Dietetics and Nutrition
Image credit: Jacopo Maia
At Mildmay, dietetics is a core part of specialist rehabilitation. Our dietitian works alongside the multidisciplinary team to support patients across our HIV, homelessness and detox/post-detox pathways, each of which presents distinct nutritional challenges.
This means working with patients managing the metabolic effects of long-term HIV treatment, addressing malnutrition in people recovering from rough sleeping, and supporting nutritional recovery alongside detoxification. Where needed, our dietitian develops texture-modified diets for patients with swallowing difficulties and coordinates closely with nursing, medical and catering staff to implement individual plans.
Registered dietitians are the only health professionals qualified to assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems. At Mildmay, their role goes beyond clinical care: the team has developed an active research and student education programme that contributes to the wider evidence base for nutrition in complex rehabilitation
Research and Innovation
At Mildmay Hospital, our Dietetics team is at the forefront of innovative research, continually working to enhance patient care, promote sustainability, and contribute to the broader scientific understanding of nutrition in rehabilitation.
We are incredibly proud to showcase our recent achievements and contributions to the field, for example, 2024, was a landmark year for our team's research output and recognition.
Further details, including abstracts and presentations from these research projects, are available here
A review of Key research contributions in 2024
Thank you to all the Mildmay teams and collaborators from NHS England, Imperial College and universities for all the great work.
Low-Carbon Emission Hospital Menu Development
Development Chef, Andrew Politi (right) with the Mildmay team
At Mildmay Hospital, we’re actively contributing to the NHS's ambition to deliver a Net Zero Health Service by 2040. In October 2024, our Dietetics team launched an exciting initiative to trial a low-carbon emission winter menu—a practical step towards more sustainable, patient-focused care.
On 10 October 2024, staff from across departments and several of our patients took part in a vibrant tasting session, sampling six new dishes. The options were selected based on nutritional value, ease of chewing, and carbon impact, including vegan and venison-based meals.
This session was a key milestone in the development of our sustainable food strategy and was generously supported by Andrew Politi and Max Kindred from NHS England, who have been instrumental in helping shape this work.
Special thanks go to our brilliant King’s College London dietetic students – Urvi Halai, Charlotte Turner-Murthy, and Shaye McLeish – who worked closely with our team to develop and refine the new menus.
The new winter menu was trialled from 6 November 2024, and following feedback, we’re finalising the branded materials for full rollout. Additional tasting sessions and ongoing collaboration with our kitchen team aim to further integrate culturally diverse and sustainable options into our patient catering.
