualifications and skills to provide expert nutrition and dietary
advice to the general population and to those suffering a medical
condition. We know about food and health and can help people
sort through the maze of food and nutrition information.
Our service
We provide a service to inpatients for a
range of health conditions across all areas of St John of God
Hospital Bunbury. We also have a number of outpatient clinics
at the Hospital and at the South West Sports Centre, 1 Rotary
Drive, Bunbury. We also consult to sporting groups across the South
West and present to a number of educational groups in the
community.
What do dietitians do?
Our dietitians provide their clients with the
knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate a lifestyle change. We
focus on a balanced approach to eating and being active which is
important for lifestyle change to occur. We enable our clients to
achieve outstanding results by translating scientific nutritional
information into practical advice about what to eat, and – very
importantly – assisting them to put this into practice.
Firstly, the dietitian will assess your
medical history, family history and any current
medications. They will also discuss the purpose of your
referral, any blood tests you may have had and your current eating
patterns.
An assessment will then be made and a
management plan will be devised based on your needs, your current
eating preferences and lifestyle. This will include any
education you need and / or a diet plan. You should allow at
least one hour for your first appointment.
There is no set number of visits. Further
visits are arranged according to your needs. Typically clients
may expect to need fortnightly to monthly visits initially. A
single session may be sufficient to provide some people with
appropriate and useful information.
What conditions can a dietitian assist with?
Our dietitians are available for consultations
for general healthy eating advice. We also prescribe medical
nutritional therapy to manage a range of conditions including:
- Weight loss, or weight gain
- Diabetes, pre-diabetes, gestational
diabetes
- High cholesterol, heart conditions and high
blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal disease (diverticular
disease, coeliac disease, ulcerative colitis, Chron's disease,
irritable bowel syndrome)
- Surgery impacting gastrointestinal
function
- Gastrointestinal symptoms such as chronic
constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting and reflux
- Long term tube feeding
- Cancer and related treatments
- Food allergy and intolerance
- Kidney and liver disease
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Childhood obesity
- Eating disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Sport and fitness nutrition
Referral process
You may self refer or be referred by your GP
or another health professional. Inpatients are able to request a
referral through their nurse. Private health fund rebates apply for
dietetic services. We recommend you check with your health
fund prior to consultation. Department of Veterans Affairs clients
are also welcome.
Special diets
We have worked closely with our catering
department to develop a comprehensive and flexible menu to ensure
therapeutic dietary needs are met and specific food preferences are
catered for. Please inform your admitting nurse of your special
dietary requirements, or if you have a severe allergy to enable
this to be relayed to the catering department.
Contact details
Tel: 97222 1654
Fax: 9722 1650
Email: dietitian.bunbury@sjog.org.au
Useful websites