Acute Assessment Unit
About us
We assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems using research about food, health and disease to provide practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.
Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be regulated by law and are governed by an ethical code to ensure that they always work to the highest standard.
Dietitians often work as members of multi-disciplinary teams to treat complex clinical conditions such as food allergies and intolerances, eating disorders, malnutrition, diabetes, faltering growth, kidney failure, nutritional deficiencies and inflammatory bowel conditions. Our inpatient team also works very closely with the Clinical Nutrition Nurse Specialist.
We also provide advice to caterers to ensure and promote the nutritional care of all clients in NHS and other care settings such as nursing homes.
We plan and implement public health programmes to promote health and prevent nutrition related diseases. A key role of a dietitian is to train and educate other health and social care workers.
The Dietetic Team at Kingston Hospital provides an inpatient service to all the adult and paediatric wards with the exception of A&E and maternity.
We also provide outpatient services on site through general and specialist clinics integrated into areas such as paediatrics, diabetes, surgery, gastroenterology and cancer services.
We provide a community/outreach service within the following areas:
- Clinics in GP Practices in Kingston
- The Children’s Trust (Tadworth)
- The Royal Star and Garter Home (Surbiton)
- Group education sessions for patients with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes
- Home Enteral Feeding service for adults and children living in Kingston and Richmond
Our team also work closely with care home dietitians who visit and provide advice to patients in some care homes in Kingston.
Care homes we cover:
- Coombe Hill Manor (nursing)
- Galsworthy House (nursing)
- Kingston Care Home (nursing)
- Royal Star & Garter (nursing)
- Lynton Hall (nursing)
- Southborough (nursing)
- Amy Woodgate (residential)
- Bourne House (nursing)
- Willow Grange (nursing)
- Hamilton (nursing)
- Murray House (residential)
- Abbeyfield House (residential)
- Speirs House (nursing)
- Cloyda (residential)
- The Devonshire (residential)
- Brook House (nursing)
- Milverton (nursing)
- The White House (nursing)
- Langley Court (residential)
- Surbiton Care Home (residential)
- Rosclare (residential)
- Medihands (Clifton) (residential)
- Anne Residential (residential)
- Glow (residential)
There is no commissioned service for domiciliary visits unless the patient is under the care of the home enteral feeding dietitians.
Kingston Hospital also has a Macmillan dietitian who works alongside the medical team in providing evidence-based expert nutritional counselling to patients and their families and carers at any stage of their cancer treatment and during rehabilitation.
We give group talks to patients, where we discuss common misconceptions about diet and cancer, find out about the most recent guidelines, and look at healthy eating advice and recommendations.
Appointments
If you have not received an appointment letter please contact the clinical administrator by email: khft.
If your appointment is not convenient, please contact the clinical administrator by email: khft.
If you have to cancel your appointment, please give at least 24 hours’ notice.
If you do not attend an appointment without cancelling or contacting the department, this may result in you being discharged back to your GP.
You may be sent a food diary to complete with your appointment letter. If so, please bring this to your first appointment.
For paediatric appointments, please bring your child’s red book.
Outpatient clinics are often busy and it is helpful if you arrive 10 minutes before or on time for your appointment to ensure the clinic runs to time for all patients. This is especially important for children’s appointment as they need to be weighed prior to the appointment slot.
Referrals
Referrals should be made electronically and emailed to: khft.
Referrals for patients who can physically attend an outpatient clinic are accepted. Referrals can be made by GP’s, consultants or other health care professionals. We are unable to accept self-referrals by patients.
Reasons for referral include:
- Weight management/obesity
- Diabetes
- Children nutrition and faltering growth
- Cardiovascular disease
- Nutrition support
- Allergy/food intolerance
- Gastrointestinal disorders, including IBS/FODMAP
- Enteral Feeding
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Pancreatic insufficiency
Healthcare professionals can visit out paediatric dietitians referral criteria page for more information.