Our Journey Towards an Environmentally Friendly Hospital Menu
NHS England has been developing environmentally-friendly recipes and Mildmay has been selected as a pilot centre to launch a low-carbon menu
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Dietetics and Nutrition
Dietetics is the science of how nutrition affects our health.
Image credit: Jacopo Maia
Registered dietitians are qualified health professionals who assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems in society. They translate public health and scientific research on food, health and disease into practical guidance, enabling people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.
Dietitians and nutritionists aim to improve people’s health and help them make better dietary choices.
There is a lot of dietary and nutritional advice in the media, but not all of it is evidence-based and may not be from reputable sources. However, dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems.
Dietetics and Nutrition news
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Student placements
As my placement at Mildmay comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude and share my thoughts on this incredible experience.
My name is William Stivaletta, and I am a second-year Dietetics Student. Over the past three weeks, I had the privilege of working alongside a fellow student during our Public Health Placement at Mildmay.
During my time at Mildmay, I had the opportunity to delve into the intricate workings of the Hospital. Interacting with the various teams, I gained invaluable insights into the comprehensive care provided at Mildmay. Witnessing the dedication and excellence of your team left me truly impressed and inspired.
I consider myself immensely fortunate to have been granted this opportunity. The importance of teamwork became evident as we strived to achieve the best possible outcomes for the patients.
Exploring different pathways, including HIV, Detox, and Homeless care, opened my eyes to the diverse challenges faced by healthcare providers.
The main focus of my project was to assess the protein content of the in-house and external catering for the texture modified diet and align the menu with the new Nutrition and Hydration Digest guidelines. The experience has been both enlightening and transformative. The main objectives included evaluating food provision based on IDDSI levels, creating an accessible report outlining meal options and fortification guidance, and expanding food choices through collaboration with external catering providers. The project aimed to bridge dietary gaps, particularly for vegetarian patients, emphasizing a food-first approach to care and offering practical strategies for enriching meals. The comprehensive report provides menu ideas, stock management solutions, and a roadmap for improved patient nutrition and well-being at Mildmay Hospital
To the entire Mildmay team, I extend my heartfelt appreciation. From the warm welcome to the friendly smiles, you made me feel like an integral part of the team. The knowledge and support you generously shared with me have been invaluable. It has truly been a pleasure collaborating with each and every one of you.
Once again, thank you, Mildmay, for the support, guidance, and inspiration you provided during my placement. I will always cherish this experience and the memories I've gained.
William Stivaletta
Second-year Dietetics Student
London Metropolitan University
Students from Kings College London
Hello, my name is Tioluwa, and I am a final-year dietetics student who has had the amazing opportunity to undertake my public health placement at Mildmay Mission Hospital.
With Mildmay being (to the best of my knowledge) the first hospital (serving the NHS) to adopt a whole-menu approach to sustainability, it has been so rewarding to work alongside a fellow student from the university (Lara), Specialist Dietitian Kattya Mayre-Chilton and the wider multidisciplinary and catering team to evaluate how the new low carbon emission winter menu meets both nutritional targets and patient expectations.
It has been heart-warming to see how patients’ thoughts, values and experiences are valued at Mildmay and actively elicited to help support service improvement. Kattya's ongoing work with students who have come before us has really inspired me to see how dietitians/nutritionists can take the lead in developing a greener food and catering service within the NHS. I look forward to continuing this in my professional career and personal life.
Lastly, I want to say a massive thank you to Kattya and everyone at Mildmay, who are all so knowledgeable, warm, and supportive. You have all made these past three weeks such a rewarding and unforgettable time.
Tioluwa Ajao
Final-Year Dietetics
Kings College London
This is my final public health placement as part of the Masters in Dietetics at Kings College London. It has been a privilege to be working on such an innovative and impactful initiative. It has been a pleasure to be given the responsibility to help develop the new low-carbon menu at Mildmay and to be working alongside the NHS England chefs and dietitians to help collaboratively work toward reducing carbon emissions of the NHS within their food and catering industries.
