Dietitians at work‐at home

Abstract

For the dietitian community health work means promoting health and helping to prevent disease by working with other people in the health and educational fields. The involvement of dietitians in this way came about via a number of different routes. One of the earliest posts of this kind dates from 1949 and was for a Health Education Officer (Nutrition) and the post was associated with a Health Education Department. Towards the end of the 1960's and early '70's, a number of Community Dietitians were appointed. Some of these were employed by the Health Departments and responsible to the County Medical Officers of Health. One or two were employed by Social Services Departments, and were answerable to the Director for Social Services of their local authority. Their advice would be sought primarily by staff of residential homes on matters of catering and in helping to plan new buildings. In some instances, hospital dietitians worked in the community on a voluntary basis, or were encouraged to do so by a community‐oriented hospital physician. Such local initiative and enthusiasm resulted in several official posts being established in this way. With reorganisation of the health service in view, quite a number of Community Health Dietitians were appointed. Their distribution in 1972‐3 can be seen from the map.