MONDAY 29 SEPTEMBER, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Award for NHS Tayside nutrition expert

Jacqueline Walker, Tayside Nutrition Managed Clinical Network Improvement and Development Manager, has been given a prestigious award for her work around coeliac disease.

The Complete Nutrition’s Coeliac Professional of the Year Award is presented to the professional involved in the area of coeliac disease who has gone above and beyond what is expected of them in their day-to-day role.

Jacqueline, a registered dietitian, was given the award for the work she has led to improve the nutritional care provided to patients with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis both in Tayside and across Scotland.

The work Jacqueline has been involved in followed consultation with the local patient support group, Coeliac UK Tayside. Jacqueline and the Tayside Nutrition Managed Clinical Network (TN MCN) led on a re-design of the entire coeliac disease patient pathway in Tayside.

One of the most significant changes made was to move gluten-free food prescribing out of GP practices and into the hands of patients and community pharmacy. The TN MCN introduced the Tayside Gluten-free Food Scheme in 2010. It allows patients to choose items of foods from a local Tayside gluten-free food list up to an agreed maximum amount of gluten-free food allocation each month. The allocation meets individual nutritional needs and is based on agreed Coeliac UK recommendations. A local community pharmacy then processes the food order for the patient.

Adults with coeliac disease can also have their ongoing health care needs reviewed annually by their community pharmacy and have access to key members of the healthcare team as required.

Jacqueline said, “I was delighted to accept this award on behalf of a whole team of people who contributed to the success of the Gluten-free Food Scheme, including GPs, patient representatives, community pharmacies and Coeliac UK.

“The re-design of the service was co-produced with patients meaning that they had greater input into the remodelling of services which they access. It has supported patients help themselves live more enjoyable lives.”

Further information for patients on all aspects of the Gluten-free Food Scheme can be found on the Tayside Nutrition webpage - www.taysidenutrition.scot.nhs.uk.

As a result of the Tayside initiative, the Scottish Government is testing a national version of the scheme across Scotland called the Scottish Gluten-free Food Service.

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138