I look forward to seeing the new winter menu roll out this Winter - a massive thank you to Kattya for overseeing this project and giving us this great opportunity.
Charlotte Turner
Registered Nutritionist and Student Dietitian
My name is Layana, and I'm a fourth-year Dietetics Student. I worked with a fellow student on our Public Health Placement at Mildmay. We were asked to create a resource that would benefit patients regarding healthy nutritional advice and guidance.
We explored the way Mildmay works and got the chance to work with all the lovely teams there! We learned a lot about practising a patient-care approach and observed the Multidisciplinary Team work together to reach the best outcomes for their patients.
It was very interesting working with patients on all pathways (HIV, Detox and Homeless) as it was eye-opening to listen to their stories. I observed the challenges that may occur daily and how these barriers are overcome. The impact the staff had on all the patients, and the amazing input of the dietitian there, have inspired me to work hard to give back to the world as a dietitian.
Thank you, Mildmay, for supporting me through this placement. Your warm welcome and friendly smiles have made me feel a sense of belonging within your team. Thank you for all the knowledge and support you gave me; it has been such a pleasure working with you all!
Hi my name is Mahmoud, a final-year dietetics student. I and a fellow dietetics student conducted our public health placement at Mildmay, and it was absolutely amazing.
The team here are brilliant, and I really felt at home the moment I walked through the doors. The atmosphere and energy of the team are like no other. From the patient-centred care to inclusive, multidisciplinary meetings, Mildmay is a wonderful place to work.
As part of our placement, we developed various resources for the team. These included: 13 budget-friendly recipes, a shopping list, an information sheet on BDA recommendations and detox nutrition information, 7-day menus (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) and a report on patient satisfaction.
I want to say a massive thank you to the team at Mildmay and especially to Kattya, our inspiring supervisor. I hope to work with you all again!
Mildmay Mission Hospital provided the opportunity for me to learn about several different areas of dietetics and their application to the specific service users at the site. I developed an understanding of how a multidisciplinary team of professionals work together to support patients on structured pathways and the important considerations of care planning.
The aim of my placement was ‘to contribute towards improvements in nutritional care for Mildmay service users – both whilst resident and post-discharge.' This aim, along with the work I produced, heightened my awareness of a dietitian’s role in public health and how valuable our contribution can be.
I believe the experience and knowledge from this placement will be extremely valuable as I progress in my career, and I am very grateful for the opportunity and support during my time at the hospital.
Isabella S
Stivaletta
Testimonials
International Dietetic and Nutrition internships at Mildmay
I would like to thank everyone at Mildmay Mission Hospital for welcoming the students and for all their help and support to realise their projects.
I would also like to thank Professor Filomena Gomes of Nova Medical School, Lisbon, for reaching out to us to support the development of future healthcare professionals.
Kattya Mayre-Chilton
Specialist Dietitian
The acknowledgements below are from the NOVA Medical School Nutritional Science final year students focused on their time and people they met at Mildmay in 2023:
Ines Timóteo
"Our internship was very enriching. It allowed us as students to get to know a different reality in a different country and where there is an adjustment of priorities taking into account the existing context. We had the opportunity to learn from a very dedicated multidisciplinary team, which despite the existing adversities, strives to provide the best possible health care. This internship marked my academic career and will certainly contribute to my future as a health professional."
Matilde Silva
"In this report, I would like to personally thank Dr Kattya for all her generosity and for making us feel so welcome and useful to improve the service at Mildmay Mission Hospital, as well as for the opportunity to be faced with different realities from those in Portugal.
I would also like to thank George for making us feel at home and always having friendly and comforting words to give us.
To all the staff who made this project possible, including the interns Amanda and James, without whom it would not have been possible to develop this project.
Ana Sofia
I would like to personally thank Dr Kattya for having us at Mildmay for this great experience and for being always extremely kind and helpful.
I would also like to thank the catering staff for being receptive and helping us collect the necessary data for our project. The health technicians in both wards, James, Marcelina, Ian and George were impeccable and very supportive during this week.
I especially enjoyed this internship because I had the opportunity to have close contact with the patients, to be able to talk to them and understand how important proper nutrition is for their rehabilitation, health and well-being."
