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aussie
Starting Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Apr 2011 : 21:41:05
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Hi All,
I've been a dietitian for 14 years, qualifying in Australia. I moved here 2.5 years ago with no initial intentions of working as a dietitian but now wish to. I know that to work in the NHS you need to be registered with the HPC but what if you want to go into private practice or work with an independent health care provider. Is it then necessary to register? I'm asking because I think the registration cost for overseas qualified dietitians is very high (about £500 to peruse the application) and the amount of paperwork they require seems over the top. And if you don't register, who is actually policing this?
Thanks in advance. |
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oznut
Advanced Member
387 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 18:22:46
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You cant legally call yourself a dietitian here in Uk unless you are hpc registered. Its a legally protected title and a formal registration.
Its policed very strictly. People check registrations.
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aussie
Starting Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 23:49:01
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| It may not be legal but I'm not going to stop calling myself a dietitian since I am and have been for over 14 years. If I decide not to register with HPC then I could still do dietetic work in private practice and call myself a nutritionist, isn't this right? Nutritionist is not a protected title. And if people want to check my qualifications I am registered with the Dietetic Association of Australia (DAA). I know that BDA recognises DAA as the registrating body of Australian Dietitians so why is the HPC wasting time and money on length applications if it's as easy as checking a website to verify registration in another country and approving it here??? |
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sportdiet
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
741 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2011 : 06:45:43
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Hi
Yes you can call yourself a nutritionist but if you work in the private sector then you will have to registerif you are doing dietetic work. I have worked in both and private companies require HPC registration. It is not a waste of money at all and it is protection for the public. I dare to say you are not in OZ you have to work under UK rules!
If we go to OZ then we have to do something similar so to be honest I don't think you have an argument. In the eyes of the law then it is illegal to call youeself a Dietitian in the UK if you are not - it is policed and I have reported people - the HPC will prosecute.
It also ensure you keep up to date with CPD - are you doing that?
We are not trying to be negative but the public need protection - what about Nut Soc register - clients are always asking for my quals and where I am registered. So I think you need to take this more seriously - the HPC is not wasting money as every process costs! |
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oznut
Advanced Member
387 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2011 : 07:01:00
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Well, I trained in australia (qld) and have been a dietitian about 20 years and got myself hpc registered. My personal opinion is that you need to go through the correct procedures to work in this country.
You will have to pay imndemnity insuramce to work in private practice as well.
Your APD wont mean much here, I am an advanced APD.
(you can say "trained as a dietitian") |
Edited by - oznut on 07 Apr 2011 07:03:08 |
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aussie
Starting Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2011 : 10:26:51
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Thanks for your responses. Just to clarify I didn't say HPC registration is a waste of money. I do understand it costs to run this type of database and it is important to have the industry protected but I think the AMOUNT of money for the APPLICATION process is exorbitant and maybe the method could be more streamlined such as checking overseas registration bodies. I originally posted the question to see if there was a way I could start earning money either as a dietitian or nutritionist before I got HPC registration - I actually have every intention of registering when I can afford it.
On another point that Oznut mentioned - it is a real shame that the APD doesn't mean much here. Australia has high standards of education in the dietetic field and almost similar requirements of CPD. It is listed amongst the many, including the UK, in the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations (http://www.internationaldietetics.org) All countries in this body of DAs have similar methods of registering suitably qualified candidates, so back to my point again of why reinvent the wheel, use the registering bodies to check that a potential HPC registrant is who they say they are! |
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oznut
Advanced Member
387 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2011 : 12:16:59
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If its any consolation, the renewal fees are only very low. Its only the initial part thats expensive.
The CPD requirements are actually higher/greater for APD. In fact, its only been this last year that the hpc has brought in an audit/cpd requirement similar to the old APD system, which has had the requirement of sending proof of cpd and setting goals etc for as long as the status has existed. For those not familiar with the process, each and every member has to send something like a miniportfolio every year to retain APD status. I cant recall exactly but I remember the first year APD started and Im sure it was at least 10-15 years ago.So Aussie dietitians are well ahead with formal CPD .
The main difference registration-wise I guess is in the formalisation. Here registration is a legal thing, not so much a professional thing as in Australia.
I think you could set yourself up as a private nutritionist but you couldnt source referrals from GPs and Im not sure you could be involved in private funds etc.
Just be thankful you dont have to do an exam like UK trained dietitians have to to work at home in Australia :) |
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Miss_Anthrope
New Member
United Kingdom
28 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2011 : 07:06:56
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| I have a question for you Aussie. I have a mate who wants to work in Australia but like you laughs in the face of officialdom and hasn't got the cash to pay out for all the admin costs involved in doing the exam. If she were to buy a hat with corks on, call everybody 'mate' and change her name to Sheila, do you think anyone would bother to check that she was really born in Macclesfield? She's an excellent Dietitian so I'm sure there's no harm in it. |
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aussie
Starting Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2011 : 09:48:37
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| This is suppose to be a friendly discussion forum. I've noticed everytime you reply to a post, here and in other topics, there is so much malice in your responses. It's uncalled for! I am not laughing in the face of anything. If you bothered to read my last post I explained just that. Get off your high horse and rein yourself in MATE! |
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James Collier
Moderator
United Kingdom
849 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2011 : 20:42:55
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Calm down please, both. Aussie, like you say, this is friendly here, so please, if there is a sarcastic response, please do not further respond with agression.
Thanks  |
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Miss_Anthrope
New Member
United Kingdom
28 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2011 : 21:37:16
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| I hope you don't react like that with your patients Aussie. It's lucky you are not on the HPC list or you'd probably get struck off. After 2.5 years out of practice a refresher course might be a good idea. |
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James Collier
Moderator
United Kingdom
849 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2011 : 16:14:01
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Miss A - did you read my comment above? Do not respnd further with agression.
JAMES COLLIER BSc (Hons) RNutr
Nutrition Consultant
Healthy Action
Professional Nutritional Advice |
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Miss_Anthrope
New Member
United Kingdom
28 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2011 : 22:00:26
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| Of course I did Jimbo, and I'm glad that not only did you back me up but you gave Aussie a right good long overdue telling off. |
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Roodie-Roo
Junior Member
United Kingdom
93 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2011 : 17:46:58
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| Aussie's only posted 4 times - how does that equate to a long overdue telling off? |
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Strawberry
New Member
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2011 : 17:55:31
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I'm actually disgusted and mortified with this ongoing topic. I thought we were supposed to be professionals and be on each other's side.
Grow up and stop making fools of yourselves and our professional. |
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Miss_Anthrope
New Member
United Kingdom
28 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2011 : 21:09:11
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| PROFESSION! Anyway, I retired in 1990 thank you very much so I should know what I'm talking about. |
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HPC registration
Topic Locked