Katarina Sintra Serralha
"I would like to personally thank Dr Kattya for having us at Mildmay Mission Hospital and for being extremely kind and helpful. This internship gave me the possibility to have close contact with the patients, as well as an experience in a different reality than the one that we are used to in Portugal. Also, George welcomed us in such a warm way that we can´t explain and gave us the best suggestions of places, activities and restaurants in London. All the other staff members, and our internship colleagues, Marcelina and James, thank you all! Mildmay Mission Hospital will always be in my heart for the unique experience and lovely people!"
Joana
"I would like to leave a very special thank you to Dr Kattya Mayre-Chilton for receiving me and my colleagues at Mildmay Mission Hospital and always making us feel welcomed and truly part of the team. There was always a kind word for us, and she was always available for anything we may need. I appreciated all the effort to always teach us something new every day. Above all else, I learned that as a dietitian, I can truly make an impact on people’s lives. Dr. Kattya truly inspired me to be a better professional and a better human being through my work.
I also appreciated every member of the team, specially Shalma, who was always available to find solutions to our problems, and Ian, who always greeted us with a smile.
Throughout this week of the internship, I had the chance to get in contact with patients in a reality that is completely different from mine. I could do a MUST screening, catering, data collection, and a variety of other tasks that I could see would make an impact on the hospital, which made me feel valued. Overall, it was, without a doubt, an experience that leaves a special mark on my heart and my academic and future professional career."
Beatriz Martins Coelho
"I am deeply grateful for how Mildmay Mission Hospital welcomed us, the friendliness of the staff, and the opportunity they have provided me with.
Especially, I am incredibly grateful to Dr Kattya Mayre-Chilton, for receiving me and my colleagues in the best way possible and for her invaluable guidance and support throughout the internship. She provided me with clear direction and expectations about my project and was always available to answer my questions and provide valuable feedback. In addition to the project, Dr Kattya Mayre-Chilton allowed me to attend her clinical practice through shadowing, which contributed even more to my learning. Throughout the internship, Dr Amanda Comer, the Speech and Language Therapist, provided me with valuable insights and guidance that helped me to develop my internship project, for which I thank you."
Alexandre Alves Rodrigues
After finishing this internship, there is a feeling of excitement because we experienced a very different reality and, on the other hand, a feeling that it was a short period to have a full experience at this hospital. I think that seeing another way of work and attending a Multidisciplinary Team meeting was incredible in expanding horizons and bringing more knowledge and ideas to the Portuguese Health System.
Being with Kattya doing the MUST screen for the first time, shadowing in patient meetings, seeing her talking with the patients, and learning about this relationship between a patient and a health professional made me feel like a part of that team during the week. We tried to help as much as possible with our projects by trying to help serve the food and show more consistent organisation at lunchtime, which made me feel even more involved.
Thank you for this opportunity!"
Margarida Silva and Matilde Pereira
"Firstly, we would like to express our thanks to Mildmay Mission Hospital, and in particular the dietitian Kattya Mayre-Chilton, for providing us with this unique internship opportunity.
We were privileged to learn about work culture and develop our professional and personal skills through this experience. Certainly, an experience we will not forget. Thank you!"
Ruta Preiksaityte and Yash Kanabar
"We are grateful for the support of Dr Katya and the whole team that welcomed us and allowed us to have a complete and dynamic internship with the possibility of interaction with the patients and the team.
We are also grateful for allowing us to attend a Multidisciplinary Team meeting where everyone is equal and everyone values each other. We felt that the projects had the goal of making improvements that Dr Kattya thought necessary/possible. We felt privileged to bear the responsibility to understand and make improvements in the sectors in question, being able to follow the process from the beginning to the end.
We consider it to be an added value to our training and an unforgettable experience. Last but not least, we would like to thank Prof Filomena Gomes, who was able to pass on her experience to us and allowed us to arrange an international internship so that we could have an experience of our own."
International
Find out more:
In the first instance, please contact Mildmay's Registered Manager, Teri Milewska: teri.milewska@nhs.net
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